Do you feel overwhelmed by your endless to-do list, or lose steam well before the end of your workday? These five simple techniques can give you the boost you need.
Popular with business professionals, students, and busy folks of all types, these five techniques don’t take long to implement—you can get started right away!
The Pomodoro Technique
This popular productivity-boosting technique requires virtually no preparation. All you need is a timer, which you most likely have on your phone.
The basic concept is to break your day into 25-minute blocks, with five-minute breaks between each block. These focused intervals are referred to as “pomodoros.”
Have a timer and some work to do? You have everything you need to try the Pomodoro Technique.
After four or five pomodoro blocks, take a longer, 15- to 20-minute break. On your breaks, stand up, walk around, do a few jumping jacks, have a snack, drink some water—basically, step away from your workstation and “reboot” yourself.
The timer adds a sense of focus, importance, and urgency to your work. You’ll probably be less likely to check Facebook, respond to that texts, or stare blankly out the window if a timer is ticking away.
Also, when you break your day into more manageable chunks, it helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed, even if you have a lot to do. It’s easy to focus on a task for 25 minutes when you know you can take a quick break soon.
If you want to use an official app, you can get Be Focused Pro for iPhone, or ClearFocus for Android.
