If you have ever read anything about time management, you will probably have heard of the Pomodoro technique. It’s this popular method of setting a timer for 25 minutes so you can work really hard to get things done, and then take a 5-minute break. But, from what we know about how the brain works, I can tell you that this is probably not the best way to get things done. In this episode I’m going to explain more about what the Pomodoro technique actually is, why it’s not a great tool, and what exactly you should do instead to get things done.

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You might have used the Pomodoro technique before, to try and do a bit of a sprint to help you kickstart an activity that maybe you don’t really feel like doing, or to help you focus on an activity and get it done. And it might have worked for you, watching a timer can feel like a bit of pressure to work on something without getting distracted. But I want to help you understand today that working in 25 minute blocks with a timer is probably not the best strategy for you when it comes to motivation, working distraction free, and being productive.

The Origins of the Pomodoro Technique

In the 1980s, a man named Francesco Cirillo thought up the Pomodoro technique so that he could be productive in studying at university. It’s called the Pomodoro technique because he had a kitchen timer that looked like a tomato, and pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. His technique is much more than just setting a timer for 25 minutes and then taking a break.

In the Pomodoro technique, you have a large period of time like a day to get a list of tasks accomplished. You write out the tasks on a list, and then when you are ready to start work you set the timer and begin. You have to keep working on the activity until the timer goes off, and then you take a 3-5 minute break to refresh yourself and do something easy like have a glass of water or a bit of a walk around the room. The blocks of work are referred to as ‘Pomodoros’ and so after your break you set your timer again and go straight back into another Pomodoro. And you just keep making your way down your task list like this.

After 4 Pomodoros, you take a longer break, like 15-30 minutes, and then you keep going, structuring the whole day or whole period of work like this. If something unexpected comes up, you list it down on a sheet of paper, and you do those things at the end of the day in their own Pomodoros. Cirillo then talks about how you must record how many Pomodoros each activity took you so you have a record of what you’re spending your time on, and that allows you to make decisions about how you can be more efficient.

A Strict Set of Rules

In the technique, the Pomodoro block is very strict. In Cirillo’s own article about the method in 2006 he explains that the 25 minute block of time cannot be split up at all, you can’t have half a Pomodoro, even if you think that something will take you less time than this. He says if a Pomodoro is interrupted, then it should be considered void and not counted towards your recorded Pomodoros at the end of the day. And he says that if you are just a few minutes away from finishing something when the timer goes off, then you cannot keep working, you have to stop. If you do finish an activity in the middle of a Pomodoro block, you can’t start something new, you have to use the rest of the time to review and revise what work you have already done.

So really the Pomodoro technique is a whole system to structure your day into little chunks, so that you are focused on one thing at a time and you get your task list done.

But there are a few issues with this technique that don’t work with how the brain naturally functions, and I think work against your natural way of operating.

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The Pomodoro Technique Doesn’t Work With Your Brain

One issue is that not everything fits into a 25-minute Pomodoro. Yes in the technique you can use multiple Pomodoros to do a larger task, but sometimes smaller tasks take less than 25 minutes, and it is not a good use of time to then just spend the rest of that time revising what you’ve done.

Cirillo does say that if something takes less than 5 minutes you can stop the Pomodoro, and then this Pomodoro is not counted in your total Pomodoro blocks for the day. But then you have this focus on how many Pomodoros you’re doing, and this in and of itself becomes a distraction because you’re focusing on what is fitting into this block of time and how you’re recording it and how many minutes you’re taking.

The focus shouldn’t really be first and foremost on how long a task takes, we usually have difficulty predicting how long something will take us, and trying to work out whether something will fit into one Pomodoro or not, shouldn’t really be a priority. It’s too much mental decision making when you’re trying to focus on the actual task.

Interruptions

Now – The biggest issue with this technique is the interruptions. When you have to stop after 25 minutes even if you have only a couple of minutes to go, this is really detrimental to your train of thought, and you lose track of what you were doing. You’re sitting there working and then this timer goes off and it jolts you out of concentration and it’s actually counter-productive to your work.

