Blog 11.Punch Your Pomodoro Clock

The Sprezza, Karl-Mikael Syding, introduced me to the Pomodoro. Translating straight across as tomato, the Pomodoro Technique originates with Francesco Cirillo, an Italian obsessed with maximal productivity. Basically, he sought the optimal focus period to pack in the most learning, jumpstart everyday tasks, and overcome procrastination. Through trial and error he found that 25 minutes of intense focus followed by short 5 minute rest periods produced staggering results. Thus the Pomodoro Technique, and aptly named for the tomato shaped timer Cirillo used to track it all.

Knowing of its Italian roots, Sprezza guessed the technique had origins in the country’s rich culinary history, notably sauces. He is not wrong. A bolognese, for example, requires no more than 25 minutes to prep the ingredients and get it cooking. Peeking under the lid at this point, one would recognize a meat sauce, and a taste would suggest the same, albeit one with thin consistency and underdeveloped flavour. Sauce magic happens when you let the pot simmer on a low heat for hours can the meat, tomatoes, and seasoning meld together. Work followed by rest. The result: a thick, rich ragu.

The next time you have a heavy task on your calendar, try a Pomodoro. Set your clock timer for 25 minutes, press start, and then do the specific task, and only the task, until the alarm goes off. When it does, you have two options. One, because each Pomodoro is an individual unit, you can simply be done. Or two, take the well-deserved 5 minute break before beginning the next 25-minute cycle.

As an example, you have a midterm on Tuesday. Instead of sitting down for three hours straight, chop the time into 6 Pomodoros. Or be more creative and do three in the afternoon and the rest at night. A word of caution: resist the temptation to skip the rest. We are conditioned to equate time-in with quality and simply slog through and not look up until the thing is done. But really how productive are we in the final hour anyway. Rest keeps you fresh and sharp. Calm moments also give your brain the space to link new ideas and concepts with existing knowledge stacks, the same way ingredients meld together in a pasta sauce.

Another thing Cirillo noted was his tendency to procrastinate, especially on bigger projects. Part of the Pomodoro’s elegance is its ability to jolt us out of inertia. The sheer size of big life goals like writing a book, starting a company, or even cleaning the house can deter us from even starting. The technique breaks a massive task into one manageable piece. Yes the prospect of writing a book is daunting, but anyone can sit down and knock out a few sentences for 25 minutes. And that's how you start to write a book.

The technique can also be used for things you just don't want to do. Take housecleaning. Most of us don't enjoy it, so it’s easy to push it down the calendar. Next time, set your timer and then clean and only clean your kitchen for 25 minutes. When it hits zeroes, as you followed the rules, you are, technically, done. Allow yourself to be finished. Or keep going. It’s up to you.

Pretty soon, you’ll Pomodoro everything.