The Pomodoro Technique is a method that is designed to help with time management and procrastination. As modern life increases, more stress tends to build in every person’s life. As human beings, we tend to procrastinate from doing a task, because of many other distractions. The Pomodoro Technique keeps you focused on any task by eliminating all distractions for a certain time limit. (Young, 2019) This technique has been proven to help almost anyone that has trouble with procrastination. This method was invented in the early 1990s by Francesco Cirillo. It was originally used for the inventor himself to track his work as a student. (Ruensuk, 2016) Since then, the method has been used all over the world by helping any individual complete task in a reasonable amount of time while keeping you focused. The Pomodoro Technique makes you do your tasks, while simple lists only show you what is due. Over time, this method has even been shown to improve your attention span and keep you concentrated without continuously using the method. (Young, Scott H Young, 2015) This learning technique has been used for years, and it has only been put into a positive light. Those struggling with procrastination are now becoming focused and energized learners and workers.
How does it work?
The Pomodoro Technique encourages learners to work with the time they have rather than against it. To use this method correctly, you start by breaking your work into twenty-five-minute sections then separate them by five-minute breaks. (Cirillo, 2006) The idea behind this technique is that you have a certain amount of time the work needs to be done. You are given a sense of urgency with this method rather than feeling you have an unlimited amount of time to get your work done. For those who have used this method, they all felt very focused and productive while testing it out. (Lane, 2010) Working through your procrastination skills can be tough, but with the pomodoro technique, you are given specific time to procrastinate rather than overdoing it and losing your focus from what is due. During the twenty-five-minute intervals, it is important to have all distractions turned off and put away to be able to focus fully. (Cirillo, 2006)This process works to train your brain to stay focused and make progress with your mind and your ability to work. If you are distracted while using the Pomodoro Technique, the reason for using the method has been destroyed and you are back to procrastinating and not being focused. (Young, scotthyoung.com, 2019) Since technology has been invented, procrastination in humans has skyrocketed compared to the nineteen nineties. (Tuckman, 1991) Begin using this method by turning all technology off to complete your work in the set time. At the end of the day, some may feel as if they have not accomplished anything. With the Pomodoro Technique being used, studies have shown that almost everyone feels accomplished after using this technique. (Cirillo, 2006) Without the Pomodoro Technique, it has been shown that many people feel they have wasted their day getting nothing accomplished. With this method, however much you have completed will be shown, and you will feel accomplished.
Why does the Pomodoro Technique work?
The Pomodoro Technique is able to work because of the efficiency of the method. A human’s brain cannot usually retain information for a long period of time, this is an example of cramming. Cramming before a test, has been proven to not be helpful, but spacing out your learning will help you remember the information. (Kornell, 2009) Using this technique works the same way. Studying for twenty-five minutes then taking a break gives your brain time to relax and to let the information move around in your brain. The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to manage your work, keep you focused, and leave you with an affective learning method. (Young, scotthyoung.com, 2019) Life becomes very busy as we grow, and events can cloud your working memory and cause you to lose focus. The Pomodoro Technique is the same method, just reversed. By scheduling a time to focus, you push other concerns out of your brain to make room for future learning. It can be incredibly frustrating when you first begin using this method, and that is because our brain is not used to staying focused on one thing for a long period of time. While using thee Pomodoro Method, you feel as if you are in control of your own learning ability. You are the one putting in the effort to be focused, so eventually you could do it on your own without the Pomodoro Technique. This is considered to help you learn, but studies have shown that those who have only used it once, can feel themselves seeing the importance in staying focused and learning without distractions. (Schwartz, 2017)
What is the purpose?
The purpose of using the Pomodoro Technique could be many things. This method manages time, doesn’t allow procrastination, and is able to keep you focused on your tasks. (Young, scotthyoung.com, 2019) Effective time management is important because the more time you give, the less you get back. The Pomodoro Technique keeps this from happening and allows you to get your work done in a reasonable amount of time. If the technique was not used to complete tasks, then time would be wasted on that one assignment, when there are more assignments to complete. For example, Daniel Leviten, a professor of behavior neuroscience uses “real-life Pomodoro.” (Cooper, 2016) This is using the events that are happening around you as timers. Whenever you are finished doing one timed task, you begin taking a break then, you start another task. It is difficult to realize how much a person procrastinates until it is crunch time. Procrastination can be the reason most students fail, but there are ways to solve the issue, such as the Pomodoro Technique. Staying focused on your tasks is an important part of learning. If you are not focused, do you really understand the content you are learning? No, you cannot learn to your full ability if you are unable to focus. (Young, Scott H Young, 2015) The purpose of the Pomodoro Method is to keep you focused to avoid procrastination to complete your tasks.
Who does it benefit and where is it used?
The Pomodoro technique is not specifically used for one group of individuals. Everyone is capable of using this method for their own goals and achievements. Business owners, athletes, and students are all able to use this method for their own benefit. Business owners often strive to get the most out of their day. Being a business owner that uses the Pomodoro Technique, helps improve productivity and keeps them focused on the task to get more out of each working day. (Lane, 2010) As for an athlete, the Pomodoro Technique allows you to train a lot harder and discover faster recovery times. Any and every student has an idea of how stressful school can be. For example, those students who have used the Pomodoro Technique are able to enjoy their life and still get all their work done on time. (Young, Scott H Young, 2015) The Pomodoro Method is and can be used anywhere. It is typically used for people who have to actually produce something that needs to be seen by others. This includes all categories such as homework, assignments given by your head supervisor, or even things you are told to accomplish by a parent or guardian. The Pomodoro Technique is very widespread and can be used by anyone anywhere.
Bibliography
Cirillo, F. (2006, October 19). Baomee. Retrieved from The Pomodoro Technique: http://www.baomee.info/pdf/technique/1.pdf
Cooper, B. B. (2016, August 8). Quartz. Retrieved from The Best Productivity System for Procrasinators in to work with your Natural Tendencies: https://qz.com/752614/the-best-productivity-system-for-procrastinators-is-to-work-with-your-natural-tendencies/
Kornell, N. (2009, January 19). Wiley Online Library. Retrieved from Spacing is more effective than cramming: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acp.1537
Lane, M. (2010, May 13). Springer Link. Retrieved from Turning Timee from Enemy into an Ally using the Pomodoro Technique: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-12442-6_10
Ruensuk, M. (2016). IEEE Xplore . Retrieved from Reduce internal/external Interruptions in Software using Pomodoro Technique: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7550835
Schwartz, J. (2017, August 4). The New York Times. Retrieved from Learning to Learn: You, Too, Can Rewire Your Brain: http://faculty.bennington.edu/~sherman/Learning%20to%20Learn_%20You,%20Too,%20Can%20Rewire%20Your%20Brain%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
Tuckman, B. W. (1991, June 1). SAGE Journals. Retrieved from The Developmeent and Concurrent Validity of the Procrasination Scale: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013164491512022
Young, S. H. (2015, March). Scott H Young. Retrieved from Why is it so Hard to Create Peermanent Habits: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2015/03/25/permanent-habits/
Young, S. H. (2019, June). scotthyoung.com. Retrieved from The Perpetual Backburner: Is Procrasination Part of Human Nature : https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2019/06/12/backburner-procrastination/