The Pomodoro Technique

As it turns out, the secret to effective time management is...thinking in tomatoes rather than hours. It may seem silly initially, but millions of people swear by the life-changing power of the Pomodoro Technique. (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅)

This popular time management method asks you to alternate pomodoros — focused work sessions — with frequent short breaks to promote sustained concentration and stave off mental fatigue.

There are only a few basic rules to start pomodoro-ing:

1. Start your day by reviewing each day's tasks and estimating the number of pomodoros each will take. (The standard length is 25 minutes, but you can adjust to 50, 90, or whatever works best!)

2. Break down bigger tasks into smaller sub-tasks that can be completed during a single pomodoro.

3. Group smaller tasks together to fill a full pomodoro.

4. Use a timer of your choice, and remember: once it starts, it must go off!

Learn more at our detailed Pomodoro technique article.