Working method of tomato clock

Isn't tomato the tomato we often eat? What is pomodoro technique? Pomodoro technique is a simple and effective time management method. Its general principle is to divide a long day into small time periods, set a clock to a fixed countdown cycle like "tomato", concentrate on doing only one thing in one tomato cycle, rest for a few minutes after the timer ends, and then start the next tomato cycle.

Pomodoro technique can help people overcome procrastination and improve work efficiency. Based on his own experience in using pomodoro technique, the author Steve Notberg tells us with vivid pictures how to use pomodoro technique for effective time management, how to deal with various emergencies in a tomato clock and how to improve work efficiency.

First of all, I want to ask you a question. Do you have procrastination in your work life? Do you always have something to do every day? Always unable to concentrate on time and attention? Are you often occupied by various trifles? Do you feel that you have been busy with small things all day, but you have not done anything important? Every day you have no sense of direction and accomplishment?

If you have the above situation, it is because you have not arranged your own time and found the correct time management method.

then what Is there any simple and effective way for us to overcome procrastination and use our time efficiently?

Of course there is! The pomodoro technique diagram introduced today introduces us a very simple and easy time management method.

First of all, let me introduce pomodoro technique and the origin of this book.

Pomodoro technique was founded by Francisco Cirillo. During college, he felt that his study efficiency was very low, so he made a bet with himself and forced himself to concentrate on his study, even if it was only 10 minutes. Later, he found a kitchen timer to record the time, so that he could concentrate and found that the learning efficiency had been greatly improved. Because the kitchen timer is shaped like a tomato, it is called pomodoro technique.

The author of this book is Steve Notteberg, a programmer from Sweden. He is a personal practitioner of pomodoro technique. In the book, he combined pomodoro technique's theory, methods, skills and precautions with pictures and words. ?

So, what is pomodoro technique?

Pomodoro technique starts to work in a 25-minute cycle and stops immediately after the alarm goes off. This time counts as a tomato clock. Take a rest for 3-5 minutes between each tomato bell, and combine work and rest. ? Take a rest every four tomato minutes for 15~20 minutes. It should be noted that the time of tomato clock is inseparable. When the tomato timer rings, it means that you must stop your work. Even if you think it will be finished in a few minutes, you can't go on working.

The core of pomodoro technique is "focusing on the present", that is, focusing on the present. Its significance is not limited to the form of 25 minutes, but to make you cherish every minute of the moment more. If you overcome your inertia and finish each tomato clock effectively, your work efficiency will be greatly improved, and you will get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

So, how do we realize our own tomato clock at work?

According to the book, pomodoro technique includes the following five stages: planning, tracking, recording, processing and visualization, that is, review and summary.

The first stage, planning. Specifically, at the beginning of each day, the most important items are extracted from all the activities to be done and listed on paper in order.

The second stage, tracking. After determining all the activities of the day, turn on the tomato clock and carry out each activity in the order listed on the paper. In the middle, you need to track and collect all the data of the work process, such as the progress of work completion and the number of forced interruptions.

Every three stages, record. At the end of a day's work, file all the data collected that day.

Every four stages, processing. Processing is to analyze and extract useful information from recorded data.

The fifth stage, visualization. According to the recorded information, review the day's work again, analyze and find out the improvement ideas, so as to get the most suitable method for your practice habits.

To sum up, plan at the beginning of the day, record, process, visualize and track in the middle at the end of the day.

In the process of implementing pomodoro technique, we need to prepare some auxiliary tools.

First, we need to prepare three pieces of paper and a pen.

The first piece of paper records what to do in the near future. Write down everything you need to do in the near future on paper, just like making a list when you go to the supermarket, except that the record here is not something to buy, but something to do. This paper can be used for many days. I think I can add new items at any time, and I can cross them out when I'm done.

The second piece of paper records what to do today. Specifically, before starting work every day, choose the important and urgent affairs in the near future, write them on the second piece of paper according to the available time of the day, and plan the number of tomato clocks needed to carry out this task. Be careful not to exceed the maximum tomato hours you can bear every day, so as not to be unable to complete the task and bring yourself a sense of loss.

The third piece of paper records the daily execution and completion. Such as the total number of interruptions encountered in the implementation, the completion of quality assessment, etc. Recording these is to review and summarize.

