Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique (orig. pomodoro technique of Italian pomodoro tomato and English = technique = method, technique ) is a method of time management, which was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. The system uses a timer to work in 25 -minute segments - to divide and break times - the so-called pomodori. The name pomodoro comes from the kitchen clock, which used Cirillo at his first attempt.

The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility and provides a remedy for the fear blockade, as described by Henri Bergson and Eugène Minkowski.

Method

The technique consists of five steps:

Underlying principles

The phases of planning, tracking, recording, processing and visualization are the essential pillars of this technique. In the planning phase, the tasks are written by priority in a list for the current day. The respective cost is estimated.

Once a " pomodoro " is done, it is crossed out, which causes a sense of achievement and provides data for subsequent self-reflection and possibly project management.

An important goal of the technology is to reduce interruptions, both internal ( wandering ) and external ( phone, e -mail). These are noted as interruption and recorded for later processing.

Tools

The inventor of the technique advocated the use of simple tools as possible, a pencil and a mechanical kitchen timer. In his opinion, the raising of the kitchen alarm clock underlines the determination to start the task, and the ticking and ringing cause a different perception of time.

Nevertheless, the technique has a large number of application software inspired that are available for a variety of operating systems.

Dissemination

The pomodoro technique became known through the Internet, mainly through blogs like Brainmoda, Lifehacker and The Unofficial Apple Weblog.