The Pomodoro Technique Actually Works :

By Mudit Jha | 24th February, 2022

With all the distractions we have in this modern age, it has undoubtedly become harder to stay focused and stay on task when we have huge piles of work to get through. Our attention span is limited and prioritizing our time is essential. Time management becomes even more important when we have multiple assignments and tasks that we need to sit down and focus on for long periods of time.

This is why using a technique such as the Pomodoro can come in handy. The goal of the technique is to increase productivity and allow for a consistent flow of focused work. The rules are as follows- work for 25 mins, take a short 5 mins breather, and repeat the process effectively creating “Pomodoro sessions”. Don’t forget to take a longer break after working 2 or 3 sessions to make sure you don’t burn out.

This is a great technique if you struggle with studying for long sessions, as it makes sure that you are balancing your focus and relaxation times for maximum productivity.
Additional Tip: You can increase the focus time if you already have a natural focus time.
For example, you can do 50 mins focus and 10 mins rest if you are able to focus consistently for 50 mins chunks.

The Science Behind This Technique 

Performing complex tasks in succession leads to low levels of excitement and an increase in procrastination. Procrastination occurs when you are doing challenging tasks with no sense of satisfaction to fuel you. Doing 25 mins of hard work followed by a 5 min break gives your brain a sense of relief which keeps you from burning out. Even if you used that 25 mins and made no progress, taking a short rest refreshes your brain to have another go at the task. It ensures that you can keep a consistent rhythm and workflow as you knock out your tasks one by one.

Fun fact: The term “Pomodoro” translates to “tomato” in Italian. Francesco Cirillo, a college student who came up with the technique, named it Pomodoro because of a tomato-shaped kitchen timer he owned.

One thing to keep in mind about your short break is to make sure that you don’t go off checking social media or email - this breaks your focus and your mind gets distracted elsewhere making it harder to get back in flow after the break. It's better to just take a quick walk, stretch, or just stare into emptiness, making sure not to distract your mind too much. On the longer 15-30 minute break, it's fine to go do whatever you want.

In Conclusion

The Pomodoro technique is useful if you struggle to sit down and work or study for long hours. It forces you to focus intensely in 25 mins bursts and rewards you with a suitable amount of brain rest. Doing these sessions makes certain that you make progress in your tasks no matter the end goal.

My preferred app for Pomodoro Timer: https://pomofocus.io/