Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique works for various reasons, most of which are related to a more structured approach to productivity.
I could analyze each of these points, but I’ll do the opposite. Instead of explaining why Pomodoro works, I’ll explain why working without Pomodoros doesn’t work.
Imagine someone sitting in front of a computer to work, but they do so without:
Deciding how long they will work,
Setting when this period will end,
Choosing what task they will do,
Having an external element to alert them when this period ends.
This is a poorly structured approach, unstrategic, and probably inefficient, to say the least.
In other words, the Pomodoro Technique works because it brings structure to ensure a certain effort or activity results in something pre-established.
Otherwise, the person would work indefinitely without knowing when to stop, what they are focusing on, or what they should be doing.
Of course, once someone understands the elements that the Pomodoro Technique "brings to the table," it might enable a more assertive approach even without the Pomodoro Technique. Or the person might be efficient by adding these same elements in another way.
My intention here isn’t to break down the Pomodoro Technique into its essential elements and explain to the reader how to live without it. Instead, I want to emphasize that it works because it induces a more structured approach for a more assertive action, and that’s why it can be a useful tool.
Beyond the Pomodoro Technique
As I’ve mentioned before, the pomodoro technique is really useful because it induces a more strategic approach to focused work time and breaks.
The idea of focusing for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break can be a great solution for those coming from a totally non-strategic approach.
Moreover, the tool is quite flexible, allowing more advanced users to find that this time is too short and therefore want to increase both focus time and break time.
Regardless, a more strategic approach to productivity, focusing on managing cognitive resources, will benefit much more from a tool like 🌞 • Daily Schedule, as already mentioned in this article. (coming soon)
The point of this text is to explore a more extensive approach involving 🌞 • Daily Schedule to address the limitations of the pomodoro technique. As mentioned earlier, the pomodoro technique is truly one of the most effective in traditional productivity. It’s a simple technique that brings great benefits, and in addition, it’s quite flexible.
But despite that, we can have a much more strategic and simpler approach involving 🌞 • Daily Schedule.
The problems with the pomodoro technique could be:
25 minutes of focus is too short
5 minutes of break is also too short
How many pomodoros to do in a day?
Mainly, the last point, "How many pomodoros to do in a day?" 8? 9?
Here we’re already entering the area of the four different moments of the day (which you can read more about here), because the eighth or ninth pomodoro won’t be the same as the first or second, and when will the individual consider this?
Besides: How and where to plan the pomodoros?
That’s where we need a more comprehensive tool to give us a much simpler and more efficient solution to the problem.
The answer to such a complex question could be as simple as 2 or 3:
2 to 3 hours of work
2 to 3 hours of break
2 to 3 chunks of time per day
Simple as that, once you connect this knowledge with the time technology created by 9Pomodoros, everything becomes much simpler and more efficient:
2 to 3 hours of work:
🌊 Flow
🔥 Battle
⚡️ Uphill
2 to 3 hours of break:
⏳ Break
🍱 Meal
🛋️ Downtime
2 to 3 chunks of time per day:
2 x 2 = 4 hours
3 x 3 = 9 hours
You could work from 4 to 9 hours in a day, these being the extremes. Something between 6 or 7 hours would probably be ideal.
This way, we solve all the issues related to the problem: "How many pomodoros to do in a day?" But regarding "How and where to plan the pomodoros?"—the answer is simple, and the tool is 🔥 • Heat, which you can learn more about by reading the following article:
Tools can work more or less efficiently depending on the user’s knowledge, and now we’ll explore this in relation to the calendar.
Summary: The Pomodoro Technique is a popular method for structuring focused work sessions, but it has limitations. This section explores these limitations and suggests a more strategic approach using the 🌞 • Daily Schedule. The focus shifts from rigid time blocks to a more flexible, intuitive way of managing work and breaks throughout the day, ultimately enhancing productivity.
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Written by Vinícius P. Breves
👑 The New King of Productivity
🥷 Productivity Expert
⚫️ Founder of 9Pomodoros
✍️ Philosopher & Writer
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⏳ 9P TimeSync (Part I)
Finally, we’ve reached the broadest, most complex, and controversial topic in modern Productivity: Time.