How To Use Pomodoro Technique for Programmers

Let's figure out what the pomodoro technique is!

You may have a question about what kind of technique is pomodoro and how it works. The pomodoro technique is a time management method designed to help you study more efficiently, which was developed in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. 

So, at first, he decided to take little steps and start working in 25 minute intervals with 5-minute breaks in between. His goal was to do a good job without interruption in 25 minutes. Because it was such a short period of time, he wasn't distracted. He stopped for 25 minutes with a tomato-shaped egg timer, and thus the Pomodoro technique was born. Pomodoro, by the way, is an Italian word, which means "tomato."

All you need for the Pomodoro Technique is an alarm clock or timer on your mobile phone. Before you start timing, prepare your documents, and choose the task you want to finish. In each Pomodoro phase, you must only work on one task, which will help you stay focused. One phase is 25 minutes of focused study. Once the timer goes off, you have a short break, but try to avoid doing anything related to your work during your breaks. After a 5-minute break, the second Pomodoro phase begins. This is followed by another 5-minute break. Repeat this process four times, and then take a longer break, for about 20-30 minutes. With this proven method, users can streamline their work, find out how much time and effort a task really takes, and sharpen their focus so they can get more done for the same amount every day.

These breaks are important for your brain because it needs time to recharge in order to stay focused for the next Pomodoro round. Try to stick to 25 minutes of intense study. It's easy to be tempted to just keep going because it feels good, but short breaks are essential for this technique. After your timer goes off, finish whatever you were working on. You can write keywords so that you don't lose your thoughts. But then it really is time to put down your pen and take a break.

Is pomodoro a good technique to use in programming? 

Everyone knows that developers generally sit behind their PC`s for more than 4 or 5 hours. So, we must figure out if the pomodoro technique is effective and good enough for programming. First of all, you should not only consider the coding of the task. You have meetings to attend, you should help your colleagues, there are times when you need to check your codes with others, and there are times when you even need to search for a solution to a particular programming problem. These are parts of your work you can't ignore. Please consider everything and talk to your colleagues about your technique, so that when you are on your breaks, they would not expect an answer from you. But you can stop your timer for your meetings if they last longer than 25 minutes.

Adjusting the length of a single Pomodoro is another thing. You can do one Pomodoro for 90 minutes and like a 30-minute break, or if you're tired, for example, make the intervals 15 minutes. Consider your energy level, type of work, and number of tasks to complete to predict the length of your breaks.

Eliminating all distractions and focusing on one task will help you get it done much faster. If you’re distracted from your work by an email or a phone call, it takes you an average of 11 minutes to get back to your task. Without distractions you can stay focused on the task. The pomodoro technique also helps you not to overwork yourself on your programming tasks. For a successful Pomodoro cycle, make a list of the tasks you want to complete in one session, switch your phone to not disturb, close the office door, or let your coworkers know that you do not want to be disturbed during that time.

If you’re working on a computer, you can use the online Pomodoro Tracker to simplify your workflow and you can use tools and apps like Tomato Timer.

Even if you don’t want to try pomodoro technique, just remember that prolonged attention and concentration can lead to mental fatigue. So try to take breaks at least from time to time.