My ‘Tried and Tested’ Adaptation of the Pomodoro Technique

And why the original doesn’t work for me!

For all those of you who swear by the Pomodoro Technique — I’m truly happy that it works for you.

But, for those of you who struggle with starting off an activity, read on!

I am braving the backlash by putting it out there — the technique doesn’t work for me in its original form.

I have empirical evidence gathered from months of intentional application (and years of unintentional application) of the technique and its various alternatives. Yes, I have always been that ‘time-block’ or ‘task-block’ guy!

The Pomodoro Technique was developed in the 1980s by then-university student Francesco Cirillo. Feeling overwhelmed with studies and assignments, he set himself a challenge to commit to just 10 minutes of focused study time. He found a tomato (pomodoro in Italian) shaped kitchen timer, and the Pomodoro technique was born.

He based the technique on a 25-minute focus and 5-minute break cycle, with longer breaks after every fourth cycle. At its core, the principle was to break down complex tasks into smaller more manageable blocks; and combine smaller tasks into a packaged 25-minute activity.

While its simplicity is its strength, for me, the technique presented a significant challenge — the fixed time block. Why the 25 minutes?

If you are anything like me, you may feel that either the time block is too long or too short.

For me, the amount of focus time directly depends on how energised or motivated I am to do the task in the first place. For example, if you want to get me into a gym, you are better off setting shorter 5-minute challenges for me to get me started as I know I will come out of it alive at the end of the time block.

On the other hand, if I am doing an activity that requires intense concentration where a break can only hamper my momentum, I would prefer longer blocks, that too, only to remind myself to take a break.

I remember during university, I used to set longer time-blocks for problem-solving courses like Maths and Physics and smaller task blocks for theoretical courses (such as 10 pages at a time). That is just me, and I know for sure my sister wasn’t the same way inclined as me and this wouldn’t have suited her.

So, what is my point — You may ask

The point, as Dr. Andrew Huberman says is that ‘focus is dynamic’. We are not wired to drop into a zone of intense focus after a break; focus takes time to build.

In my case, as I already mentioned, my focus is proportional to my current motivation level for a particular task. It varies by task at that instant in time.

For tasks that stimulate me, I may set longer time blocks with shorter breaks just to give myself a break; whereas for mundane tasks that do not stimulate me, I start with shorter time blocks just to get me warmed up to the understanding that certain mundane tasks are essential!

Now that I have bastardized the entire process, does it still qualify as the Pomodoro Technique or even an ‘adapted’ version of the technique?

To be honest, I don’t know the answer — but, what I do know is that it works for me. It works for me because it still achieves the outcomes that the original technique was developed for: reduces procrastination by adjusting the barriers to entry; and helps me eventually reach the state of focus, even for mundane tasks.

To top it all, it is flexible and adaptable. In my opinion, what’s not to like?

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