The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time-management method invented by Italian Francesco Cirillo. He wrote, “I discovered that you could learn how to improve your effectiveness and be better able to estimate how long a task will take to complete by recording how you utilizs your time.”

The technique is popular, perhaps because it’s portable and easy to learn. 

• Pick one project or task you want to focus on.
• Set a timer for 25-30 minutes, and get to work.
• When the buzzer sounds, take a two-to-three-minute break.
• Repeat.
• After four sessions, take a longer break.
• Record each session with a tick or X in your notebook

The Pomodoro Technique is useful if you get distracted while working on a project or want to understand how long a task takes. It’s ideal for many types of work including writing, coding, design, and study. The technique also works if you have a lot of repetitive work to get through, such as wading through a busy inbox.

A 25-minute Pomodoro session is long enough to get a little work done but not so long that it feels painful or overwhelming. Unlike trying to work without a break for hours, it’s relatively easy to stack small sessions on top of each other. Four Pomodoro sessions can represent a productive morning. It’s surprising how much you can accomplish in short bursts of focused work. After that, it’s time for lunch or even a nap.

This technique can help anyone who feels distracted or overwhelmed to focus on what matters. Considering the onslaught of distractions we all face at work, that’s a superpower.