How this 1980s productivity hack helps people beat ‘mentally exhausting & boring’ tasks – step by step

There are as many trending productivity methods on social media as there are doubts about their effectiveness. However, one in particular has recently gained some serious momentum both on TikTok and in the LinkedIn feeds of major entrepreneurs. We’re talking about the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s that has now made a comeback. The unusual name derives from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer (tomato is “pomodoro” in Italian) that Cirillo used to implement his innovative strategy.

“The Pomodoro Technique was originally developed to improve mental fatigue and time management,” explains psychologist Silvia Dal Ben. “It’s a method that can work in almost any situation requiring intensive concentration, particularly for lengthy or boring tasks.” 

The core principle of the Pomodoro Technique involves dividing one’s work time into intervals of high concentration, traditionally 25 minutes long, followed by short breaks.

Want to try it for yourself? Here’s how…

The Pomodoro Technique, step-by-step

To implement this technique, the first step is to select a specific job you wish to concentrate on. That is to say, from all the tasks on your to-do list, choose one that will be your primary focus. Whether it’s drafting a document, studying for a test or cleaning your kitchen. 

• This task will be the sole focus of your work for 25 minutes. Set a timer to ensure complete concentration and avoid worrying about time tracking. If any distraction arises, try to remove it from your mind as quickly as possible. You can do this by jotting the distraction down to think about later. But you have to be sure to quickly return to your main activity and continue with whatever time you have left of your 25 minutes.
• Complete the 25 minutes without a break, and once finished, pause for five minutes to enjoy a relaxing activity. You might drink water, stretch or simply clear your head by looking out of a window.
• When the short break concludes, resume the method, repeating the same process for four cycles, and then take a 30-minute break at the end. 

These are the basic principles, but you can easily tailor the number of minutes according to your concentration time and needs.

“How well it works is largely dependent on your view of the task, and how tiring or monotonous it is,” says the psychologist. “You should ask yourself: ‘What sorts of jobs do I find most mentally exhausting and boring?’ From there, apply the method and evaluate whether it suits your needs in relation to your goals. If you find it improves your productivity, it’s the method for you.”

What other techniques help boost productivity?

Although the Pomodoro Technique can help you to complete tasks, we don’t always need to meticulously time our lives to achieve the level of productivity we want.

There are other types of methods that can help us develop routines that help improve concentration.

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Everyone should consider which approach suits them best, but Dal Ben offers some suggestions. “The GTD (Getting Things Done) technique focuses on organising and prioritising tasks, and it’s one that can work well for people who tend to easily lose track of their priorities.

“Also, time blocking can be a good option. This involves assigning specific blocks of time to different activities. This method can help those who usually spend too long on one task that they start their day with, leaving insufficient time for later ones.”

The balance between work and rest 

It’s important to learn to balance work with rest without having to time ourselves every minute. Experts recommend starting by introducing regular breaks that fit with the demands of each task or situation on your to-do list, rather than adhering to the same strict routine every day.

Planning breaks is something the psychologist stresses as essential. “Incorporating short breaks like those found in the Pomodoro technique can certainly help maintain mental energy throughout the day, although for some people the key may lie more in effective planning than in the breaks themselves,” she states. 

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She also emphasises the importance of balancing our leisure time with our responsibilities. “Integrate longer rest periods and fun activities outside of work, like meditation, exercise or socialising. Relaxing truly helps our overall well-being and allows us to later re-focus on our more difficult tasks.”

Ensuring we have adequate time for everything is essential. Sometimes we need to pause for a moment to figure out if we’re balancing things correctly, and evaluate our feelings about how we’re handling our responsibilities. 

“Reflect on how you feel both while working and during periods of relaxation. It’s more common than you might imagine to feel uncomfortable during free time, which suggests an imbalance weighted heavily towards work life. The key is to reach a point where you have a balance among your need for rest, your responsibilities and your personal goals,” concludes Dal Ben.

About the expert:

Silvia Dal Ben is a psychologist and clinical lead at the online psychology platform Unobravo.