Are you struggling to get things done at work? Are you suffering constant interruptions? Do you find it difficult to concentrate on the task in hand?

If the answer to all these questions is 'yes', then what you need is a tomato!

A clockwork tomato, to be precise - one of those kitchen timers of that shape. This Entry is all about an Italian time management technique which is sweeping the corporate world like wildfire. No longer will we be talking in terms of hours and minutes. We will soon be measuring our day in pomodoros¹.

Tomato Time

Each pomodoro lasts for 25 of our Earth minutes. It is a basic unit of time, and cannot be broken down; fractional pomodoros do not exist. The one thing which makes this unit of time a 'pomodoro' rather than, say, 'a period of 25 minutes', is that you will be working on something for the duration - and we mean working. You will be concentrating on a specific task - something on your to-do list that you had planned to do when you got into the office that morning. You will be dedicated to this task for the whole pomodoro, and you will not allow interruptions.

In fact, managing interruptions is the trickiest bit. Close down your e-mail. Give telephone callers short shrift, or better, divert all calls to voicemail - you'll ring them back during another pomodoro, one when you will be concentrating on their business and their business alone. Glare at anyone who approaches your desk. Tell them in a clear, firm tone, 'Respect the Pomodoro'.

Take a Break

Pomodoros are not continuous - there is a five minute gap between them. Consider this void like the space between atoms, or some sort of timeless limbo. You must not work during this short period. It's there for you to unwind from the previous pomodoro and do something which improves your health and well-being. Go for a short walk, maybe. Grab a coffee, have a comfort break, or chat to someone who's not into a pomodoro of their own. When the break is over, set your timer and concentrate on the next task on your list for another whole pomodoro.

You will need a longer break after three or four consecutive pomodoros, and it's best to take between 15 and 30 minutes. Maybe you would check your e-mails or voicemails during this longer break; just don't do anything complex, and certainly nothing to do with the task you were tackling in the previous pomodoro.

Pomodoros don't have to start at a scheduled time, as they themselves become the measure of productive time. When you set that timer, it's pomodoro time, plain and simple, so use it wisely. If the timer rings before you finish, then you will need to complete that task in a future pomodoro - usually a consecutive one, but take the 5-minute break first. On the other hand, if you finish a task before the end of the pomodoro, then you must wait for the timer to ring before you move on to something else. Spend the time by reviewing the task you just completed, or make notes on how you could be more productive next time. Seeing it through is a measure of your self-discipline.

What a Roman Did For Us

Pomodoros were the brainchild of Francesco Cirillo, a student in Rome in the late 1980s. Concerned that his short attention span was preventing him from concentrating on his studies, he challenged himself to try to study for ten minutes, and measured this using his grandmother's tomato-shaped kitchen timer. He initially failed, but with determination eventually succeeded, and the experience inspired him to study teamwork and problem solving processes with the aid of the pomodoro tool. He developed the Pomodoro Technique, which is documented on his website.

Cirillo's technique goes into much detail on planning your day using pomodoros, as well as estimating and tracking completed tasks. Cirillo has written books and gives lectures on the subject. He is rapidly gaining fans in a wide variety of work situations, as his technique is so simple. He has effectively re-invented single-tasking.

Today's hi-tech gadget generation may scoff at the idea of a clockwork timer, so they will be pleased to learn that pomodoro apps are available for all popular mobile devices. There's also a webpage which will do the counting for you, although it sadly lacks tomatoes.

So, why not give it a try? It may just help you get things done. Bear in mind, however, that 'pomodoro' is earmarked to become one of the most annoying office-speak terms of the next decade.

Day 1 of doing the Pomodoro Technique at work - so far it's going great. I'm a university academic in a shared office with three others. So far I've introduced them to the pomodoro, and they laughed, but agreed to respect the tomato. They don't seem to mind the ticking of my kitchen timer. I've planned out my day around my pre-existing appointments. Talking to my boss and answering the phone count as work, so I can't ignore them during the pomodoros. Currently on my five minute break after my second pomodoro of the day.
— An h2g2 Researcher.