How one simple life hack brought me from high-school dropout to academic confidence.
I left school at 15, not because I wanted to, but because I felt like I had no other choice. Amongst other things, focusing was an uphill battle. Sitting still, absorbing what teachers were saying, and keeping my mind from wandering? Literally impossible.
I still remember my school teacher looking at me with pity one day as she told me that studying “just wasn’t for me”, and not long after, I was walking out the doors of education in full belief that it was a world not for people like me.
For a while, it didn’t seem like a big deal. I went straight into work, building a career in construction. But in my twenties, life wouldn’t let me forget these early challenges: my employer told me I’d need management qualifications if I wanted to progress. Suddenly, studying wasn’t optional – it was necessary.
Seventeen years after I was politely nudged out the door of my high school, I’ve now completed both undergraduate and master’s degrees in my spare time. How did I manage it? By rekindling my relationship with an old enemy – focus.
And so can you, one 25-minute sprint at a time, thanks to this method: The Pomodoro Technique.
This Article Covers:
- What is the Pomodoro Technique?
- Why the Pomodoro Technique Works
- How I Used the Pomodoro Technique to Study
- The Science Behind Focus
- Tracking Time: Stay Accountable and Motivated
- How Pomodoro Changed My Perspective
- Final Thoughts
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
In short, the Pomodoro Technique is about working smarter, not harder. You break your tasks into 25-minute focused intervals, called “Pomodoros,” with 5-minute breaks in between. After four Pomodoros, you reward yourself with a longer 15-30 minute break.
This method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The name “Pomodoro” comes from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used to track his work. Cirillo’s goal was to create a simple system that made big, daunting tasks feel manageable. Breaking the impossible down into small, tomato-sized pieces.
The beauty of it lies in its simplicity and its alignment with how our brains naturally function.
By resetting with breaks, you’re essentially giving your brain time to refuel.
Why the Pomodoro Technique Works
The brilliance of the Pomodoro Technique is in its practicality. Here’s why it’s so effective:
- It Beats Overwhelm: When you have a mountain of tasks, committing to just 25 minutes feels achievable.
- It Keeps You Fresh: Regular breaks give your brain time to recharge, improving productivity and focus.
- It Builds Momentum: Completing one ‘Pomodoro’ creates a sense of accomplishment that fuels the next.
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How I Used the Pomodoro Technique to Study
Whilst building my career in construction, I had to grow up fast and learn to toughen up if I were to survive. In time, I learned to eat stress for breakfast.
However, when I first returned to studying, I’m not ashamed to admit that I quickly became overwhelmed. My old habits of working late and multitasking weren’t cutting it. That’s when I discovered the Pomodoro Technique.
I started small: 25 minutes of study, then a 5-minute break. In those breaks, I’d step away from my desk – grab a drink, stretch, or even just stare out the window. After four cycles, I’d take a longer break to reset.
And amazingly – it worked! Why didn’t they teach this stuff back when I was at school, eyes glazed-over as the teacher wrote on the board?
Here’s what my routine looked like:
- Morning: Two Pomodoros before work to get the ball rolling.
- Evening: Four to six Pomodoros after dinner, broken up by time with family.
Instead of feeling drained, I ended each session with a sense of accomplishment. Over time my confidence grew, and I found that I retained more information and approached tasks with clarity and focus.
The Science Behind Focus
But hey, this surely doesn’t just apply to me. Students of all backgrounds and lifestyles can use these same techniques to combat focus and wrestle their attention into place whilst juggling life’s commitments.
Focus isn’t about brute force – it’s about working with your brain, not against it. Research shows that breaking tasks into short bursts of effort increases efficiency and reduces mental fatigue:
A Study published in the journal Cognition in 2011, involving 84 participants, showed that our ability to concentrate on a task diminishes after about 20-25 minutes, thanks to something called ‘vigilance decrement’ – a fancy term for “your brain gets tired”.
By timing your efforts with the Pomodoro Technique, you’re essentially creating a rhythm that matches your brain’s natural cycles of focus and rest.
Tracking Time: Stay Accountable and Motivated
One of the best parts of the Pomodoro Technique is how simple it is to get started. All you need is a timer. But if you’re like me, I don’t keep an old-fashioned egg (or tomato) timer in my cupboard. That’s where Jibble’s FREE Online Pomodoro Timer comes in.
Feel free to use this tool to automate your Pomodoro intervals, so you can focus entirely on the task at hand. Set it up with the classic 25/5-minute cycle, or customize it to fit your preferences. Want a 30-minute work session and a 10-minute break? No problem.
Even better, because it’s online – open it up on your phone while taking your study session to your local cafe or park. There’s no reason studying should be bound to your bedroom or school library.
(vistaresidences.com)
How Pomodoro Changed My Perspective
Using the Pomodoro Technique didn’t just help me approach studying and develop focus on my college courses – it can be applied to how I approach other challenges in life. Breaking tasks into manageable pieces taught me that progress isn’t about giant leaps; it’s about consistent, small steps.
Over time, those 25-minute sprints added up to something much bigger. They helped me go from someone who couldn’t sit through a school lesson to someone who could write a dissertation. And why stop there? What can this innocent tomato-shaped timer do for your life?
Final Thoughts
The Pomodoro Technique might seem like a simple life hack, but it’s profoundly effective. If you’re struggling to focus, give it a shot. Start small – just one Pomodoro – and build from there.
Seventeen years ago, I couldn’t imagine juggling a career, a family, and two degrees. But one Pomodoro at a time, I made it happen. And if I can, so can you.
