Heard of the Pomodoro technique? Try it!

[Alexis]

Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique? If you have, please tell us what you think! Opinions are welcome and encouraged.

The Pomodoro technique is a productivity technique designed for the procrastinators in all of us. It breaks work down into 25 minute increments - set by a timer that looks like a tomato! - and subsequent 5 minute breaks. The tomato timer is not mandatory, just a little bit more fun.

The steps of the Pomodoro technique as outlined in Lifehacker:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your task list
4. Take a short break (5 minutes is ok)
5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break

Take the Pomodoro challenge!
Try working according to the Pomodoro technique for a day or even just an afternoon. After you’re finished, tell us what you think! What task(s) did you work on? What worked for you, what didn’t?

Let’s hear it!

[Rashad_Issa]

I have not tried this particular technique myself @Alexis but I do something similar. I get nudges on my wrist to stand up every 50 minutes and I find these really helpful as I stop anything I am doing to walk away from my desk. IT has proven to be very helpful in keeping me productive. (I also treat myself for some sugar kick when I complete a major task/ deadline )

[Alexis]

@RashadIssa I think it’s interesting and even ironic that these nudges to stand up have made you more productive. Very cool that you stop what you’re doing and walk around. Does that incentivize you to do more within those 50 minute increments, or do you think it is simply helpful because it is a quick change of pace?

Are you using a Fitbit by any chance? I have a Fitbit Alta on my wrist that encourages me to stand up and walk around, as well. However, I’m not as good at listening to it. Another cool thing: Asana has - can you believe it!? - a couple treadmill desks available to use! When I’m having trouble focusing, I go to the treadmill desk and I’m much more productive.

And finally my Pomodoro update! Honestly, it was difficult for me to adapt to a new productivity method. I felt pressure to complete my task in just 25 minutes, rather than feeling that I could pause and come back to it. Sounds like I need more practice! Or perhaps 45 minute blocks of time would be better.

Any other thoughts from the group?

[Omar]

I tried but I have ADD so just getting things done is difficult enough lol. Honestly for people like me, I am an INTP (myers Briggs personality type) and without Asana I think I would literally just die.

[Alexis]

@FATBOY Thanks for your comment! I love that you mention Myers Briggs. In fact, I was just thinking about how that would be an interesting conversation for the forum. For those who are comfortable sharing, of course.

I just checked out INTP on 16 personalities and it was super interesting! I think you can learn a lot about someone just by knowing their four letter combo, which can be super helpful when communicating and collaborating in a work environment. Granted, I do have some friends who don’t buy into the concept. Makes me want to do more research on it.

I’m ENFJ, by the way! I’m not sure this necessarily fits into my Myers Briggs, but Asana works for me because it has the flexibility to be extremely structured. I like the framework of idea/sub-idea and the fact that I can customize My Tasks to my needs while also collaborating with my team. My favorite thing about Asana: easy communication and collaboration! Although, that last point does resonate with the 16 personalities comment about ENFJs, “Firm Believers in the People.”

@FATBOY It’s great to know that Asana fits into your personality type, Myers Briggs or otherwise. What about Asana works for you and the way your brain works? Is it the visual appeal, the structure…? This is fascinating to me!

[Omar]

INTP’s (Albert Einstein) are notorious for being spacey and air-heady… it’s mostly because INTPs are holding large amounts of (vast) information-- I mean think of what Albert Einstein had to carry in his head to figure out and simplify the entire world into E=MC^2

So for INTPs in particular, mostly anyone with the “P” because that means you are less organized than your counterparts “J”'s — but having found ASANA has turned me into a multitasking master;

whereas before, in 2007 for example, I was still using Excel spreadsheets, then I would have a column that I would #1-#5 to designate how “important” a task was and… never mind, I don’t want to talk about how I was using Excel to manage my tasks…

I’m just saying, if you’ve ever tried to use excel and columns to manage your life, you will immediately see the “beauty” of Asana

And some people find things like “flowers” beautiful; I, on the other hand, an INTP-- think (albert einstein once again)-- I find beauty in efficiency

And-- when I have to constantly think and remember and order and figure out what to do next, that’s not too efficient; add ADD and I really never get anything done

Right now, I am single handedly running the marketing for 5 companies-- SEO/SEM/Inbound Marketing

And-- I do it like a Boss. This is only possible because I assign things once and they’re done in my mind; if it’s not done then someone neec to get fired; or I can just make a “comment” and say “hey reminder”

Also-- I use the "urgent/important’ strategy, see below

Imagine Asana Tasks below

Urgent Tasks: (section
task
task2
task3
**feed the cat
**
Important Tasks: (section) ****
important task1
important task 2
important task 3
buy girlfriend birthday present

see how spazzy I am, can’t even remember what this post is about or what I have to do next, better login to my ASana app

[Omar]

@Alexis I will save you a lot of time searching for free tests that suck: Free Jung Personality Test (similar to MBTI / Myers Briggs)

