Tag Archives: pomodoro technique

Effective planning using the Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve

September 1, 2011 4 Comments

 Take control of your projects with the Pomodoro Technique & Results Curve method.

Pomodoro Technique and Results Curve

There are many techniques that can be used to help plan your workload, some of which have been around for many years. The Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve are two new techniques that you can use to help plan your workload and improve your productivity. Both techniques aim to split your day into smaller chunks, enabling you to complete more tasks and improve performance.

Originally invented by Francesco Cirillo in 1992, the Pomodoro Technique consists of the following basic steps; select a task, set a Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato, but any timer will do), work on the task until the timer rings and then take a break of up to 5 minutes. After 4 25-minute Pomodoro sessions, take a longer break. If you spend the first Pomodoro of the day to plan out your days activities based on the tasks that need doing and allocate a number of Pomodoro sessions to each task depending on the estimated time to complete it. At the end of each Pomodoro, stop working on it. If you finish before the end of the Pomodoro, use the remaining time to refine your work. As you become more experienced with the Pomodoro Technique, you will become better skilled at determining the time required to complete regular tasks enabling you to plan your day better, thus improving your productivity.

The Results Curve, invented by Pierre Khawand, is a technique based on Khawand’s theory that slightly longer 40 minute segments of focused activity are more effective than the shorter periods suggested by the Pomodoro Technique. Khawand’s research suggests after 30 minutes of effort your mind is in gear and another 10 minutes of focus produces significant results. Each activity segment is started by noting down the three to six sub-tasks that you wish to accomplish within that session. It is suggested that during the session, all attempts at communication should be ignored, but then follow each session with a period of collaboration time when you catch up with colleagues, and any phone calls/emails that have arrived.

Both of these techniques split the workday into specific periods of time allocated to tasks. By using tasks lists you can determine which tasks need to be completed and you can then prioritize those according to deadlines or other demands. There are many tools available for collating task lists, but most email clients, such as Outlook and Gmail also include tasks scheduling tools. Seeing as email is the most common business communication method, these tools allow the creation of a task from any incoming email, as well as creating new ones for tasks that don’t use email – there is now no excuse for missing an important deadline.

With these time management methods, you can effectively complete tasks at the intended time and be more productive. As you are refining your workflow using task lists, you can also clean up your Outlook, Mac, Gmail or Google Apps address books by removing duplicate contacts using the Scrubly duplicate contact remover tool. You can scan your contacts free by visiting http://www.scrubly.com

 

Pomodoro technique is wonderful for the individual however up next we will cover: “10 Simple Exercises to Increase Teamwork and Productivity in the Workplace”

Productivity Tips
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Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve

December 16, 2010 8 Comments

Increasing your workflow with The Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve

I’ve planned out my work session and set my timer. Now I have to get to work – the timer is ticking away, so there isn’t a moment to lose! Since I’ve given myself a limited time frame in which to accomplish as much as possible, I want to be as productive during that time as I can. Probably more than any other aspect of The Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve, methods for maximizing productivity will vary from person to person. However, the creators of these techniques offer a few suggestions for increasing productivity within your work time.

Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve

Francisco Cirillo, the creator of the Pomodoro Technique, offers a suggestion for structuring each work session to keep you on track. He recommends using the first 3 to 5 minutes of the session to review what you’ve accomplished on the current task so far. This keeps the task fresh in my memory and cements what I’ve already learned. Reviewing what I’ve already done can also help me clarify what steps should be taken next.

Using this structure, I would work on the next steps in my task for 15 to 20 minutes after reviewing my previous accomplishments. Then I use the final 3 to 5 minutes of my work session to review what I’ve accomplished during this work session. Cirillo recommends starting the review at the end of the work session and working back to the beginning. He calls this an “effect-cause procedure”; I determine what I accomplished at the end of the session, then work towards the beginning to determine whether that’s what I actually intended to accomplish. This helps me to evaluate whether my work flow is helping or hindering my productivity, and I can tweak it to accomplish more next time.

In “The Accomplishment Zone” of the Results Curve, Pierre Khawand states that accomplishments occur when we are focused on a task. The resulting suggestion is simple: I must stay focused on a task long enough to get into the “zone” where my productivity increases. Khawand suggests that it takes around 30 minutes to reach this zone, but it’s been my experience that I get there much faster when I’m working on a task that I truly enjoy and find interesting. It might take the entire 30 minutes, or even longer, if it’s a task I don’t particularly care for.

At first glance, it appears that the work structures from the Pomodoro Technique and the Results Curve contradict each other. The Pomodoro Technique asks us to set aside a few minutes at the beginning and end of each session, while the Results Curve encourages us to focus on one task for as long as possible. However, it’s my opinion that these strategies actually complement one another. Reviewing previous work at the beginning of a session can plunge my brain into the middle of my task and help me get to that focused, productive zone more quickly. Once I’ve reached that zone, I don’t snap out of it when I perform the review at the end of the session; instead, my high level of concentration helps me to evaluate my work flow and quickly form ideas for how to make the next work session even more productive.

With these time management methods, you can effectively complete tasks at the intended time and be more productive. As you are refining your workflow using task lists, you can also clean up your Outlook, Mac, Gmail or Google Apps address books by removing duplicate contacts using the Scrubly duplicate contact remover tool. You can scan your contacts free by visiting http://www.scrubly.com.

by utilizing the Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve, you will soon be on top of managing even the most daunting projects!

Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve Pomodoro Technique and The Results Curve

Time Management
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