There is a concept called psychological flow state – it’s the scientific term for “getting in the zone” and it’s something we’ve all felt right, it’s when time seems to slow down or stand still, and you’re really enjoying what you’re doing, you’re concentrating well, and it’s at that perfect level of challenge where it’s not too easy and not too hard.

It’s not just something artists experience when they’re painting, you can feel this when you’re reading or writing or brainstorming or designing something or whatever it is that you do. We want to try and aim for this as much as we can.

Flow state is really productive, because we are at peak concentration and work is really flowing out of us. There is a 2023 meta-analysis, which is a summary of many past research articles, which shows that flow state improves performance, and so we can use this to our advantage when we are working. The important thing to remember here is that interruptions kill flow state. You might be using the Pomodoro method to keep you on track and reduce the likelihood that you’ll drift into distraction, but I think has the potential to just add another distraction to what you’re actually doing.

Taking Breaks

Now you might be thinking that you’ve heard that taking regular breaks is important because it keeps us fresh. And yes, there is research that shows that when people work for many hours, I’m talking all day, then you do need to take breaks, so that you can improve your concentration. But, you need to take breaks at the right time. Don’t let a timer tell you when you need to take a break.

25 minutes is usually too short, and having larger periods in the day to do that really important deep work or work in flow is vital to being productive and actually feeling effective as well, which is a really important factor too. There is actually no scientific evidence on the Pomodoro technique, so there is no evidence to say that working in 25 minute blocks all day is better for productivity or accuracy or anything like that.

Motivation

Now, your motivation to do a task might be really low. Maybe that thing feels hard, maybe you think you won’t enjoy it, and so something like the Pomodoro technique feels appealing because it can feel like a bit of a kickstart and you can reduce procrastination.

Cirillo in his article says that “It was clear to me that the high number of distractions and interruptions and the low level of concentration and motivation were at the root of the confusion I was feeling.” So he actually developed this technique to get around the difficulty he was having studying. But there are other more brain-friendly ways to beat procrastination, and I have a podcast episode on this topic so go back to this post if you are interested.

What to do Instead

So, what should you do instead of using the Pomodoro technique? If you need a kickstart to begin work because motivation might be low, and starting feels hard, then I want you to do this one thing. I want you to go on a brisk walk for 20 minutes, while giving yourself a pep-talk. Yep. You can call it your “brain-friendly kickstart” if you like! And when you give yourself a pep-talk, I want it to be the most loving, supportive, inspiring talk that is based around your why – why are you doing that piece of work specifically? Speak to yourself like you would speak to a friend. Now, you don’t need to say it out loud while you’re walking, that might be a little odd depending on where you’re walking, you can just think it to yourself.

Movement improves cognition

The reason I want you to do this “brain-friendly kickstart” before a difficult task is because physical activity is known to get your brain going and improve cognition – yes there are long term benefits to exercise, but there are also immediate benefits of exercise and 20 minutes seems to be the optimal time. If you can’t walk anywhere, that’s ok, just do any exercise for 20 minutes at a light to moderate intensity. I know you can prioritise this before a difficult task. Adding the friendly pep-talk making your why front and centre means that you can find that really important reason for doing the task right now.

And then I want you to let yourself get into flow. Remove all distractions, focus until that task or subtask is done, and then take a little break and come back fresh. Don’t let a tomato timer interrupt your precious concentration.

Let me leave you with my favourite quote, it’s by Mary Oliver, “Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life.” See you next time!

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References:

Francesco Cirillo’s Pomodoro Technique publication from 2006 can be downloaded here: https://www.northbaycounselling.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Cirillo-Pomodoro-Technique.pdf

Chang, Y. K., Labban, J. D., Gapin, J. I., & Etnier, J. L. (2012). The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis. Brain research, 1453, 87-101.

Harris, D. J., Allen, K. L., Vine, S. J., & Wilson, M. R. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between flow states and performance. International review of sport and exercise psychology, 16(1), 693-721.