The Pomodoro Technique - What it is and why you should try it

The Pomodoro Technique

Staying productive and avoiding procrastination are goals that each and every one of us strives for on a daily basis. Every person is different, and each of us finds different techniques that help us stay productive. Here at Hyperspace, we meticulously track our efficiency using Space Dial, a tool that enables companies and their employees to log their hours across all of the different tasks that they have to complete. Daily meditation, strict time allotments on social media, waking up at hours of peak productivity - there are myriad strategies, but one that has gained significant traction in recent years is the Pomodoro Technique.

What is the Pomodoro Technique, and did you know it's named after a tomato? In short, the Pomodoro Technique is a way to effectively manage time credited to Francesco Cirillo. He named it after his tomato-shaped kitchen timer that he used as a college student, hence the name Pomodoro, which means “tomato” in Italian. By dividing the time that you have to complete certain tasks and utilizing a laser focus, productivity is increased - tracking what time is used on specifically with a companion like Space Dial further hones this productivity. The Pomodoro Technique emphasizes that the subject works with the time that they do have rather than against it. The technique has 5 steps:

1. Pick a task to accomplish
2. Set a 25-minute timer and work only on that task
3. Take a 5 minute break after the timer ends
4. Repeat the first 3 steps 4 total times
5. After 4 Pomodoros (1 work period + 1 break period), take a 15-30 minute break

Following this set of five steps is simple, and it’s supposed to be, but the simplicity of these steps is not the only reason it’s an effective technique. With a timer involved, a sense of urgency is sure to arise, yet the following break and chance to recharge before diving back in prevents burnout. Rather than snapping back to reality realizing you’ve spent hours in front of your computer, you’re conscious of each Pomodoro and the workday feels less like a marathon and more like a series of sprints.

For those projects that take hours, a Pomodoro helps break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. This is also the idea behind Space Dial, which allows you not only to track every Pomodoro you contribute to a specific project, but also to see in real time as your teammates contribute their Pomodoros as well, so long as you remember to track them. With the ability to add comments to each log of time spent on a project, you become more aware of exactly how you’re spending your time each day, which is also one of the goals of the Pomodoro Technique - tracking how you spend your time and avoiding distractions that result in wasting it.

Some tips for maximizing your productivity while using the Pomodoro Technique:

• Plan out Pomodoros in advance - how many Pomodoros do you think you will need to check your email? Set aside one Pomodoro for tasks that can be completed quickly and set aside several for longer projects.

• Customize the time of your Pomodoros - everyone can focus for different amounts of time, so try a Pomodoro of only 20 minutes, or maybe 1 hour, and see what feels right.

• Make sure breaks contrast with the previous task - if your break is sitting in front of a screen looking at social media and your previous task was sitting in front of a screen writing emails, the break may not be as effective - try something for your break that does not involve a screen.

• Use Space Dial! - Making notes of what you accomplish during each Pomodoro and referencing those notes to see what works during your focus time and what doesn’t will maximize the value you get out of each Pomodoro going forward.

The Pomodoro Technique is just one of many ways that you can stay productive during the workday. Want to try it out? Download the Space Dial app and click on the Pomodoro button on the homepage to get started.

To learn more about how our team at Hyperspace Ventures stays productive, or to inquire about how we partner with startups to help them make a dent in the universe, send us an email at hello@hyperspaceventures.com, or send an inquiry here.