The Pomodoro Technique - Focus effectively better.

I bet almost all of us struggle with focusing for longer durations of time. We've all been there. One notification is all it takes to distract us from the task at hand. It's a place no one wants to be in, and the Pomodoro method helps you with just that. The average human brain can only focus on a task for 25 minutes! Now you might say, if that's the case, there's no point in stretching our limits so much, and you're damn right. There is no logical reason to keep struggling with focusing for longer durations of time. There must be another way around. There is, absolutely.

In the late 1980s, Francesco Cirillo, a university student, was also struggling with focusing for a long time. Just like us. Eventually, he got fed up and decided to take control of the situation. He decided to focus only for 10 minutes straight! For this purpose, he used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. Since the Italian word for tomato is ''Pomodoro', the technique got named 'Pomodoro technique'. He went on to write a 130 pages book about it.

How to use the Pomodoro method?

1. Make a good to-do list.

Before you start studying or working on your projects or assignments, sit down for 5 minutes with a diary and a pen and note all the tasks you want to do before the sun goes down. Be careful about it. Arrange the tasks according to their priorities and be strict with the list.

2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.

According to the list you just made, start striking off the tasks during these sessions. Now, once you get comfortable focusing for 25 minutes, you can experiment with the times, but remember not to set a timer for more than an hour. If you have some tasks that you just cannot do within 25 minutes, divide them into smaller chunks. Be strict with yourself for these 25 minutes. Keep your phone on silent. If possible, throw it out of the room. Keep away from all distractions. We call one such session as a 'Pomodoro session'.

3. Take a 5-minute break.

After you complete the session, take a 5 or 10-minute break depending on how long you've focused. Go for a short walk, have a chat with family members, check your phone, listen to your favorite songs, and reply to important text messages during your break. Do not indulge in activities that will keep you stuck for more than 5 minutes. Especially, stay away from Instagram Reels and other social media apps.

4. Take a longer break after 4 Pomodoro sessions.

Once you complete 4 to 5 Pomodoro sessions, feel free to take a longer break. Maybe 15 to 20 minutes. I'll leave that up to you.

5. That's it.

It's that simple. Depending on the amount of work you have to get done, you can organize your sessions.

The specialty of this technique lies in its simplicity. Whenever our minds get distracted, we need a reset button. A button to forget the distractions and get back to what we were doing. Now, saying you'll spend the last 5 minutes watching YouTube and then get back to studying is an absolute hoax. Your mind tricks you.

We are apes. Evolution has made us humans. So, we haven't actually evolved from the instant gratification phase of a monkey. We always look for things that will make us happy instantly. Your brain is addicted to happy chemicals. It's funny because it's the brain itself that releases those happy chemicals. It all roots back to the way we evolved from our ancestors.

Back to the reset button. The short 5-minute breaks provide you with a great reset option. You get very good work done for one session and after the break, the streak continues. In contrast to working for hours straight, without breaks, this method is way more effective, in all aspects. As I'm writing this blog, I have a 45-minute timer set on my phone. So, I can vouch. The method works wonders.

These apps can help you set a timer, and make a to-do list

1. Focusmeter ( I use this app so I would recommend it 100% ) .

2. Forest ( I've used this before and still use it sometimes ).

3. Foca: Pomodoro Focus timer.

4. Pomodoro Timer.

Download the app that best suits your needs and start right away!

The scientific reasons behind why the method works are numerous. Personally, using the Pomodoro technique has changed the way I work and study, for the better. It rewards you at the end of every session with a sense of achievement and pride. You feel good, which in turn motivates you to get more work done.

I know, right. This is the kind of stuff they don't teach you in school :(