- The
pomodoro method involves working for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break before starting again. - It was helpful when I was feeling unmotivated, but the method was annoyingly rigid and exhausting.
The $4, and it's evangelized by everyone from college students to CEOs for its ability to help skyrocket focus and avoid mental fatigue.
At its simplest, the
But when I tried using the technique for a week, I found it was a punishingly rigid way to work that halted my momentum whenever a five-minute break rolled around, prevented me from getting into a groove during the 25-minute work intervals, and didn't give me enough time to recharge.
The $4 Francesco Cirillo, and its reputation has exploded since then. Today, $4 into 25-minute chunks, but I used the free iOS app $4 and the free website $4.
While the $4, the method was frustrating when a task involved creativity, problem solving, or critical thinking.
A big issue for me was that the 25-minute work periods were way too short to get into a
When I was doing research for a story about prescription drug shortages, my pomodoro app told me to stop and take a break a few minutes after I discovered an interesting research rabbithole to dive into. Though I picked up my work after a few minutes of rest time, my initial excitement had already waned.
The rigidity of the system also frustrated me. Though I tried to stick to the pomodoro schedule as much as possible, oftentimes I'd work through breaks because I didn't feel like stopping. Other times, a small five-minute break wasn't enough to feel recharged, and I'd eat up working time to go on a walk instead.
By the time Thursday rolled around, I knew that the technique was a bust for me. Since my main problem with the pomodoro technique was that the 25-minute work interval was too short to get into a good groove and the five-minute breaks were too short to relax, I tried a modified version where $4.
This ended up being perfect for me - the 90 minutes gave me enough time to get into a zone and get deep work done, while the 20-minute breaks gave me enough time to relax and feel energized.
There may be a reason why I preferred working in 90 minute intervals. $4, so following your body's natural patterns can help make you more productive.
While breaking my day into 25-minute chunks didn't work for me, I might still go back to it when I'm studying for my Spanish class or when I'm struggling with procrastination. And since pomodoro timer apps are often free, it's worth a try if you haven't used it yet.