7 Benefits of Pomodoro Technique – 2X Your Productivity

ByLoyd
Loyd Mears
Loyd

If you’re looking for a good reason to start using the Pomodoro Technique right now, you’ve landed in the right place. I’m going to start right out of the gate with the benefits of the Pomodoro Technique because they are amazing. 

After I demonstrate real benefits, I’ll cover the best tips and tricks to get the most out of Pomodoro.

Finally, I’ll answer some common questions people ask about the Pomodoro Technique.

“You’ll be twice as productive and twice as effective if you use the Pomodoro Method Consistently. And You Can Eliminate Procrastination. 

Loyd Mears

Here is quick reference navigation for each part of this article.

Benefits Of Pomodoro Technique

1. Pomodoro Method Automatically Makes You Twice As Productive Or Better!

The number one benefit of the Pomodoro method, and the main reason why you should use it, is because it automatically makes you twice as productive.

You’re more productive because you’re forced to stay focused on one thing for a specific period. Then, you take a scheduled short break to take your mind off what you’re doing for a few minutes and get right back on your focused tasks.

The combinations of periods with a focus on one thing and scheduled breaks to distract yourself are the optimal way for most people’s brains to work.

For more creative work, a method like Flowtime may be better.

2. The Pomodoro Method Makes You More Effective.

You’re more effective when you use the Pomodoro Method because it forces you to take consistent breaks.

Taking 5-minute breaks where you get up, move around, and distract yourself away from what you’re doing clears and refreshes your mind. Then, you’re better able to focus on what you’re doing when you start focusing again.

3. The Pomodoro Technique Improves Your Planning Skills And Helps Manage Expectations.

You become more and more skilled at planning because you know how long it takes you to do things more accurately. 

You will accurately estimate how long it will take to complete a specific type of project with practice. A writer, for example, may notice that it takes them 

  • 90 minutes on average to research a new article, 
  • 30 minutes to outline their thoughts, 
  • and one hour to write the article. 

Later, when they set goals for how much content they will produce in a week or a month, the writer will accurately estimate how many articles they can write based on the available time.

Knowing how much time you need also helps you manage your expectations and make setting realistic goals easier.

4. Reduces Back Pain And Mental Exhaustion.

The Pomodoro Technique requires breaks every 25 minutes (focus period). When you take a break, 

  • you can get up and move around, 
  • stretch or exercise,  
  • get a snack, 
  • refill your water bottle, 
  • or check your social media. 

Getting up to stretch your legs helps prevent the onset of back and shoulder pain caused by sitting at a desk. 

Similarly, allowing your mind to wander for a few minutes during the workday reduces burnout. When you feel good physically and mentally, you get more done.

5. Pomodoro Technique Makes It Simple and Easy To Be Productive.

The most devastating roadblock to getting things done efficiently is not focusing on one thing at a time. Pomodoro painlessly forces you to focus.

6. It Helps You Beat Procrastination.

Even if you know you should do something and intend to do so, procrastination is always lurking around the corner, ready to bite you. While it happens to all of us, it can have serious consequences if you don’t address it.

For example, it can cause you to miss deadlines and fall behind on your work, eroding your credibility and adding stress.

The Pomodoro Technique can help you solve this problem by providing you with clarity. When you know what to focus on, you will feel less anxious and overwhelmed.

When you’re dragging your feet, it can also encourage you to just get started. Because 25 minutes is a short time commitment and the only time block you have to complete a specific task, it’s almost like a race against the clock. Furthermore, once you start moving, it is much more difficult to stop.

Motivation Trick

Suppose you have a big problem with overcoming the urge to put something off. In that case, you can use Pomodoro by setting a shorter timer and commit to only 5, 10, or 15 minutes. It’s easier to commit to a shorter time by telling yourself, “I can do anything for 10-15 minutes.

Try to stick with 25 minutes, but if necessary, do whatever it takes to beat procrastination.

7. Keeps You From Getting Side-Tracked By Distractions And Interruptions.

Interruptions and distractions are unavoidable. Even if you take the necessary precautions, such as turning off your smartphone, a coworker may barge into your office with an emergency. Cirillo recognized this and devised the following strategy:

  • Inform. If you’re in the middle of a Pomodoro, inform the other party that you’re busy.
  • Negotiate. Set aside time to talk about the distracting topic.
  • Schedule. Put that follow-up appointment on your calendar right away.
  • Follow up when a Pomodoro is finished. Contact the other party to discuss the problem.

What about distractions from within? What if you recalled you needed to send an email in the middle of your workday? 

Make a mental note of it and send the email during your break.

What Is The Best Advice To Implement The Pomodoro Method?

The founder of the Pomodoro Technique, Francesco Cirillo, experimented at length to find the steps and best focus and rest period values.

Steps of Pomodoro Technique

Francesco Cirillo found that these 5 basic steps were most effective:

  1. Choose a task.
  2. Set a timer for 25-minutes.
  3. Work on the task until the timer goes off.
  4. Take a short break — usually around 5-minutes.
  5. Every 3-4 Pomodoros, which is 3-4 work periods of 25 minutes, take a longer break — typically between 15-30 minutes.

In addition to the above basic steps, here are tips and tricks to boost your Pomodoro Method success.