^best free MBTI test I have ever found online (and I’m a professional forum troll so I"ve seen em all)

best for accuracy and shortness

And after you get your 4-letter-combo // go to www.kiersey.com – best personality explanations on that site

For the people who don’t “believe” in MBTI–

The MBTI is identical to the Big-5 personality model, minus the “neurotic” component

and, I am pretty neurotic so I do think there is something to be said about adding a 5th dimension;

however, the BIg5 is somewhat useless in application, because in real life, let’s say playing poker for example, you need an easy framework to quickly identify someone’s behavior, maybe you only have a few minutes to decided whether or not you want to hire someone for a position

I’ve found that the BEST acount manager’s are ENTJ’s

the get s%^$ done really fast and complete all their tasks, they’re extraverted so they don’t have a problem telling you when you’re wrong, and they’re confident and good at what they do-- they lack some emotional empathy but every type has a weakness

so when I hire for account manager’s, I try to write my job ads to screen for ENTJ traits.

people will learn more from reading my blog posts than from reading a book, bc I have an awesome ability to simplify things for people and just tell them what they need to know

or it just looks like I am throwing up all over this page

[Omar]

I posted this on INTPforum.com – a personality forum that I like to troll from time to time

http://intpforum.com/showthread.php?p=550933#post550933

"Feeling Scatterbrained? Asana has been a lifesaver for this INTP
https://app.asana.com/

^Asana is a project management app made by one of the co-founders of Facebook.

(just as a reference, another competing app is Basecamp, by the company formerly 37Singals, which I also respect a lot)

Yet ASANA has been my lifesaver-- I am a hardcore INTP who can’t remember what to do next-- yet I can solve the most complicated problems on Earth, very much like Albert Einstein-- though I am nowhere near solving anything like world hunger or terrorism.

But I have been able to:

1. make any business process into a repeatable Asana task that can then be assigned to a minimum wage person;

2. break complicated tasks into smaller pieces that then can be completed by minimum wage staff

3. organize my entire life and know what to do next and what’s left to do

I gain such a sense of relief knowing that I Have written everything down that I need to do;

then I use Asana to reorganize and prioritize what needs to be done.

I can also “assign” these tasks to other people or contractors I work with, and then set due dates for certain tasks…

Also best thing about Asana is that it’s FREE.

And for businesses, you can pay for extra features; but unless you’re running a serious business you’ll never need to pay for this app.

So I just wanted to share this tip with my fellow INTP’s, because it’s made my life not just manageable over the last few years, but also enjoyable and now I feel really powerful with this app behind me!

It’s like Asana is my 2nd brain.

Asana is sort of like my backup-- and then I can use my real brain for RAM.

So Asana has freed up my brainpower so I can use my existing 12GB of ram to solve problems rather than using the RAM to remember all the tasks that only need to be ‘remembered’ but not solved.

It’s because INTPs are always solving some complicated problem-- and when you introduce new information “like a new task” it completely resets this process and causes stress.

So relieve some stress, start using Asana."

[Alexis]

Woah! @FATBOY There’s so much here! This is awesome. Thanks for being so thoughtful with your posts. A few key points that I liked and wanted to point out:

• “beauty in efficiency” – Well put! That line has some serious potential!
• “like a Boss” – Love that confidence! If Asana is able to help you, or anyone, get to that place of delight and confidence in your abilities, what could be better? Go you!
• Thanks for the link to your favorite Myers Briggs test and description. Hopefully others will find that helpful!
• How cool that wrote this blog post! I like the way you broke down your favorite parts of Asana into succinct and easy to understand points.
• “It’s like Asana is my 2nd brain.” – Nice.

I’d love to hear what other folks think of this, too!

[Omar]

I got banned from INTPforum.com for my Asana post lol. It is my 5th time from getting “permanently” banned from that personality forum by the way. They can’t get rid of me. I just keep registering under a different name. It’s been 6 years so I average like 1 ban per year almost.

[Alexis]

Oh my! Every forum is different.

[Erin_Booker]

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to throw my two cents in about Pomodoro. I’ve used it on and off for several years now and I like this the best of all the productivity methods - so much that I default to thinking in terms of 25 minutes. Dog walk = 25 minutes, housework = each room gets 25 minutes (or less), cooking = 25 minute chunks. I love that I can work on one task of my choosing for 25 minutes and I don’t have to think about other stuff. I use the Eisenhower Matrix to choose what task to take care of and I also incorporate bullet journaling in with my pomodoro-Asana-ing.

I currently use a pomodoro app called Pombo that’s integrated into my Slack.

[Alexis]

@Erin_Booker I’m so glad you commented! It’s nice to know that the pomodoro technique has had such a positive affect on your day to day. I like the idea of thinking of my life and work in 25 minute chunks, as well. So manageable. Also, I’m so glad you mentioned the Eisenhower Matrix. Another simple, yet very efficient way of looking at your time and to dos and getting the important things done first.

I recommend that community members learn about the Eisenhower Matrix in this 2.5 minute video. http://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/