How A Tomato Will Increase Your Productivity

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"Starve your distractions, feed your focus." -- Anonymous

Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

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New Path Productivity LLC · New Path Perspective Blog: How A Tomato Will Increase Your Productivity

How many of you have set out to accomplish a task, only to find yourself hours later not having made a dent in its completion? I'm raising my hand, too.
 
The root cause, for me, is usually distraction. Particularly when the task doesn't excite me, I can find anything else infinitely more interesting. And Parkinson's Law is real - work does expand to fill the time allotted for its completion. I've heard it said we get more done the more we have to do. The consensus being we are more conscious of our time and how we use it. But these days, a minefield of distractions plagues us.

One of the biggest culprits? Our phones. A 2019 study by Asurion found Americans check their phones 96 times a day, that's about every ten minutes. And that is a 20% increase from just two years earlier! But it's not surprising. Our phones are made to be distraction machines. Notifications, social media, endless videos, and bottomless search engine scrolling contribute to this statistic. The hard truth is, human attention spans have reportedly shrunk to a mere 8 seconds, while a goldfish can concentrate for 9 seconds. 
 
These numbers indicate honing our attention to a single task for any length of time is difficult for most of us. But I'm happy to let you in on a secret - focus is a muscle you can strengthen. I've even heard attention management is the most critical skill for the 21st century. So it's worth the time and effort to improve yours. My favorite focus tool is The Pomodoro Technique®.
 
Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. The technique was invented in the early 1990s by Francesco Cirillo. As a university student, he named the system "Pomodoro" after the tomato-shaped timer he used to track his work. (The Pomodoro Technique® is a registered trademark by Francesco Cirillo.)
 
The gist of the technique is this:

1. Identify the task you will complete. For more complex tasks, identify precisely what portion of the task you will finish. Do you see what I did there? I primed you with confidence that you are going to complete the task. You should make it a point to prime your thinking the same way.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes. If you doubt your ability to focus for that long initially, I encourage you to try anyway. It takes time to hit your stride. As your focus and attention improve, you may choose to set an even longer timer. And there is no magic to the timer you use. It can be your kitchen timer or an app on your computer desktop. I even have an hourglass timed to 25 minutes. In the beginning, at least, I don't recommend using your phone. Avoid drawing attention to the device known to impede your concentration. Ideally, don't have your phone in your line of sight. It would be even better in another room. And don't forget to silence all notifications on your phone and your computer.
3. Start the timer and work on your chosen task until the timer runs out. Seriously. Work on NOTHING but the task you've chosen. Don't check Instagram. Don't watch Netflix. Work on the task.
4. Take a 5-minute break. Do not skip this part of the technique! It is essential to keep you focused during your work periods. And when your work intervals increase as your focus improves, you can proportionately increase your short break duration. Try not to check your phone during this break. It may suck you into its vortex!
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have completed four work intervals. Then, take a more extended break of 20 to 30 minutes. Give your brain a chance to rest and prepare for your next round of pomodoros.

 
I love this technique. It encourages focus for a finite duration, which can help combat Parkinson's Law. It's entirely customizable to your work style, and it can adjust as your ability to pay attention increases. You can design it to work for you.
 
We all have a lot on our plates. Give your tasks the focus and attention they deserve by using The Pomodoro Technique®. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish.
 
(This blog is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by the Pomodoro Technique® or Francesco Cirillo.)