Teleworking and Focusing with Pomodoros (1/3)

Telework has its clear benefits. No more early commutes or fighting for parking spots. Now, I can leisurely enjoy my mornings, or, if I’m feeling lazy, roll out of bed 2 minutes before work. It’s been a blessing that my wife and I have been able to spend extended time together to begin our marriage, instead of me being gone at the office most of the day.

But telework poses challenges too, especially as a Christian seeking to honor God through faithfulness at work. Working from home means less accountability and easier access to distraction. Sadly, this has often resulted in wasted hours, sometimes even days, at work.

In this post, I want to talk about creating a rhythm of focused work while teleworking, using the well-known Pomodoro technique. I still have a long way to go, but this strategy has helped me and hopefully can be of some benefit to you too.

The Pomodoro method is a commonly recommended strategy in productivity circles. Here is the basic jist: Pick a task, work for 25-minutes, followed by a 5 minute break. Repeat this cycle several times, then take a longer 15-30 minute break.

My main gripe with the Pomodoro technique is the 5-minute breaks. There’s not much you can do during a that time. So for me, I’ve found it more helpful to extend both the focus and break time: 45 minutes and 15 minute breaks

Overall, the Pomodoro creates an enjoyable rhythm to my day. In the past, I’d often release my willpower in one concentrated burst, but I’d let myself take an even longer break. With the Pomodoro technique, I’m able to get into a groove after a few cycles, and make good progress on my work while still enjoying my breaks.

In the next post, I’ll brainstorm some ideas for how we can use those 15 minute breaks. Until next time!