Pomodoro Technique Illustrated (Pragmatic Life)
Staffan Noteberg
Language: English
Pages: 144
ISBN: 1934356506
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Printed in full color.
Do you ever look at the clock and wonder where the day went? You spent all this time at work and didn't come close to getting everything done. Tomorrow try something new. Use the Pomodoro Technique to work in focused sprints throughout the day. In Pomodoro Technique Illustrated, Staffan N teberg shows you how to organize your work to accomplish more in less time. There's no need for expensive software or fancy planners. You can get started with nothing more than a piece of paper, a pencil, and a kitchen timer.
You have so much you need to accomplish today. Your list is a mile long and you find yourself getting interrupted every other minute. You'd like to tell everyone to leave you alone, but most of the interruptions are coming from you! You think of a phone call you need to make or a web site you need to check and before you know it you're answering email, checking twitter, and finding a million other things to occupy your time.
You need to focus---really focus.
The Pomodoro Technique puts you back in charge of your day. You'll apply successful techniques from software engineering to identify what you should be doing today and to help you achieve your goals. Your mind won't wander when it is fully engaged in short bursts of focused activity.
Learn to work less and accomplish more using nothing more than paper, pencil, and a simple kitchen timer.
Set the timer and start on your next Pomodoro. When the bell rings take a break. This personal approach to timeboxing is at the core of the Pomodoro technique and this book is filled with advice on how get started and how to tailor it to your own needs.
home at 4 a.m., I sent an email to the project leader, explaining that the bug was fixed. The next day, the very same project leader fired off emails to the whole division, including all the vice presidents in the company. I was given a hero’s reception—not for fixing the bug but for the devotion of being at the office in the middle of the night. Let’s make this clear from the beginning: working overtime is like shopping with a credit card. With it, you buy things you can’t afford right now. In
(P1.0 printing, November 2009) 66 P ROSPECTIVE M EMORY Prospective Memory To avoid focusing on less important activities, you need to remember to recurrently reassess which activity is most important. You also have to remember to frequently take breaks. And you must remember to now and then do a personal introspection to improve your abilities and to be aware of your weaknesses. For me, I support my prospective memory with a written plan, a solid process, and a ring signal that I have
comes the Processing stage. This is where you turn the abstract data into informative bits. For example, you could calculate the average amount of Pomodori spent on one activity. If this is a massive number, you will learn to break down the activities into smaller and more manageable pieces. Or you can measure the average time an activity stays on the Activity Inventory sheet before you handle it. The calculated numbers are also on the Records sheet. Report erratum Prepared exclusively for
Japanese word Kaizen means “to change over time for that which is better.” But it’s more commonly translated as “continuous improvement.” Kaizen is an approach to work that focuses on incremental changes aiming for improvement. For example, maintaining cleanliness should be part of your daily work. And you should be answering these questions every day: Do I need smaller activities? Am I bothered by a recurring distraction? Do I have unnecessary overhead in my standardized activities and personal
if I know from the beginning that I won’t call the box office today, I can write it directly on my Activity Inventory sheet and also add a small u (unplanned) and a deadline. Report erratum Prepared exclusively for ALESSANDRO CAROLLO this copy is (P1.0 printing, November 2009) 91 I T ’ S A TOMIC It’s Atomic Some internal interruptions can’t be fought. If you really have to visit the restroom, then you have to do that. If you glance at the clock before leaving and see that there is 10