
Once again, though, try to avoid thinking about your study topic during this extended break. Meditation can also work wonders, but I’ll typically only do that once per day at most. If it’s time to eat, I will prepare myself something to eat, and otherwise, I’ll often walk outside during this time if the weather allows it. Personally, I prefer not to count the minutes for this break.

Otherwise, you will not feel ready for the new Pomodoro, and you’ll start experiencing burnout after only a few Pomodoros. However, it’s important to get some time for rest. Switching your mind off of what you’re studying may seem counterintuitive if you’re in a good workflow. Avoid thinking about the topic you’re studying, and try to get your mind out of the topic as much as possible. It’s a skill that needs development, but in time, your ability to estimate will improve.Īs a rule of thumb, Francesco Cirillo recommends breaking tasks down if they require more than five to seven 25-minute Pomodoro sessions.Īs an example, here’s what a To-do Today Sheet for a study session on “Parasomnias” might look like:ĭuring this break, try not to do any mentally straining tasks. After all, most students are not used to listing all their daily tasks, ordering them, and estimating their time requirements. In the beginning, your task planning will be way off. How many 25-minute Pomodoro sessions does each task need to be completed?.In what order should these tasks be completed?.What types of tasks do you need to complete the study session?.To plan your daily tasks and To-do Today list, you will need to establish the following:

However, I do think that the effectiveness of the Pomodoro study method deserves further scientific research.Īt the beginning of your study session, plan all the tasks you want to accomplish, prioritize them, and write them down in your “To-do Today Sheet.” This sheet will serve as the central point for your study session, where you’ll see how much time you spend on each activity and what comes next. And I know many knowledge workers, students, and professors who would echo the same statement. Without a doubt, using the technique has led me to increased productivity. And from my personal anecdotal evidence, I can also attest to the effectiveness of the Pomodoro study method. The Pomodoro study method does take advantage of both of these benefits. Tracking your daily tasks improves self-awareness and productivity.Short mental breaks help you stay focused and avoid loss of control over your thoughts.While there are many commonly believed benefits of the Pomodoro study method, the two that appear to have the most merit are the following: Thus, the benefits of the Pomodoro study method tend to be conjectural. And the studies that have been done on it have been small in scale. If it needs concentration, I take out the Pomodoro.ĭespite the massive popularity of the Pomodoro study method, surprisingly little research has been conducted on its effectiveness. That includes me – I use the Pomodoro method on a daily basis as a student, writer, blogger – you name it. It appears that literally anyone and everyone has adopted the Pomodoro method. The method has also found widespread adoption in the agile development industry. Besides students, any and all knowledge workers, corporate CEOs, professors, writers, and researchers rely on the Pomodoro method to overcome distractions and reach their goals. Nowadays, however, Cirillo’s Pomodoro technique is widely used in all walks of life. More specifically, he was using the method to finish a chapter of a sociology book. After all, in September 1987, when Francesco Cirillo first tested the Pomodoro study technique in Italy, he was using it to study for an upcoming university exam. The method was initially designed for studying. The method involves setting up a timer for 25 minutes and using that time for focused work until the timer rings: a Pomodoro session. The Pomodoro study method is a time management and productivity technique first conceptualized by Francesco Cirillo, a university student at the time, in 1987.
