Super Simplified Pomodoros In Under 3 Minutes

[MetaData]

Pomodoros are like olives and not just because they're used in Italian cooking...
Also because some people love them, some people hate them.
Maybe you've tried pomodoros in the past or maybe the idea is brand new to you?
Maybe you saw the official book on Amazon and got turned off by the fact that it's over 100 pages?

I use a very simplified version of The Pomodoro Technique (Mixed in with a very simplified version of GDT which I'll be posting a thread about soon...) My goal is to have the least amount of resistance between myself and working comfortably, so that's why I like to simplify things as much as I can. In that spirit, here's how to get started doing pomodoros the way I do in about 2 minutes.

Here's what you'll need:
- A pad of paper (More rewarding to keep track IRL, but you can use your computer.)

- A pen. (Unless you want to draw your notches in blood, sweat and tears?)

- A timer. (An app is the easiest way to go.)

The traditional pomodoro method has all sorts of if's, and's and but's about what to do when you're interrupted, how to organize your to-do list, what to do if you finish a task sooner, etc. Let's make it a lot simpler, shall we?

• Make a list of things that need to get done.
• Break them down into smaller tasks if that works better for you.
• Start your timer, pick a task, work on it for the next 25 minutes.
• Once your timer is up, draw a notch on your sheet and keep working.
• When you finish a to-do item, strike it out.
• Anything you don't finish that day, put a * next to it.
• The things with the *'s are what you START with the next day.

Someone's definitely reading this and thinking "Okay wait, so this whole thread is just about making a list of things you need to do... and then doing them?" Yeah, exactly.
Why make it any more complicated than that?

 

[SheIsaBlogger]

Pretty simple but the real takeaway for me is to start the next day with anything I have been procrastinating about. Good idea

 

[CCarter]

One thing I notice that might help is putting a star next to things which are more important then others.

For example running a business - you'll want to do all the things that generate revenue first (brand exposure), then generate traffic, and then tasks that, meh, have to get done.

That way you are structuring your work flow in revenue and money making items, instead of "change the theme to my website". If you've got a site up, it's fucking fine, getting traffic is more important then dotting all the i's and crossing the t's - unless you don't have your sales funnel done. If that is the case, categorize that as generating revenue, and finish that ASAP.

My categorization is setup very simply

1. New Revenue / Brand Exposure
2. Current Revenue / Customer Support
3. Bug Fixes
4. Other

A traffic leak would be under "new revenue". Setting up an affiliate program is under "new revenue". Getting back to customers ASAP is "current revenue". New guides to help users complete a task would be under "current revenue". We're all current or future business owners, the one thing which we need for our business is new revenue coming in.

As your company grows, delegate other aspects of the categorization so there is someone concentrating on a certain category of things - bug fixes goes to Craig, current revenue tasks goes to Vicki - that way people know what they need to do when they walk into the office in the morning.

Making a list is good, but prioritizing your list is better. Otherwise you'll spend time on things that really don't add and new revenue today, or tomorrow. Don't make it complicating. I've got 4 categories, and I think even that is one too many.

 

[Calamari]

Here's how I work. I don't use these new fangled pomodoros. But I do use a prioritized to do list.

Every task on the list gets either an:

A - urgent and important
B - important
C - Would be nice to do
D - any of these usually just get dropped when I rewrite the list

If I have more than one A I put a 1 next to the one that needs to be done first (often the one I want to do least) a 2 next to the next one and so on.

Sound familiar? You probably read Focal Point from Brian Tracy too.

Adding something like Pomodoros to this would be good. Very good. The book definitely touches of focused blocks of time, they just aren't called pomodoro.

 

[vinnypolston]

I've been thinking about trying this for a while! Thanks for the overview MetaData

 

[Samwise89]

I'm not sure this is entirely relevant, but I think Pomodoro's can work for it.

I read on Reddit once about simply not having a "zero day." This means that your main goal, especially when just starting a system like this, is to refuse to have a zero day where nothign gets done. So in this case, we'd want to make sure that every day at least has ONE pomodoro ticked off next to it.

I'm going to give it a try. I've had an app installed for forever but then honestly forget about it. I should leave it open next to itunes

 

[Kevin]

App-wise, Pomodroido for Android is god-tier for executing this method.

 

[Andrewkar]

One thing I notice that might help is putting a star next to things which are more important then others.

For example running a business - you'll want to do all the things that generate revenue first (brand exposure), then generate traffic, and then tasks that, meh, have to get done.

That way you are structuring your work flow in revenue and money making items, instead of "change the theme to my website". If you've got a site up, it's fucking fine, getting traffic is more important then dotting all the i's and crossing the t's - unless you don't have your sales funnel done. If that is the case, categorize that as generating revenue, and finish that ASAP.

My categorization is setup very simply

1. New Revenue / Brand Exposure
2. Current Revenue / Customer Support
3. Bug Fixes
4. Other

A traffic leak would be under "new revenue". Setting up an affiliate program is under "new revenue". Getting back to customers ASAP is "current revenue". New guides to help users complete a task would be under "current revenue". We're all current or future business owners, the one thing which we need for our business is new revenue coming in.

As your company grows, delegate other aspects of the categorization so there is someone concentrating on a certain category of things - bug fixes goes to Craig, current revenue tasks goes to Vicki - that way people know what they need to do when they walk into the office in the morning.

Making a list is good, but prioritizing your list is better. Otherwise you'll spend time on things that really don't add and new revenue today, or tomorrow. Don't make it complicating. I've got 4 categories, and I think even that is one too many.

Again some great tips from Final Boss

 

[Court Jester]

My goal is to have the least amount of resistance between myself and working comfortably, so that's why I like to simplify things as much as I can. In that spirit, here's how to get started doing pomodoros the way I do in about 2 minutes.
...
Someone's definitely reading this and thinking "Okay wait, so this whole thread is just about making a list of things you need to do... and then doing them?" Yeah, exactly.
Why make it any more complicated than that?

I froth green goo around my mouth when I find how someone makes a system their own. I salute you good Avatar.

Below is a shot of one of my old Pom sheets. At the bottom of my sheet are the notes and "ticks" that account my distractions during the time of doing work.

I find it helpful to have a concrete accounting of my Monkey Mind as well as serving as a list of things needing to be done. The creator of The Pomodoro Technique mentions this method in the How To Guide.

 

[Shooter]

The Pomodoros have really worked well for me. Been using them for about 4 months or so now. Anytime I get away from them I just need to look back on the days where I've got them charted in my little notebook and look at how much got done that day vs. the days where I thought "oh, I'll be fine just pacing myself. I know what needs to get done anyways."

I'm not using an app or anything but I really recommend them.

 

[Shooter]

Oh, and it's good to see I'm not the only one who includes "plan for tomorrow" on my to-do list.

 

[taktikz]

Have been trying to finish GTD, but the authors monotone voice is horrible. This looks useful though.