The main reason I started this blog is to share my experiences. While learning different things is one of my passions, I also have a great deal of trouble tackling procrastination.
For a layman, procrastination may seem like an easy challenge, but there’s a lot to it than what appears on the surface.
Something had to be done about it. That’s when I stumbled on this wonderful time management technique called Pomodoro.
What is Pomodoro Technique?
Pomodoro Technique is a time management tool introduced in the 1980s by an Italian named Francesco Cirillo.
The basic gist of the method is simple: you set a timer for 25 minutes and dedicate all your focused attention to a piece of work you’re doing. You then take a 5-10 minutes break.
Repeat the same process over and over throughout the day to maximize productivity.
Trivia: Francesco Cirillo used a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato to record his timings. Hence the name Pomodoro, which means tomato in Italian.
Modifications?
The time you need to dedicate for work (also called a Pomodoro) need not always be 25 minutes. It can be modified based on your individual preferences. It can also vary depending on what time of the day (or night) you’re working. Same applies for the break timings; you can take either a short or long break depending on how you’re feeling.
I prefer 30-40 minutes of focused work in the mornings, and shift to 20-25 minutes as time passes by. My short and long break timings are 10 and 20 minutes respectively.
Tomighty Desktop Timer
I do all my work on a desktop. While there are tons of good mobile Pomodoro apps, a simple and efficient desktop Pomodoro timer is what I was looking for.
I didn’t want the application to bog down my system resources with too many features.
My search ended with Tomighty, a free desktop timer for Pomodoro Technique.
It’s pretty simple and straightforward to use.
Once you install Tomighty, it lodges itself in the system tray area. You can control the app easily from the system tray by clicking on the tomato icon.
Right clicking the icon gives you access to its various settings: timer, user interface and sounds.
Once you’ve started a Pomodoro, you can interrupt it if you want to by left clicking on the tomato icon and pressing the Interrupt button. After a Pomodoro period is finished, the system tray icon notifies you about the same and asks whether you want to take a short or long break.
Once the break finishes, it asks you whether you want to start another Pomodoro.
It’s that simple.
Learning How to Use It
It certainly takes some time to get used to this technique. I faltered the first few times by diverting my attention to unnecessary topics. Just keep going at it and don’t give up. You will start getting used to it after a while.
I completed 75% of the basic HTML & CSS course on Codecademy in just 2 days after I started using Pomodoro Technique. I’m almost sure that it’ll be helpful in learning and doing lots of other things that I so want to do. It’s certainly an exciting productivity hack.
If you have any experiences with this technique, or know any better alternatives, feel free to share your views in the comments section below.
