Pomodoro
The Pomodoro technique is created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. This technique is being used to measure productivity and very simple to use.
Set a timer for 25 minutes and work focused on planned task for those 25 minutes. Once timer completes, take 5 minutes break. After completion of 4 Pomodoro (25 minutes each), take 15 minutes break. That’s it. Super simple. Only thing you need to ensure that when your Pomodoro is running, you are focused and not being interrupted. If in case you are interrupted, restart that Pomodoro.
Real Value of Pomodoro
You will get real value of Pomodoro technique, when you will start using it as tool to estimate and measure your work.
Every Saturday I plan for whole week. I break my work in small tasks and estimate those tasks in pomodoros. I do not put any task longer than 4 pomodoros, otherwise I break that task in subtasks. Now I set weekly target to achieve number of Pomodoros. Initially I targeted to accomplish 30 pomodoros per week, at present, I aim to accomplish 50 pomodoros per week. I also clean up my weekly board. My board contains 7 columns, one for each day, starting Sunday.
At this time, I have all information handy to plan my week accurately. I know that how many pomodoros, I am targeting to accomplish for this week, I also have tasks which are estimated in pomodoros. So I move forward and put tasks on my board based on priority unless total of those tasks reach to 50.
Now I am all set to start my week and plan my day based on planned tasks.
Sense of Freedom
Before using this technique, I was always feeling guilty that I could achieve more than I actually achieved. I was working day and night but still I not satisfied. This feeling was continuously burning and demotivating me. Using Pomodoro, that feeling went away.
Now, when I start my day, I know my planned tasks and number of pomodoros need to be accomplished. If in case, my tasks are simple and took less time to finish than planned, I pull next day tasks to finish. If in case, my tasks are complex and taking more time than planned, I change estimate of current task. Everyday I revisit my board and adjust tasks based on previous day accomplishment. If I finished more tasks than planned, I move in few tasks from next week, if I finished less tasks, I move out few less important items to next week. My goal is to keep number of pomodoros same as targeted.
Once I finish planned number of pomodoros of a day, I know that I have achieved my daily target and free to do anything which is not planned like watching TV, playing with kids, cooking etc. Pomodoro technique changed my mentality. Now I do not target to finish tasks. I target to accomplish pomodoros, I know that if my estimation is correct, tasks will finish automatically, if not, I will estimate again and adjust board accordingly.
It gives me mental satisfaction and sense of freedom to live life knowing that you are continuously moving to your target in set speed.
Tools
To use Pomodoro technique, you do not need any fancy tool. You just need a timer to track your time. There are various apps available over internet to track these. How I am planning for week and what tool for week/daily plan and Pomodoro, I will explain in next blog.