Manage Your Time With Tomatoes

Read Time:5 Minute, 0 Second

By Lucy Gardner

Procrastination: my biggest enemy. Since coming to college, learning how to manage my time has been a challenge to say the least. Collegiate-level work is already daunting, but as more assignments are posted and workloads begin to pile up with miscellaneous tasks, it can easily become overwhelming. I used to shut down, feeling unmotivated to do any of the work that I had been pushing off because I simply didn’t know where to start. Despite rising pressure and approaching deadlines, I still dreaded doing even the tiniest bit of work because I felt swamped. If I’m not going to get it all done in one sitting, then why start it now?

This mindset is what ultimately left me completely exhausted, not the actual work itself. I needed to figure out a way to start viewing my workload as small pieces of a difficult puzzle—putting each part together gradually to complete the task at hand. Thanks to the Pomodoro Method, I started to piece my puzzle together, and my life has been much less overwhelming since.

What is the Pomodoro Method?

The Pomodoro Method is a time management technique that dates back to the early 1990s. The method gets its name from the tomato-shaped timer (“pomodoro” means “tomato” in Italian) that Francesco Cirillo, the inventor of the technique, used to time his work intervals—or as he called them, pomodoros.

The breakdown is simple:

Choose a single task to work on.
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Work with no distractions for the full 25 minutes.
Take a 5-minute break.
After every set of 4 pomodoros (or 25-minute work intervals), extend your break time (instead of 5 minutes, take 10 or 15 minutes).

This simple time management technique has helped me complete my workload and navigate a healthy work-life balance. I dedicate a set amount of time to simply working and then spend my little breaks doing things I enjoy, like taking a walk or fixing myself a snack.

Benefits of the Pomodoro Method

Makes your time feel more valuable

Before the Pomodoro Method, reading a textbook chapter used to take me hours to get through. I would get easily distracted, acting as if I had all the time in the world to get it done. The next thing I knew, it would be 10 PM and I still had three other assignments to complete. Chopping up my work into short, manageable pomodoros not only made reading a whole 30-page chapter more digestible, but it also helped me realize how valuable my time is. Breaking down my 30-page chapter into 10-page sections and sorting those sections into three pomodoros encouraged me to use my time more effectively. What used to be a three-hour study session was cut in half, and I was able to start my other assignments sooner.

Improves daily and future planning

With practice, you get a good handle on how many pages you can read or how many paragraphs you can write within a certain set of pomodoros. Take advantage of that knowledge, and implement it into your daily and weekly planning. Block out periods in your daily schedule and dedicate them to certain tasks. If you do choose to follow this scheduling style, remember to take into account important time frames such as meals and free time! Getting into this habit of time-blocking will also help you avoid procrastination and can even help calm your nerves about a busy upcoming week.

Decrease distractions and multitasking

I think the biggest benefit of the Pomodoro Method is that it helps you practice self-discipline. Dedicating yourself to a specific task for that 25-minute work period with no distractions or interruptions makes you feel accomplished and proud once that long-awaited timer rings. As someone who gets easily distracted, splitting up my workload into pomodoros helps me really focus since I know that, at the end of my 25-minute interval, I get a break. The allotted 5 minutes allow me to quickly check my messages or scroll through Instagram as a substitute for interrupting my work for a “quick glance” at my phone which turns into an hour of scrolling through TikTok. These short 5-minute breaks also allow you to complete small chores and can minimize any attempts at multitasking.

How Many Pomodoros Work For You?

While the traditional Pomodoro Method works on a 25:5 ratio, some people use different combinations of work intervals and break times. Personally, I sometimes feel that 25 minutes isn’t enough and the timer often disrupts my workflow if I’m just starting to become invested in a reading. On the other hand, sometimes a task doesn’t need a full 25-minute pomodoro to be completed. Below are some other combinations of the Pomodoro Method that I use, as well as when I utilize them:

10 minutes of work—5-minute break
- When you have a lot of short tasks but still want that break in between
50 minutes of work—10-minute break
- When you don’t want to interrupt your workflow but still want to keep the time blocks within a single hour (it helps if you use this method alongside time-blocking, as mentioned above)
90 minutes of work—30-minute break
- When you’re genuinely interested in what you’re learning and don’t want to interrupt your workflow, or if you want a longer break

Apps to Use

While a simple timer always works, there are mobile apps you can use to time your pomodoros as well. Certain apps like Flora or Study Bunny can turn studying into a game and can help motivate you even more to get your work done! Here are some options to check out: (Keep in mind that *denotes a paid app)