The Complete Guide to the Pomodoro Technique

Want to level up your productivity with the tried and tested Pomodoro Technique? This guide explains all you need to know!

Working as a freelancer, you soon learn that time management is a skill that one cannot afford to not have. As you take on more and more projects, you need to learn not only how to prioritise your tasks, but how to also keep yourself focused when working on them.

The Pomodoro Technique is a tool that had its beginning with the humble kitchen timer, but has since become a method that’s used by people all over the world to help them stay focused and on track.

In this guide, we’ll explore the history of the Pomodoro Technique, how you can use it to manage your time when working in a freelance capacity, and some tools for you to try out.

The Origins of the Pomodoro Technique

Conceived by Italian author Francesco Cirillo (pronounced chee-lee-loh) in the late 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique has emerged as a way of managing time that appealed to many.

Cirillo, struggling to remain focused on his work, turned to the humble, and globally-recognised, tomator-shaped kitchen timer for help. Pomodoro is the Italian translation of tomato, hence the name “Pomodoro Technique.”

The beauty of this productivity method comes from its simplicity, which is what appealed to Cirillo. You work for 25 minutes, and have a break for five. This gets repeated for four sessions – or four pomodoros – and then you give yourself a longer break, typically 15 to 30 minutes.

Cirillo found this method so helpful in his own life that he published the now-bestselling book, The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work.

The Benefits of the Pomodoro Technique

As freelancers, we have to juggle multiple projects at once, so it goes without saying that having good time management skills is vital. Before we look at the ins and outs of the Pomodoro Technique, let’s explore three ways in which this system can benefit and improve your workflow.

Boost Focus and Concentration

If you find yourself having to juggle multiple projects, the focused work intervals provided by the Pomodoro Technique prove invaluable. The ability to dedicate undivided attention to a specific task, even amidst the chaotic world of freelancing, enhances the quality of your work.

Preventing Burnout

Freelancers often teeter on the edge of burnout due to irregular work hours and intense project demands. The Pomodoro Technique introduces essential breaks, preventing the exhaustion that can accompany prolonged periods of intense concentration.

If you’re someone who finds yourself feeling exhausted at the end of the day, the built-in breaks of the Pomodoro Technique will be hugely helpful.

Enhancing Productivity

As freelancers, we thrive on productivity. The structured approach of the Pomodoro Technique injects a sense of urgency and achievement into each work interval, driving you to accomplish more within set timeframes.

Using the Pomodoro Technique: A Step-by-Step Guide

The excellent news, as we said earlier in the guide, is that the Pomodoro Technique is incredibly easy to work with. All you need is a task to work on, and a timer to keep you on track! Here’s a step-by-step guide to how you can begin working with the Pomodoro Technique.

1. Choose a Task

Select a task that aligns with your priorities. Whether it's a client project, administrative duty, or creative brainstorming session, pick something that you need to focus on.

If you don’t know what you should be working on, look through the project your project to identify the most important things. If, for example, there’s a deadline coming up, this can be considered a priority, and something you need to focus on.

Learn more about prioritising tasks here.

2. Set the Timer for 25 Minutes

Begin with a 25-minute pomodoro. Set a timer and commit to dedicating your full attention to the chosen task until the bell rings.

The key to getting the most out of the Pomodoro Technique is not giving in to distractions. It can be all too easy to stop working and look at your phone for a few minutes. But in the same sense, it can be too easy for those few minutes to become ten, and then thirty, and an hour. You get the idea.

So when you set a timer for the Pomodoro, make sure to also switch off your notifications and email alerts. Bonus points for putting your phone somewhere out of sight too, like a desk drawer. If you can’t see it, you’ll feel less tempted to break your concentration.

3. Take a short break

When the timer signals the end of the pomodoro, reward yourself with a short, five-minute break. Stretch, grab a cuppa, or step away briefly from your workspace.

This is what’s great about the Pomodoro Technique: breaks are built in.

A study published in the Public Library of Science found that taking regular breaks can help reduce stress and improve your overall wellbeing. It may feel like taking a break is the opposite of getting more done, but you’ll be surprised how easy it is to focus when you come back after giving your brain a little rest.

4. Repeat the Cycle

After completing four pomodoros, treat yourself to a more extended break of around 15 – 30 minutes. This signifies the completion of one full cycle.

For me, I try to aim for two complete Pomodoro cycles, which equates to around three hours of focused work. It may seem like a small amount, but you’d be surprised how much of your working time is spent checking notifications and emails, or scrolling aimlessly through social media.

So when removing all those distractions, and working solidly for three hours, I’m able to achieve much more than I would through a non-structured workday. This is something you’re likely to experience too.

5. Customise as Required

Another benefit of the Pomodoro Technique is that you’re able to customise it to whatever works best for you. If you find that you can’t focus for 25 minutes in one go, don’t worry! Reduce the intervals in which you’re focused. So instead, you could work for ten minutes, have a five-minute break, and then repeat.

In the same vein, if you’re getting to the end of your 25-minute sessions and feeling like you could go for longer, then do so. Extend your sessions by however long you’re able to remain focused. One thing I would suggest, however, is that you don’t go over an hour for a single, focused work session.

A lot of people (myself included) will find that they’re unable to focus for more than an hour without their quality of work dropping. There are of course outliers, those superhumans who can work for hours and hours without needing to stop. But most of us simply can’t, and trying to force yourself to do so will have detrimental effects

Digital and Physical Tools for the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique requires nothing but a timer and a task to work on. Below are a handful of tools that will help you get up and running with this productivity method:

Pomofocus.io: This is a super simple, no-frills tool that has a timer and a to-do list. I don’t often track my time on a digital medium, but when I do, this is the one I use. It’s even built into some of my Notion pages.

Ticktime Pro Pomodoro Timer: This is a physical timer that you flip over to start a Pomodoro (or a break). I bought this thinking it would revolutionise the way I work, but found that it wasn’t for me. However, if you like the digital-yet-physical approach, it’s a good pick.

4 Piece Timers Set: This is the incredibly low-tech solution that I use! It comes with four timers, each the right length of time for the Pomodoro Technique.

Conclusion

As freelancers, we often have to juggle many different tasks and meetings throughout the day. This can sometimes lead to it feeling like we’re not getting any meaningful work done.

This is where the Pomodoro Technique can help! Using this productivity method, you’re able to remain focused for extended periods of time, whilst also giving yourself breaks to recharge!

If you’re looking for more ways to get more done, here are five habits that are sabotaging your productivity!

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