I Wrote a Million Words in 5 Years Using the Pomodoro Technique. Here’s How.
Kill tech addiction and take control with this life changing habit.
An Introduction to The Pomodoro Technique
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” — Warren Buffet
I wrote a million words in the past five years. How? I used the Pomodoro Technique to create a magic work ritual that changed my life.
I said no to my notifications. Then I took control of my life and how I spend my precious time. I stopped responding to my phone’s pavlovian pings and said no to the myth of multi-tasking. What’s my secret?
Starting in January of 2019, I began practicing a mono-tasking work routine called the Pomodoro Technique(PT).
Francisco Cirillo developed it in the mid 1980’s so he could focus and get his homework done. Since then, it’s become popular with programmers and writers who work best in uninterrupted periods of focus.
It’s a pretty simple concept, and starting the practice is easy. Just follow these instructions:
1. Twist a kitchen timer and begin your twenty five minute work block known as a pomodoro.
2. Upon completion, put a mark on your tracking sheet.
3. Take a five minute break.
4. Rinse and repeat four times to complete a Set.
5. Take a twenty minute break.
Remember to silence any notifications and remove all disruptions. This is a mono-tasking routine, so just focus on doing one thing at a time to completion. Before you know it, you’ll be finishing projects left and right.
I’ve consistently used the Pomodoro Technique since January of 2019. When I started building this habit, it was hard to do one pomodoro a day every day for a week. Now I regularly do 10 a day. It’s become an indispensable part of my work, and I dare say I’m addicted to this habit.
Cultivate the Best Habits
If your mind is a garden of habits, the Pomodoro Technique is one of the best habits you can cultivate.
Every time you do a session, you’ll know you did your best work. Soon it’ll be engrained in your daily routine and it will become uncomfortable working without the sound of the ticking timer. Now I crave the sense of accomplishment I get from putting a checkmark on my tracking sheet.
The Unseen Benefits of Time Tracking
When I began my practice, I didn’t want to track my time, but I did it as an experiment. Now I love putting marks on my tracking sheet, because every mark is a gold star. It means I stayed focused and maximized my productivity. But there are other benefits too.
How do you know how productive you are at the end of the day and how long it took to do your work? You probably have rough estimates and a general sense of what you achieved, but I know exactly what I did because I track my work on an Excel spreadsheet.
When I complete a Pomodoro, I put a mark in the sheet that tells exactly what I did. If I organized, I put an O. If I wrote, I put a W. If I used Linkedin to search for a job, I put LI. If I worked on video, I put a V.
Most people can’t estimate how long it takes to do something, but I’m good at it because I’ve tracked it. There’s another benefit to time tracking.
You quickly learn how much time you are wasting on social media and texting. It quickly becomes apparent how productive you are when you remove those interruptions from your day. For example, I find texting or checking social will kill ten minutes fast. Another benefit of time tracking is its a tangible record of accomplishment.
At this point, I have over 36 months of work records. Each one is filled with gold stars that say I was consistent, tenacious and dedicated to the discipline. Few people can be this consistent. It’s a major effort of will and discipline and I’m proud of my body of work.
Once you’ve put your mark on your tracking sheet, it’s time to take an active break. Don’t just sit there. Do one of the best things you can do for your body and long term health.
The Art of Breaks
Many people work in long periods of uninterrupted hyperfocus. They grab some coffee, plop down in a chair then barely move for the next four hours. That’s bad for your body. It’s so bad, sitting is the new smoking. It obesity, heart disease, migraines, poor sleep and a host of other problems. Standing isn’t much better, and can lead, among other things, to varicose veins and an increased risk of heart attack.
The good news is your five minute pomodoro break is the perfect time to stand up and go get some water or use the restroom. I do yoga stretches or grab a five minute walk. It helps me think better and feel less achy.
Don’t check texts or emails until your set break, or they may suck you down a rabbit hole.
Honestly, stopping in the middle of something is the hardest part of the Pomodoro Technique. I often go over by a minute or two. But I do it anyway.
And when I stop, and break, it doesn’t interrupt my workflow. I use the time to collect my thoughts and plan my next moves, and never have trouble getting back into the swing of things.
A Really Good First Goal
Starting a new habit and being consistent is tough, so set your bar low. Just do enough so you can sustain your effort and be consistent.
A good first goal for beginners new to the Pomodoro Technique is to do one pomodoro 5 days a week for the whole month. It might seem like an easy goal, but it’s a huge accomplishment. I promise it beats 90% of the people flake after two weeks of half hearted trying.
From there, slowly ramp up to two pomodoros a day every day of your work week. Then four a day. Soon you’ll be like me, doing an average of 10 pomodoros a day.
In Conclusion
The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to start taking your life back from tech addiction. It eliminates distractions and helps you get into a state of Flow. When you practice it regularly, you will begin building a time log that shows you exactly how productive you are and how long you take to do certain tasks. But, don’t forget to take your breaks. They have a lot of hidden value, and are the perfect time to stretch or get a quick walk so you can think more clearly.
One of the things I enjoy about this discipline is that it’s easy to learn, but hard to master. It seems simple, but it is DEEP. Anyhow I know it’s tough to start a new habit, but once you’ve built it, it will become so rewarding it’s hard NOT to do it.
I’m so glad I started and stuck with the discipline. This practice changed my life. If it stick with it, it will change yours too. Soon you may even be ready for The Magic Pomodoro Technique, a magic work ritual I use every day to change my life.
Then you can join the elite ranks of this discipline(Ha Ha), and we will celebrate you for the very rare bird you are.
