The Pomodoro Technique, created by Francesco Cirillo, is a time management technique which includes working in 25 minute increments and then taking a 5 minute break after these increments are over. Once the individual has completed four 25 minute increments and three 5 minute breaks, they may choose to take a 15-20 minute break. Seems pretty simple, right?
Indeed it does.
Steven Sande of The Unofficial Apple Weblog is a proponent of the technique, stating that it helps him concretely organize the day’s activities, whereas before using Cirillo’s method, he was quite frantic and disorganized in his work. Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal is another advocate of the system, saying that it helped ease her anxiety over the passing of time and allowed for more beneficial work breaks.
However, although it certainly has its pros, the Pomodoro Technique also has its cons, according to a few successful individuals.
Colin T. Miller, a Yahoo! employee and blogger stated that he has attempted to use the Pomodoro Technique, but unlike Sande and Shellenbager, he had the opposite effect. “Pomodoros are an all or nothing affair. Either you work for 25 minutes straight to mark your X or you don’t complete a pomodoro. Since marking that X is the measurable sign of progress, you start to shy away from engaging in an activity if it won’t result in an X”, Miller quoted. Mario Fusco is anoher critic of the simple method, deeming it to be almost ridiculous. According to him, true professionals can remain engaged in their work for hours without the means of a ticking timer and a few short breaks.
Personally, I can benefit immensely from a technique such as the Pomodoro. I am someone who needs to work on time management and not letting assignments compile until I’m working under pressure, so giving the technique a shot would absolutely be in my best interest.
In conclusion, the Pomodoro Technique appears to be subjective to each working individual.
Tucker Cummings, “Does the Pomodoro Technique Work for Your Productivity?”. lifehack.org, https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-pomodoro-technique-is-it-right-for-you.html. September 14, 2020.
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