I can vouch for this. I recently started doing pomodoro and it has changed my work life completely. I usually find I can get done in 5-6 hours what used to take me 9+. Then I can take off the rest of the day, read HN, play around with other tech or just relax.
Something he didn't mention is having your activity list(stuff you need to do) which you use to make your todo list of items that you think you can finish for the day. From this list you pick the most important item and start working on just that. I was surprised at the razor-like focus you gain from this by just getting that one thing done.
Often, you'll come across other tasks that need finishing while working. Instead of distracting you, you just put them on your activity list for later and keep going.
Another nice thing about this technique that you really should practice is keeping records on the the amount of pomodoros you do each day, the distractions(external or internal) etc. These are then used to gather metrics you can use to analyse and optimise problem areas in your productivity.
It sounds like a good technique if you have trouble focusing and feel unmotivated. However it feels like a lousy technique if you are :) When you're in flow-mode you don't want to have some stupid clock disturb your concentration every 25 minutes. You want to look down at your watch and go "whoops, I've spent 6 hours coding"
I think people overestimate the value of flow. You need to step out of that state regularly to put on your big-picture hat and access the work you have been doing. Pomodoro is not just about being productive, but being productive at the right thing.
I've noticed that even in the flow I welcome the disturbance in concentration. It gives me a chance to step back and take a few moments to analyze whether what I'm doing is actually the best way of doing it.
It also often happens, unfortunately, that taking a 6 hour swath of time to do a single thing is simply a luxury I can't afford.
The technique has one major advantage over GTD and other systems (and I tried them all...), it is damn simple. You don't even need a tool, just a kitchen timer is enough for the start.
The only thing I don't like to do in the standard 25 minutes pomodoro mode is programming. You need the tunnel, and a deep tunnel experience can't be achieved if you are interrupted every 25 minutes. My tip: Try 25 minutes first for two weeks, if you can't get into the tunnel, try 50 minutes, if that doesn't work either, try 1 hour 10 minutes. I found this to be the maximum time I can work fully concentrated. And of course, don't even think about checking your mails, reading HN or watching youtube while in a pomodoro.
Actually I have been using a similar technique for the last six months. However 30mins intervals and I only do it on days when I feel tired or unmotivated.
At the end of the period I go for a walk, or on an exercise bike for 5-10 mins. The best part is physically leaving the computer stop the eyes getting tired and drifting into a zombie state of zero productivity.
When I start a session I usually jot down a particular task to work on and review at the end. It does not guarantee productivity, but the short periods with reviews helps keep focus.
Setting a timer is good for focusing on a task, but you need to have a solid idea on what to work on. Assuming you have a goal, the next task becomes planning if you don't have a concrete next task yet. The five minute breaks are tricky though. I can't use them for browsing the web, since once I start that, I won't stop that after just the five minutes. Stepping away from the computer to spend some time thinking about what to do next would be good though. Not stepping away from the computer for the break and having the break stretch on is generally what breaks a Pomodoro run for me.
I should try the Pomodoro routine again, I've been a lot less structured with my work/break schedule.
I tried a similar technique a year ago, and I had similar results. I found myself straying from the 25/5 by 5, 10 or more minutes.
Ultimately, it was beneficial because it forced me to focus on the tasks and how much time I was allotting to breaks.
Once you get the habits down, I would suspect the timer would be needed less and less. Similar to how people who count calories get used to it and know caloric values of what they're eating, so they eventually stop counting calories (or get sick and tired of trying to keep up with it).
I had the same question a while ago and a few people suggested bumping up the time to 45 minutes.
What I've noticed is that a timed 5 minute break is extremely short. It's pretty easy to keep the flow right through ... you can read HN or check which emails need attention with half a brain and keep the other half thinking about the task.
Or just go grab a cup of coffee. That is surely low-key enough not to break your flow right?
Or try 5 minutes of nothing. Just sit there but refrain from touching either keyboard or mouse. You can think/daydream/meditate/try to solve the problem you were working on in your head/etc. :D
Something he didn't mention is having your activity list(stuff you need to do) which you use to make your todo list of items that you think you can finish for the day. From this list you pick the most important item and start working on just that. I was surprised at the razor-like focus you gain from this by just getting that one thing done.
Often, you'll come across other tasks that need finishing while working. Instead of distracting you, you just put them on your activity list for later and keep going.
Another nice thing about this technique that you really should practice is keeping records on the the amount of pomodoros you do each day, the distractions(external or internal) etc. These are then used to gather metrics you can use to analyse and optimise problem areas in your productivity.