When we turn on the tomato clock, we must first follow the record on the second piece of paper as planned. Take a break every time you finish a tomato clock, usually 3-5 minutes. After every four tomato minutes, rest for a long time, about 15-20 minutes. Don't think in the tomato clock between classes. Check the task priority after the break and decide whether to continue the same task or switch to a higher priority task. Tomato clock is forbidden to switch tasks. If the established work has been completed in the tomato clock, the completed work will be reviewed and rechecked.

After the implementation of the tomato clock as planned, we need to visually track, record, analyze and summarize, which is the purpose of the third paper. The purpose of recording and reviewing the third paper is to conduct self-reflection and optimize pomodoro technique more effectively.

Just now I talked about how to make a tomato clock, and then I will talk about how to deal with unexpected interruptions.

For example, you are working in the tomato clock, and the phone on your desk suddenly rings, or the leader next door calls you to his office, or you suddenly need to go to the toilet … and so on. What should you do in these emergencies?

According to the author's introduction, pomodoro technique divides this kind of interrupt into two types, one is internal interrupt and the other is external interrupt.

The so-called internal interrupt refers to self-caused, which can be divided into controllable interrupt and uncontrollable interrupt.

Interruptions can be controlled, such as remembering to pour water, calling a friend, or suddenly thinking of sending a document to a colleague. Then its solution is: record it in the urgent affairs to be done today and put it in the tomato clock to ensure that the current work will not stop.

Uncontrollable interruptions, such as wanting to go to the bathroom. At this time, it is necessary to scrap the tomato clock being made and reopen the new tomato clock after solving the interruption. In particular, do not continue the previous tomato clock after the interruption, so as not to disturb the rhythm.

The so-called external disturbance refers to external interference. It is divided into deferrable interrupts and interrupts that need to be executed immediately.

You can postpone the interruption, for example, a friend calls you to ask you a question, and then you can tell him clearly about yourself and discuss delaying the reply or solving it. Then add this interruption to today's to-do list and finish it in the tomato clock. Be careful not to stop what you are doing.

This article introduces interrupts that can be postponed. Now let's talk about the interruption that needs to be implemented immediately, such as the leader calling you to his office. At this time, you need to scrap the tomato clock you are making and restart the new tomato clock after the matter is solved.

In a word, whether it is external interference or internal interruption caused by ourselves, as long as we make a good judgment and calmly deal with it, we can use pomodoro technique to handle the things at hand and manage our own time.

The above introduces the principle of pomodoro technique and how to realize it, so what details should be paid attention to in specific use?

First of all, it needs to be emphasized that the legal tomato working 25 minutes is only the suggestion given to us by the author after practical test. We can make changes after our own records and analysis. For example, if you are interrupted too many times during practice, you can consider shortening the tomato clock cycle time. However, every change must be made two weeks after the last change exercise, so as to determine whether it is really not suitable for you. Because long-term practice can truly reflect whether the cycle time is appropriate, too frequent changes will only disrupt the rhythm and work.

Second, focus on the current tomato time, and then skip to the next tomato time. In other words, we should pay attention to the present instead of thinking during the working hours of the tomato clock.

Third, the rest between each tomato clock must be a real rest and nothing to do. If your hands stop working 25 minutes after the bell rings, but your mind is still thinking about work, it is not a real rest. The real rest is to keep the unity of action and thought, and to empty your mind and mind. You can stay for a while or sleep. This is what we often say, save your strength. Only when you have a good rest can you get a better state for the next tomato clock and your work efficiency will be greatly improved! ?

Fourth, if you finish your work before the tomato timer rings, don't rush to start the next job. At this time, you can use the rest of the tomato time to review what you have learned before, or check what you have done and record what you have done until the bell rings. Looking back on the past and learning new ones can also improve you.

Fifth, we need to stick to self-observation and analysis. The same is true of the old saying "three rescues a day". Every few tomato hours, I need self-observation and analysis to see if my time plan is unreasonable or interrupted by many chores. What is the reason? What countermeasures should be taken? Self-improvement is a long and difficult process. Only by constantly analyzing self-observation and proposing small improvement methods will the original bad habits be gradually changed.

We have finished talking about pomodoro technique's principles and methods. What are the highlights of this book?

The first highlight of this book is to analyze the possibility of implementing pomodoro technique from the perspective of combining human physiological structure.

The structure of human brain is divided into four levels: brain stem, limbic system, cortex and frontal lobe. The brain stem provides us with a reliable conditioned reflex mechanism, the limbic system helps us to remember for a long time, the cerebral cortex enables us to recognize and think, and the frontal lobe enables us to remember, judge, analyze, invent and create.