  • Get up and move around when you have breaks and completely get your mind off the task.
  • Prioritize your tasks ahead of time.
  • Keep a prioritized list of tasks ready, so you can move to the next task without a lot of thinking.
  • Complete your hard tasks first thing in the morning.
  • You mark your progress with an “X” every time you finish a Pomodoro. Also, keep track of how often you had the urge to procrastinate or switch gears to focus on another activity. 
  • Reward Yourself for Completing a Major Task from time to time to keep you motivated in whatever you’re doing. Keep track of your modest victories and achievements, and be sure to celebrate them. So, whenever you’re feeling down about your progress, you can look back and realize how far you’ve come!

Common Questions About The Pomodoro Technique

Does The Pomodoro Technique Really Work?

The Pomodoro Technique works for everyone who consistently follows the steps. As long as it’s used correctly, the Pomodoro Technique can help you focus better. 

Applying the method results in more production and improved quality. That’s right, gets done, higher quality, and the same number of work hours.

I’m using Pomodoro right now as I write this article. Since I started using Pomodoro, I have more than doubled my output.

Why Does Pomodoro Technique Work?

It works because focusing and taking regular breaks improves performance. There is research backing this claim.

For instance, a 2008 study by John Caldwell, Ph.D., that analyzed fatigue in pilots revealed that long duty hours reduce alertness in the cockpit. As a result, taking short breaks between long sessions can significantly improve awareness and focus.

How Many Pomodoro Sessions Per Day?

It all depends on you, how much work you have to perform, and how enjoyable the project is. It’s difficult to complete 10+ Pomodoro sessions on tedious work. So, when you’re doing things that aren’t so enjoyable, you should probably be content with 8 or so. 

Some days will be extremely productive, while others will not.

I typically do 12 Pomodoro sessions of 25 minutes each and I take a 30-minute break every 3 Pomodoro sessions.

Is Pomodoro Technique Effective For Studying?

The creator of the Pomodoro method, Francisco Cirillo, designed this approach while studying at University to help himself study better. It Worked!

Pomodoro Method Of Studying

The process is fundamentally the same for work or study.

  • Start your task after setting a timer for 25 minutes. Any kind of timer will do.
  • If you’re distracted by thoughts or ideas not unrelated to your study focus, make a note of it and return to your study focus.
  • Put a checkmark on your paper when the time is up. You have finished one increment, commonly known as a Pomodoro.
  • Allow yourself a five-minute rest. You can look over any distractions you wrote down, stretch, move around, grab something to drink or a snack, and so on.
  • Take a thirty-minute pause after four Pomodoro periods.
  • Repeat the process until you’re finished for the day!

Alternatives To The Pomodoro Method

The Flowtime Method

This method is a more adaptable variant of the Pomodoro Strategy. Rather than having predetermined work-break periods, the Flowtime Technique allows you to take your time, get into the flow, and then interrupt your work as needed.

The flowtime technique’s essence is that you keep a record of your optimum working and resting periods.

Finally, you can use the knowledge to design an effective time management strategy.

Ninety-Minute Focus Session

The Ninety-Minute Focus Session name describes the method well. Work for 90 minutes with complete concentration and no interruptions, followed by a 20–30 minute break.

The 90-minute regimen allows you to maximize your energy peaks by working in 90-minute sprints and then resting for 20–30 minutes between each sprint.

52/17

The 52/17 refers to focusing for 52 minutes and taking a 17-minute break. For me, 17 minutes is way too long a break while I’m working. Way too long! 

The method also allows 45/15 as a pattern of focus and rest.

According to productivity expert Julie Clifford, who wrote in The Muse, the 52 minutes of work is frequently a race against the clock to accomplish or achieve something. The project’s duration is approximately the proper amount of time to work hard on a problem without becoming exhausted.

Most Important Tasks (MIT’s)

This is a straightforward rule for beginning the day by focusing exclusively on the highest-priority chores. The assignments should be incremental steps toward achieving a fraction of your most important goals.

Create a list of no more than three critical objectives for the following day. Mornings should be reserved for MITs – the most crucial tasks on your to-do list.

This approach is valuable since it ensures that you will advance toward your most essential goals regardless of other distractions.

Related: Six Strategies to Focus on Tasks

Timeboxing and Time Blocking

Timeboxing is the practice of working on specific activities for a specified time regardless of whether the activity is completed. You block off time on your schedule to work on the job or activity at hand.

Time blocking is the process of meticulously organizing your day by reserving specific times throughout the day. It entails applying Time Boxing to all of your daily activities, not just certain projects or tasks.

I have written a complete guide covering 56 Time Management Techniques, including Timeboxing and Time Blocking.

Best Pomodoro Tools

Since I began writing this article, I found, in my opinion, the best Pomodoro tool: Focus To-Do. I don’t have an affiliation with this tool. 

Focus To-Do has everything you need to collect and manage your tasks and projects integrated with the Pomodoro tool and method. I immediately paid $11.99 for lifetime access.

The tool also keeps detailed information about which tasks you worked on, when, and for how long.

There’s a free version, but it doesn’t synchronize across all of your devices.

Here are links to other Pomodoro tools:

All you need is any kind of timer with an alarm sound and a notebook to record your completed work.

The digital ones have varying levels of recording the information for you and organizing your tasks.

The Final Word On The Benefits of Pomodoro Technique

Since I began using Pomodoro to help me focus, I’ve vastly increased my productivity. It works well for me because I do all of my work on my desktop PC computer.

However, anyone can benefit from this technique with a simple mechanical cooking timer and a bell while doing any kind of work.

I hope you succeed in work and life!

Loyd

References

Caldwell, J., Caldwell, J., & Schmidt, R. (2008). Alertness management strategies for operational contexts. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 12(4), 257-273. DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2008.01.002 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2008.01.002