The Pomodoro Technique

I use GTD for Collecting, Processing, Organizing and Review pretty stringently. When it comes to doing, I use GTD guidance to select my pre-defined work for the day. Once that selection is made, I transfer those tasks to a a pomodoro technique work sheet for planning my day around pre-defined work. The pomodoro technique also allows for urgent and unplanned work and allows for extra time to do processing and organizing during the day. Anyone see anything inherently wrong with this? I find the two systems to be quite compatible.
 
I've found gtd and pomodoro to be a pretty perfect marriage. I've practiced GTD for 8 years now, and pomodoro for about 1. It works especially well since a lot of my NAs tend to be of the "write the introduction to article" variety, where there's really no smaller NA to break it into. The pomodoro technique helps with the "put your butt in the chair" aspect of those sort of NAs.
 
Pomodoro Technique is in my toolbox as well

Ditto, I'm a die-hard GTDer, and I also use the pomodoro technique when I need to crank through some pre-defined work time.
 
Procrastination

I use this technique often. It's particularly helpful if I'm procrastinating. Once I get started on something and do a couple of pomodoros, I'm likely to keep going. At least it ends the head trash I might give myself putting something off--again.

Glad to have it in my toolbox!:)
 
Barb;104367 said:
Once I get started on something and do a couple of pomodoros, I'm likely to keep going.

Shouldn't there be some Bloody Mary-derivative drink called a Pomodoro? Now... think about that and re-read your sentence...

;)

Dena
 
Barb;104367 said:
Once I get started on something and do a couple of pomodoros, I'm likely to keep going.

I have the same problem: I tell myself just a few lines, and before you know it.. I've read the whole book.
 
Ha Ha!

artsinaction;104470 said:
Shouldn't there be some Bloody Mary-derivative drink called a Pomodoro? Now... think about that and re-read your sentence...

;)

Dena

You know, Dena? There probably IS a Pomodoro bloody mary mix out there somewhere! Then I could do exactly two pomodoros before falling flat on my face! (cheap date)
 
Indeed, and in addition

When I read up on the Pomodoro technique,I saw that I was doing it by accident well an aspect of the technique. The aspect of the technique: planning, tracking, recording, processing and visualizing are some things which I have not done and I did read somewhere that visualizing all of the steps before starting helps one get threw any blocks that hinders one from moving forward.

Nevertheless, I do like the breaks aspect of the pomodoro techniques and I use the breaks section to alternate between "work" and "personal" as personal next tasks being done in the five minute break.

But that just some of my thoughts
 
Now Habit + Pomodoro + GTD

I thought I would also add, I've found Pomodoro to mesh really nicely with Neil Fiore's THE NOW HABIT methods as well. It is the very essence of "consistent starting," and since a pomorodo with break is 30 minutes, it works very nicely in Fiore's unschedule.

I use GTD methodology to define my work, and pomodoro to accomplish the work I've defined. I've found it to be an almost seamless combination.
 
You're good.....but....

I too am a die-hard GTD'r who uses Pomodoro (about 6 months now) to keep me focused when i'm actually in one spot for long enough to. I use a timer called "It's Focus Time" app, because it (as opposed to many of the other sim. apps) has a clicking timer sound if i want it. I read somewhere that this helps and it seems to.
The question i have always had about using Pom, is the effect that it could have on the state of "flow". Flow is the state where you are fully engaged in what you are doing, and time doesnt matter, and you love it. Like when you are writting something or painting or whatever, and after several hours you go, "wow! it's 2:30am...what just happened?" The goal is to increase the time in flow. If I feel like i am "in flow" then my Pomodoro timer going off is a bit of a "flow buster". I usually just reset it and keep going without the 5 min. break. I know that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psycologist that came up with the concept of flow, is a major GTD's himself as is his staff, but never heard what he thought of Pomodoro as it relates to flow. Interested in other's perspectives on this.
 
yes, that's exactly what I do. If I'm happy to keep going I just reset the timer. I often find after the first pomodoro, my mind settles down to getting the work done

Ruth
 
This is the first time I heard of the pomodoro technique and it sounds really interesting.
 
Helps learn about time, too

I use the Pomodoro technique off and on. My job consists of lots of back-to-back meetings and dealing with work as it shows up (triage and crisis), so I am only able to fully utilize the technique when I am working on some focused next actions or projects.

The most amazing thing that the Pomodoro technique has done for me though, has been to finally learn how long certain tasks REALLY take to accomplish. I'm sure no one else has this problem . . . ;-) but I have a habit of trying to cram too much into a day/hour/etc. I tend to be a bit overambitious with just how many NAs I can fit into my allotted time. Tallying how many Pomodoros a certain task takes has been my best take away from this technique!
 
Overestimating

Tspeidel;107816 said:
I'm sure no one else has this problem . . . ;-) but I have a habit of trying to cram too much into a day/hour/etc. I tend to be a bit overambitious with just how many NAs I can fit into my allotted time.

lol

absolutely

i console myself by thinking that i probably would never get started if i knew how long things would actually take ;)
 
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