The author points out in the book: "Scientific research shows that our left and right brains have different division of labor, and executing the same actions and procedures can make the brain adjust itself to the best state, while changing the rhythm at will will lead to confusion. This is like making a tomato clock, setting a fixed time as a cycle, recording and executing it every day, and don't change the cycle time easily. After the brain adapts to the tomato cycle, the alarm clock will form a conditioned reflex and immediately concentrate on work.

"In addition, research also shows that when we are not thinking, the brain can provide us with new ideas and new insights. Without rest, the brain will make up for the shortage of dopamine production, and people will be anxious and inefficient. Therefore, the brain needs regular rest, including short rest and long rest. " This is like arranging a 3-5 minute break in the middle of each tomato cycle, and arranging a 15-20 minute break between every four tomato clocks. The rest is to gain new energy in the next tomato clock and improve work efficiency.

The second highlight of this book is the prediction method used in pomodoro technique. That's what we always say, don't always lower your head to pull the cart, but also look up at the road. For example, if you want to start a company, you must make various budgets in advance. The same is true at work. Before the start of the day, you need to estimate the schedule of the day in advance.

The estimation in pomodoro technique is to estimate the number of tomato clocks needed for the items in the list of the day in advance every morning, and also to record the estimated and actual number of tomato clocks for adjustment. Prediction is also a kind of commitment, and the result of prediction can improve the enthusiasm of doing things.

To sum up: estimation is a plan made in advance according to your own experience, including the allocation of time, the priorities of things and so on. And you should keep a record of what you want to do and have a clear goal. The significance of forecasting is that you can better grasp every moment, make rational use of your "tomato clock", improve work efficiency, and find the most suitable working method and time management method.

The third highlight of this book is the backtracking method mentioned repeatedly in this paper. At the beginning of the implementation of pomodoro technique, we should review the arrangement of the day at the end of each day, so as to better implement our own tomato clock and find a suitable pomodoro technique. After studying, you should not only review and review in a short time, but also review continuously after one day, one week, one month and six months to strengthen your memory.

Don't try to do anything once and for all. Even the top pianist in the world can reach his performance level through constant practice and hard training. An iron pestle becomes a needle, and water drops wear a stone. Only by continuous review, the resistance to this part of the brain memory will gradually decrease, and quantitative change can cause qualitative change.

The fourth highlight of this book is how to have an effective rest. The main purpose of the short break between two tomato clocks is to relax the brain and process the knowledge absorbed before backstage, so I refuse to pretend anything that will cause extra pressure on the brain. This paper introduces the following methods to quickly enter the relaxed state.

The first thing is to get out of your current job, put down your mobile phone or email, stand up and walk, drink some water and make a cup of coffee.

The second is to find a comfortable chair or sofa to lie down, find your most relaxed posture and let your whole body relax.

The third is to give full play to your imagination, for example, imagine a scanner scanning you from head to toe, and you focus on every part outside the light band to relax your muscles.

The goal of tomato clock is to concentrate on high-quality work, and the goal of rest time is to concentrate on high-quality relaxation, adjust your nervous system, maintain your brain and keep your good energy all day.

The fifth highlight of this book is the introduction of pomodoro technique's application in the team. Pomodoro technique is not only a personal time management method, but also has strong adaptability, which is also suitable for two-person combination, meeting and multi-person team.

How is pomodoro technique used in the meeting? First of all, you can use the whiteboard to list all the agendas to be completed at the meeting, in order of priority. Then turn on the tomato clock, put you all on the first agenda, stop after the bell rings, and start the tomato clock for the next agenda after the break. According to this method, the efficiency of the meeting will be greatly improved.

When two people use the tomato clock in combination, they should pay attention to the rhythm and keep in touch at any time to achieve the synchronization of working state and rest state. The same is true for many people in the team to use the tomato clock together. Take precautions, establish a team approach, maintain internal communication, unify the pace, and track the progress at any time. Team Qi Xin works together to complete the to-do list.

Generally speaking, the most important thing for pomodoro technique is to simplify your time and tasks and divide them into several parts. Break down the goal to make it clear. Set a goal every day, then implement it in the tomato clock, rest and judge the priority, then continue to implement the next tomato clock and record it at the same time. Finally, analysis and improvement.

When you use pomodoro technique to do things, you will find that the work is no longer chaotic, the time is arranged in an orderly way, the efficiency is greatly improved, and you are more valued by your boss. Similarly, with pomodoro technique leading the team, you will find that the team cohesion and execution will be greatly improved.