Pomodoro Technique

“Pomodoro” (means tomato – named after a timer shaped as a tomato) is a technique that’s been developed to help you focus your attention over a short period of time.

  1. Go a place that you can concentrate. Turn off your phone and any sounds or sights that might signal an interruption.
  2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and put yourself toward the task. The stress of being under a timer has been found to be helpful. Learning under mild stress can help you learn to handle stress more easily.
  3. Completely focus on task for 25 minutes with no distractions. Train yourself to ignore distractions. Don’t worry about finishing the task. Concentrates on process (the way you spend your time) vs. product (what you want to accomplish).
  4. When the 25 minutes is up. Take a break. Break time depends on the deadline that you are under. Reward yourself.

Try to complete at least 3 of the 25 minute sessions that day, on whatever task or tasks you think are most important.

Multitasking is like constantly pulling up a plant and not allowing it to take root. Multitasking during the learning process means you don’t learn as deeply – this can inhibit your ability to transfer what you are learning. Completing a Pomodoro Cycle places you in focus mode and taking a break allows you to enter diffuse-mode. (Oakley, 2014)