If you want to boost your productivity, try the Pomodoro technique. It’s simple, effective, and works for students and adults alike.
Francesco Cirillo developed a simple and effective technique to stop procrastinating and increase his productivity while at university: using his tomato-shaped timer to organise his workload into short, manageable, motivating units, which he nicknamed “pomodori” (Italian for tomatoes). In his book, called “The Pomodoro Technique,” Cirillo suggests the following:
- Divide your work into 25-minute chunks, followed by 5-minute breaks.
- Use a timer, which will ring when your 25 minutes are up.
- During those 25 minutes, try to focus completely on your task and avoid ANY interruptions (turn off email, social media, text and phone notifications, ideally).
- When the 25 minutes are up, set the timer and take a 5-minute break.
- After you have three or four “pomodori” (depending on how much work you have), give yourself a 15 to 30-minute break to check your email or phone or get a snack.
Using this technique will help you stay organized, focused, and motivated and will reduce stress associated with procrastination.