All students are constantly on the search for the best method of studying.
The Pomodoro technique might be the best method of studying because it increases our efficiency and productivity.
It is able to make us more productive because it increases the amount of time we can focus on tasks uninterrupted.
It allows us to more effectively complete tasks by working for short increments of time and then rewarding ourselves with a short break after completion.
We then repeat the cycle in half hour segments.
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro technique is the best method of studying because it is a time management strategy.
It is a techniques that uses 25 minute blocks of time to get work accomplished.
After every 25 minute block of working, we are awarded a 5 minute break to do whatever we choose.
After about 4 Pomodoros (25 minute sessions), we can take a longer break – usually 15-30 minutes.
How did the Pomodoro Technique get its name?
The Pomodoro technique was named by its Italian inventor Francisco Cirillo.
He used a tomato shaped timer to time his 25 minute work sessions.
Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato.
The name stuck from there.
Why is the Pomodoro Technique the best method of studying?
The Pomodoro method is a successful way to accomplish tasks because it gives us a sense of urgency to focus on our work.
We know that we only have 25 minutes to accomplish our task so we are more likely to stay motivated and focused.
By ‘chunking’ down our work into 25 minute time blocks we effectively make larger workloads less overwhelming.
This is because we only have to stay focused for 25 minutes at a time before giving ourselves a break.
Over time using the the technique will allow us to increase our attention span and organizational skills.
How to use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro method is a simple and repeatable system to accomplish work tasks.
It allows us to stay focused and motivated by allowing us to work in short bursts and then rewards us with a break.
This is especially helpful when dealing with frustrating or tedious tasks.
All we need to start is a timer and a notepad.
The notepad will help us outline our blocks of time and take any notes or messages.
We will work for 25 minutes straight avoiding all distractions and then take a 5 minute break when the timer sounds.
Next we can then check off our first pomodoro (work session) on our checklist/notepad and move to the following session.
We should later take a longer (15-30 minute) break after we complete four 25 minute blocks of work.
Beating Parkinson’s Law
Parkinson’s law tells us that work expands to fill the time available for its completion.
This means that the more time we give ourselves to complete a task, the longer the task will take.
Here lies the brilliance of the Pomodoro Technique. This strategy teaches us to be hyper-focused for 25 minutes straight in order to complete tasks.
The more time we give ourselves to complete a task, the more time we have to procrastinateProcrastinate is to delay or postpone something. More.
Overcoming Interruptions
Of course we don’t live in a perfect world where we can just block everything out for 25 minutes at a time.
In the event that our ‘pomodoro’ is interrupted, we can pause our block of time and finish later.
Either that or we can end where we are and start a new block of time later.
Ideally, if we wanted to stay in our work flow, we would notify our interrupter that we will get back to them in 25 minutes, or whenever our next break is scheduled.
It’s also helpful to keep a notepad to jot down anything we need to attend to during our break time.
How to utilize break time
As I previously mentioned we can use our break time to revisit any interruptions such as calls or emails we have to respond to.
We can also use the time to grab a drink, eat a snack or have a nice long stretch.
We can also take a walk, get some fresh air – basically do anything we want with our break time.
If you’re feeling particularly productive, try meditating or some exercises on your downtime.
