Use the Pomodoro Technique to successfully combat procrastination

You’ve rotated through thousands of small tasks throughout the day and have already crossed several items off your to-do list. It’s actually a good feeling, but unfortunately you haven’t made any progress with your most important client project. You didn’t shake hands and put it off again until tomorrow.

In other words, you procrastinated. The word comes from Latin and means “to postpone until tomorrow” (if you want to know exactly: pro = for, before, cras = tomorrow).

What makes procrastination so dangerously attractive?

We agree: no one misses deadlines like filing taxes, organizing the annual meeting, or going live on the client’s website just for fun. So something else must ensure that you constantly neglect your most important project, but continue to work and always be active. There’s more. The phenomenon is well known and is being studied by psychologists. We’d like to break it down here by phenomena that might interest you:

• Pressure to perform: You are constantly under stress and afraid that you won’t be able to do everything.
• You are afraid of failing in this project, perhaps you are underestimating your abilities.
• You always need validation in your work or a little reward when you have completed something. A large project simply takes too long for this.
• You can’t find the motivation to deal with it.

If you put off working on your big task again, you hear:

• Temporary relief: today the pressure is not so great.
• the feeling of having accomplished a lot: in the meantime you are still working on something else. For example, you finally tidy up your desk or call a client you’ve always wanted to stay in touch with.
• Reward and Confirmation: These small tasks give you a good feeling that you have accomplished a lot. And they weren’t so complicated that they really tested you.

In a word: you spent time in your comfort zone. Unfortunately, this won’t move you forward with your passion project. In the evening you realize that you have once again avoided the great task. It’s not a good feeling and it’s not a step towards solving your problems, because the big project won’t disappear into thin air if you leave it out. But there is a gentle way out of the procrastination trap: the Pomodoro Technique.

Pomodoro Technique: Taking small steps towards success

A student invented the Pomodoro technique in the 1980s in order to successfully complete his studies. Francesco Cirillo divided his working hours into clear steps of 25 minutes, which he measured with a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. This was followed by a 5 minute break.

The appeal of this method lies in its clarity: 25 minutes is not an eternity, and you can easily use all that time to start or further develop a large project. After 25 minutes it’s done and you don’t have to promise yourself that you will work on the unloved task all day. A Pomodoro is the first small step against procrastination, the first step towards your success.

• it is finished and therefore clear
• it is a measurable time
• Don’t get ahead of yourself
• but be careful 😉 it might lead you to scroll. So please continue with the project.

So find an introductory activity in your project that will really help you get going.

The right start for productive work

If you use the Pomodoro technique correctly, it will help you complete your most important projects and thus obtain more income and social prestige (assuming the right goal planning).

The most important step: Treat yourself to a Pomodoro every day – if possible as a first action in the morning at work – for the worst, scariest, most unpleasant, most challenging, most difficult task that will get you ahead in your project. This is your frog! And then: eat that frog, swallow that toad! Your advantage:

• You’ll leave the worst part of the day behind you after 25 minutes.
• You really did something for your project.
• You’ve already done the most important work before breakfast.
• This gives you confirmation and now you can treat yourself to a small reward: reading the newspaper online, petting your dog or enjoying a hearty cappuccino.

Please really catch the frog!

Use the Pomodoro Technique to its fullest. This means that, especially after long pauses in the project, you really tackle the detailed task that hindered you the most or even made you give up temporarily. The task that rolled a stone into your path.

You’ve only invested 25 minutes here. But it should be in the right place. where you can have the greatest impact and from where you can make the best progress. The first Pomodoro is your presentation.

• So really work on your project. Don’t just do non-binding searches on the Internet or check your emails.
• Change your attitude towards the task before you start. It’s only 25 minutes!
• Be clear about why you are doing this. This is the best motivation.
• Best case scenario: Don’t stop until you’ve had the strong push and the most important obstacle has been removed. This is the flow.

You don’t need a kitchen timer

…if you don’t like using it. The Pomodoro technique can be implemented with home remedies:

• Your iPhone, your iPad has a timer that you can set for 25 minutes.
• Mac and iPhone/iPad can also use the Be Focused app.
• There is also a timer for Android, otherwise Focus ToDo is recommended.
• You can install this app on Windows computers.

Your reward: things continue again

With the Pomodoro Technique you can easily start over on important projects. You only commit to 25 minutes. This is a new beginning and – if you stopped in the right place – the next step is already visible. The next Pomodoro this time is not a problem, you can already see which activity you want to choose to carry out your project.

My bonus tip: Never stop doing work when you face a problem. If you don’t know where to find the documents for the tax return, the location of the annual meeting, the texts to go online: taking the first step, even if complicated, is not convenient for you and sometimes bothers you. To stay with the example:

• Find the first documents, e.g. your bank statements and prepare them for your tax return (categories).
• Ask three colleagues which place they can recommend and then call them.
• Find the briefing on the client’s site and ask your trusted copywriters for an offer.
• PS You know better what the next step is for your project.

I wish you much success in your most difficult project. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.