The pomodoro method is not as cool as it could be

The pomodoro method has not quite obvious nuances. And these nuances, if we reformulate Klitschko, understand not only everything, few people can do it.

So let's see what this method is, and what could be improved.

Briefly about the method itself

To work effectively, you need to break the working day into intervals: 25 minutes of full concentration at work (without chatter, without messengers, without Habr). Then 5 minutes of rest. Then again 25 minutes of work, etc. If in the middle of a 25-minute "tomato" was distracted, then start on a new one. There are a lot of programs that track the time, can you show statistics on tomatoes and progress.

The method gives three advantages at once:

1. the brain gets used to concentrating
2. the brain has time to rest
3. you know how much you have done per day, how much you spent on the task, etc.

There is no doubt that the method seriously increases labor productivity. I tried it on myself when I was a linear programmer. However, the method has nuances.

25 minutes is not very suitable

Classic mechanical pomodoro-timer starts for 25 minutes. But this is not for everyone.

This was noticed by software makers. Almost every program for the Pomodoro method has a setting where you can specify the interval for work and rest, whether to take a long break, etc.

However, even these settings are insufficient. When I actively applied the method, I set myself 50 minutes in the morning, because in the morning I had more energy, and I easily concentrated for this period, and in the evening I sometimes had to reduce the interval. The brain is not rubber, still tired.

It also happens that I didn’t get enough sleep - and then everything is completely different. You wait for a break, like manna from heaven, and then the break seems too small.

In general, 25 minutes - the number from the bald.

How could the system be improved: some kind of sensor on the head, like an EEG, measuring fatigue and concentration. As soon as a person is tired, give a break. Once rested, say it's time to work.

On the other hand, such sensors will be able to be used by employers to assess who is laid out at work; I hope I will not live to such total control.

For tmlidov and other leaders the method is not suitable

I am a team leader who sometimes writes code. Sometimes you want to take on some crucial part of the project, and make it right right away. The hand immediately reaches for a pomodoro-timer. And ... it does not work.

They pull me all the time. Peter wrote in the chat, Vasya asked in person, Pasha called for a rally. There is not a normal tomato here, especially in openspace.

And there's nothing to be done about this - the work of the Timlid largely consists precisely in coordinating people and solving their problems. If you are a team leader, and you know how to apply pomodoro, write pliz in comments.

Open space

Method pomodoro in openspace doomed. You are constantly distracted, and no tricky practices will help here. Peter joked about the election, Vasya opened the window, and from there he blows, Pasha naturally talks in a loud voice. Full concentration is never reached. In general, it is always fun.

Ideally, open space would be divided into a loud and quiet zone (with library rules of silence). Then any person could choose what is more important for him - to discuss the details of the problem or concentrate on the solution.

By the way, it would be cool to invent such headphones that would completely block the external sound, but at the same time they would remove the lock when they call you by name (for urgent business). Those. with speech recognition. Well, at the same time they can hang a light bulb "do not disturb" and connect with pomodoro-software.

findings

Total, you need a device that measures fatigue and concentration, which has an indication of employment, blocking external sounds with unlocking by name for urgent matters. Only then will it be close to the ideal.

Still, it does not help tmlidu.

We discuss this and other topics in the Zinc Prod podcast. Listen and subscribe!