Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique? When hearing the name for the first time, many might assume it to be a type of pasta sauce. And they would be partially right: “pomodoro” is Italian for “tomato”.
Believe it or not, this much beloved fruit (yes, tomatoes are fruits, if you didn’t already know) also gives its name to a popular study method widely used today.
The Pomodoro technique was invented in the 1980s by then university student Francesco Cirillo. Poor Cirillo found himself absolutely swamped with work and assignments, and struggled to finish anything on time.
Desperate, he forced himself to complete just 10 minutes of concentrated study time. Cirillo soon discovered that highly focused work sessions proved very effective, especially when interspersed with regular breaks.
He experimented with longer intervals using his kitchen timer, which happened to be shaped like a tomato. The experiments proved successful, and thus, the Pomodoro technique was born! (Would it have been as popular had Cirillo’s timer been shaped like a carrot, eggplant, or some other vegetable? We will never know.)
The technique can be summarised as follows:
- Set a timer for a short period such as 25 minutes.
- Devote yourself to highly focused study during that session (called a “pomodoro”).
- Take a five-minute break when you are done.
- Repeat the above.
- Every four pomodoros, take a longer break of about 15-30 minutes.
This technique sounds deceptively simple but has proven to be very effective. It is based on the underlying principle of breaking up huge and complex-seeming tasks into smaller, bite-sized steps that learners can easily accomplish.
Completing each step results in satisfaction and a small rush of dopamine, which inspires you to keep going.
Using pomodoros has been shown to be especially beneficial for habitual procrastinators as its fixed schedules make it harder to put anything off. Completely devoting yourself to your study time, while ignoring all distractions, also builds willpower and encourages delayed gratification.
Another benefit of this method is that it gives learners a clear measurement of their time and efforts, allowing them to reflect and plan more accurately and efficiently. Over time, you will be able to calculate how many pomodoros a task might take, and build more consistent work habits in the process.
How long should a pomodoro be? For Cirillo, it was 25 minutes, but more technical or complicated subjects may require extended periods. Play around and find a duration that works best for you. One study revealed that a 52-minute session with 17-minute breaks gave optimum results.
Plus, there are many Pomodoro apps in the market to help you with your studying. Here’s hoping you have lots of fruitful study sessions!
This article was written by Terence Toh of ReSkills.com, a local online education platform aiming to make education affordable and accessible for all.