Kick procrastination to the curb with this simple technique!

Procrastination gets the best of us. And trust me, I am not immune to it at all! However, after years and years of hanging out with procrastination I have found a technique that helps me keep its visits to a minimum.

In my last post I mentioned something called “The Pomodoro Technique” which I’ll dive deeper into now! So, What is it? It’s a simple yet efficient productivity system that helps you get your work done by: improving your focus using short bursts of work time, powering through distractions and taking breaks to avoid burnout. All you require to implement this easy technique is:

• A Timer
• A Project To Work On
• A Blank sheet of paper
• A Pen

Once you get all these tools ready, and have broken down your project into bite size tasks. (Read my post here for tips on breaking your project down and get things done) Pick one task and get ready to follow through the 5 simple steps of “The Pomodoro Technique”

1.0 Pick One

The reason why the pomodoro is so efficient at helping me curb my procrastination is that it externalizes my discipline, making me focus more on my input rather than my output. Rather than thinking I’m need to study these 5 chapters right now. It changes your way of thinking of racing against time, to working with time, like: I’m going to start with this chapter and I will do however many cycles it takes to finish those 5 chapters.

You know you get a break time. And you aren’t feeling rushed so you actually try to put work it.

2.0 Protect

The Pomodoro Technique while simple is efficient because it follows strict rules. When you are working, you work with 100% focus. No distractions allowed. HEnce that blank sheet of paper. Regardless of it being an emergency call, a meeting, a million dollar idea, or just your facebook urge push that temptation aside until after your work period. The founder of the Pomodoro technique also coined this curbing technique as “inform, negotiate, schedule, callback”

• Inform the other (distracting) party that you’re working on something right now.
• Negotiate a time when you can get back to them about the distracting issue in a timely manner.
• Schedule that follow-up immediately.
• Call back the other party when your pomodoro is complete and you’re ready to tackle their issue.

I just say. All things can wait till later and I write the distractions onto my sheet of paper and get back to it during my break times. Otherwise if it’s an emergency that I need to get to right now. I just stop my work session deal with the issue at hand and then restart my pomodoro session.

3.0 Push

Just do it. Once  you set that timer, you’ve made the commitment of working for 25 minutes it’s not a long time so just do what you can. One session is better than none, so just get to it. All I’m asking you to do is to put in work so just do it and stay disciplined.

4.0 Pause

Wooo! You’ve just completed your first Pomodoro work session! This is literally all there is to the Pomodoro technique. I usually take a step away from the computer to take this break, go for a walk, get some water, refill coffee, use washroom, whatever you need to do just so you’re not always thinking about work. It’s always good to change scenery and environment as i find it helps you boost productivity

5.0 P…Repeat

After your break you just get right back to it. After 4 sessions you’ll usually need a longer break so i usually take a 20 minute break afterwards. This is just about enough time that gets you to feel recharged to go back into the work mode again.

And that’s all there is! I’ve linked my favourite pomodoro timers down below as well as the site of the original pomodoro technique. Let me know if this technique works for you and what other techniques you use to boost your productivity.

Resources

Tomighty | Windows, Mac
Click here to read my top 5 apps to help you stay focused!

TLDR

1. Pick only ONE Task
2. Protect your pomodoro religiously
3. Push it! Put in Work!
4. Pasue. Take a break after a succesful session
5. Repeat.

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