The Pomodoro method: features and essence of the technique, application

Have you ever noticed at the end of your working hours that you worked tirelessly all day and did not manage to cope with the tasks set for the day? Or, by the end of the weekend, to understand that they never finished cleaning, and did not find time to iron the linen either? Perhaps each of us faces such problems. The thing is that we are planning our time incorrectly, according to experts in the field of time management.

To solve the problem, they suggest using a method that was invented long before the term "time management" became widespread in business. It's about a daily routine called Pomodoro.

We owe the emergence of such a technique as Pomodoro to the Italian Francesco Cirillo. In the 80s of the last century, as a student, he somehow thought about why the time for the exam comes faster than he prepared for it, although the young man spent, as it seemed to him, all his time and energy on studying. The diligent and meticulous young man suggested that he was distracted a lot while completing assignments, and decided to find a way to concentrate on the goal at least for a while.

To begin with, he defined a segment of 10 minutes. Time was counted with the help of an ordinary kitchen timer, which had the shape of a tomato - hence the name of the method that became widespread throughout the world in the future, in Russian simply “tomato”. True, for introducing it into the field of time management on a daily basis, one must say “thank you” not to the Italian guy, but to Staffan Neteberg. Little is known about him. From the publicly available facts - for about two decades he has been engaged in independent software development, is a mentor in flexible methodologies for the development of information systems.

So, it was he who, thanks to mathematical programmatic thinking, created a manual on the use of the Pomodoro method and called it "Tomato Time Management". In it, he not only explained this principle in an accessible way, but also diversified his story with vivid illustrations. As a result, he spread the “tomato” theme among professionals and amateurs of time management.

The "tomato" system is simple, like everything ingenious. The main rule is to break your day into small segments, each of which is called a tomato. The optimal time allotted for "eating" one tomato is 25 minutes. So, we set a timer, you probably have one in the kitchen, perhaps not in the form of a tomato, but some other kind, if it is not there, just set the alarm.

For the next 25 minutes, you should focus on solving the problem.... Nothing should distract you - no phone calls, no sound from the radio, let alone the TV. The coffee and sandwich will also have to be postponed. And only after the signal about the end of the allotted time goes off, you have every right to a break. Thus, you kind of enter into an employment contract with yourself. For every working "tomato" day you set yourself a specific task and will certainly fulfill it.

This method of time management is especially in demand in the modern world, when a person is simply enveloped in the temptations to “be distracted for a second”. Social media messages, SMS, phone calls, advertising mailing. But “not to think down on seconds” has long been recommended to us by the classics of the Russian stage. Basically, the tomato technique allows you to follow the rule sung in the song. It can be used not only by businessmen, but also by schoolchildren and students during their studies, it is no coincidence that it was a university student who invented it. By the way, according to the Italian author Francesco Cirillo, his method helps in achieving the following goals:

• maintain determination and achieve their goals;
• improve the quality of the educational or work process;
• to increase the efficiency of labor or the process of obtaining knowledge;
• to give determination in difficult situations.

But the method that was born in the head of the Italian student will certainly help you achieve your goals.

Before starting the timer, make a list of the tasks that you intend to accomplish on that particular work day. Describe them. In order for the method to work, you need to clearly understand what exactly you want to achieve. If you have decided, turn on the timer.

In general, it is believed that the optimal “ripening” time for a tomato is 25 minutes. This is exactly what the above-mentioned Staffan Neteberg indicated in his textbook. Recently, however, some researchers have argued that this time can be increased. They might be right but to begin with, it is probably still better to use the 25-minute segment, which has been proven over the years and different minds.

They are just as important as the 25 minutes you spend focusing on your work. So, done the job - and walk boldly for 5 minutes. That is how much the experts in the field of "tomato" time management recommend to give for a break.

It is hardly possible to get rid of them at all.After all, there are important calls to which we must be distracted, there is a possibility of an unexpected visit to your office or home, there are also urgent natural human needs that are clear to everyone. The author of the method, Francesco Cirillo, recommended in such cases to pause the timer, and after the completion of urgent matters, start it again.

Some of his modern followers believe that the degree of need for distraction should be assessed on a 10-point scale. And if you yourself evaluate something urgent in one point, then it means that it is not worth "undernourishing our tomato" in one sitting.

If the task at hand is not too difficult, or you cannot immediately concentrate for 25 minutes, then divide your “tomato” into “slices”. Start at intervals of 10-15 minutes. If, on the contrary, you understand that your task will not "fit in your mouth" in 25 tomato minutes, increase the time it takes to eat it.

If you have coped with the task before the timer signal sounded, do not try to turn it off. Consider this your bonus vacation time. You can spend it on planning the next tasks, talking with colleagues, reading something, answering a phone call. And only then arrange a "legal" 5-minute break.

There are people who do not use this method, because they are afraid not to be in time before the “fateful” call. Try to overcome these childhood fears.... To get started, put a nice signal on the alarm clock. By the way, now there are a lot of computer programs and applications for phones, which are created specifically in order to competently use the "tomato" method. According to most experts, it does not matter at all what kind of assistant you use - an old kitchen timer or a newfangled development. The main thing, remember, "half-eaten tomato" is like wasted time. And we always miss him. In addition to work, study, there is still so much to do in life.

Therefore, let us once again recall the Russian proverb, which the author of the book about tomato time management, Shtaffan Neteberg, could well have used as an epigraph - "Do it - walk boldly." We have plenty of time ahead of us. The main thing is to use it rationally.