Need to break up with procrastination? Try a Pomodoro!
Deborah DeLue • November 13, 2020
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking
Procrastination can happen to the best of us. On a good day, you give yourself a gentle nudge or swift kick and get moving, but sometimes you need a little extra help.
What do tomatoes (pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato)
have
to do with overcoming procrastination, you may ask, more than you may think. According to Wikipedia, "The Pomodoro Technique" is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.
to do with overcoming procrastination, you may ask, more than you may think. According to Wikipedia, "The Pomodoro Technique" is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.
Ready to break up with procrastination?
Grab yourself a copy of the free template, and dive in.
- Step 1: Fill in each quadrant with a portion of the task you've been avoiding.
Have fun with it, use color and
hierarchy, add icons, give it some pizzaz! - Step 2: Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of each 25-minute interval by adding what you'll do on your breaks. It could be a cup of tea, a stretch, a snack, or a
5-minute power nap; let your imagination run wild. - Step 3:
Set up your materials, and whatever else you need to work on your task, settle in, set a timer (any timer will do,
but if you have a tomato timer, all the better), and get to work. Once the timer goes off, take a short break and repeat until you've completed your pomodoro. - Step 4:
Create another pomodoro with your next four tasks. Visualizing your next four tasks now will help you get a jump start on your next session.
Don't forget to schedule time on your calendar for your next session. If it isn't scheduled,
it isn't real! - Step 5: Celebrate your success by giving yourself a high five and take a longer break
Don't have time to do all four quadrants in one sitting?
No problem, try planning your pomodoro over a few
days or a couple of weeks.
Progress breaks procrastination.
Breaking up with procrastination can be fast, fun, and easy with a pomodoro and a little applied visual thinking. Grab a free copy of the Pomodoro template and get ready to break up with procrastination.