Going back to the running analogy, you can run longer and harder if you take short walking breaks in between your sprints. The Rest interval is just as important as the Work interval.
When you hear the timer beep, it’s time to rest. Just work without stopping until you hear the beep. During this period, don’t get up from your chair, don’t check Facebook, don’t get on your phone. Set the timer (your cell phone timer is fine) for however long you’re working for, and don’t stop until the bell goes off. Make sure you have all your supplies with you, and a timer. Work: 45 minutes Rest: 15 minutes (my favorite)ĭuring the Work interval, you do just that: you work uninterrupted for the designated amount of time. You could try one of the following ratios: And keep the work interval to no more than 45 minutes.) (Just keep in mind that you might want to keep the length of the Work interval between three and five times the length of the Rest interval. The classic Pomodoro model specifies a 25-minute Work interval followed by a 5-minute Rest interval, but you can adjust the Work-Rest ratio to fit the task and your personal work style. First, determine the length of your “Work” interval, or how long you are going to work for. And sometimes for cleaning … but that’s just me. You can use the Pomodoro Technique to complete a variety of tasks, including studying, writing a paper, doing research, reading, etc. For you fellow athletes out there, it’s similar to interval running, where you sprint all out for a set amount of time, and then walk for a shorter period. Repeat this process until the task is completed.
Here’s how to use the Pomodoro Technique: Essentially you work for a set amount of time, and then rest. If you struggle with finding time to get your homework done, use these tips here. In other words: Before using the Pomodoro Technique to plow through a task or set of tasks, the first step is to set aside a chunk of time to work uninterrupted. The Pomodoro Technique is just one of many methods that can help you get things done once you have made the time for them. ?īefore I dig into how to use the Pomodoro Technique, understand that “time management” is a fluid process that typically involves multiple concrete steps or principles – many of which you’ll have to figure out for yourself over time. You can read about the awesomeness of this technique everywhere, including lifehacker, the Washington Post,. Francesco Cirillo developed it in the 1980s. I didn’t invent this technique –but I wish I did.
It wasn’t until college, when the workload-to-free time ratio got even tighter, that I learned about the Pomodoro Technique, which is one of the best time management strategies that I now use almost daily. I somehow managed to get by, but not without an unhealthy level of stress. If I didn’t micromanage every minute of my day, assignments wouldn’t get completed – and that was just not an option. When I began taking AP courses as a junior in high school, I realized for the first time just how important time management was. I think it’s because I was often so overwhelmed with the quantity of work required of me in high school that my brain is still storing those memories somewhere … I wonder what Freud would say …īut seriously, students have so much on their plates and so little time outside of school and sports/activities that it can sometimes seem impossible to get done what needs to get done. I graduated from high school 534 years ago, so you’d think I’d being nightmaring about something else, but I still have bad dreams about high school stress. True story: I sometimes still have nightmares about forgetting my Spanish homework, being unprepared for a math test, and forgetting my locker combination. Before I get into how to use the Pomodoro Technique for homework (best time-management hack EVER), here’s a little background info: