How To Stay Focused At Work

Whether you’re back at the office or still working from home, time management can be difficult.

If you’re struggling to get back into a productive rhythm at work, it might be time to try a new technique. Allow us to introduce the Pomodoro Technique. This technique was created in the 1980s by a college student, Francesco Crillo. While he was struggling to focus on his studies, he challenged himself to commit 10 minutes to his task. He used a kitchen timer, and thus the Pomodoro Technique was born!

Tips For Success

This technique can work— but to set yourself up for success establish some ground rules first. Here’s a quick list of tips that will help you get the most out of your 25 minutes.

• Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb. These work sessions should be completely distraction-free, or else that ultimately defeats the purpose.

• Group smaller tasks together and knock them all out in one work session.

• Keep a pen and paper handy to write down any ideas, thoughts, or additional tasks that come to mind while you’re working. Writing your thoughts down is a quick and easy way to revisit them later (and saves you from the digital distraction of adding them to your Notes or email drafts).

• Walk away from your desk during your breaks if you can. A change of scenery will help you feel refreshed when it’s time to get back to work. 

• Make it manageable. Test it out, see how it works for you, adjust where necessary and start to incorporate it into your daily schedule. Don’t feel like you have to jump into this technique for your entire workday right away.

• #ProTip: Adjust the time blocks to work for you. Don’t feel trapped into the 25 minute cycle— in fact, a study by DeskTime found that a 52-minute work session and a 17-minute break is the perfect balance. Find what is best for you and go with it.

As Todoist explains, “When you use the Pomodoro technique, you have a clear measurement of your finite time and your efforts, allowing you to reflect and plan your days more accurately and efficiently.”

Voila! You are well-organized and your time is more fruitful. This technique is perfect for you to boost your productivity, overcome distractions, and need a new way to think about your goals.

Ready to give it a try? If you need a little extra guidance or a plan to help you get started, we’d love to help— you know where to reach us!