The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work

적용하기 쉬워 보이는 시간 관리 방법이다. 25분동안 최대한 방해 없이 일을 진행한 뒤에 강제적인 휴식시간(5분)을 하나의 단위로 진행하고, 3번이나 4번 연속해서 진행한 뒤에는 긴 휴식(30분)을 적용한다. 25분-5분을 기준으로 생각하면 4번의 사이클에 소요시간은 2시간 30분이 된다. 하지만, 이것을 위해서는 추가적인 몇가지 기록들이 필요하다. 먼저, 하루에 할 일들을 계획해서 정하는 "To Do Today" 목록이다. 이것은 하루동안 할 수 있는 일을 가늠해보고, 실제로 내가 생각하는 추정과 현실사이의 차이를 측정하기 위한 지표가 된다. 또한, 이 목록에는 Unplanned & Urgent 항목도 기록한다. 모든 일이 계획한 그대로 진행될 수는 없다. 여기에 자기가 해야 할 일들을 정리해두는 "Activity Inventory" 목록이 참고된다. 여기는 해야할 일들과 추정한 작업량을 기록한다. 이런 여러가지 해야할 목록에서 우선관계나 중요도를 확인할 수 있다. 이 목록을 작성할때는 5번~7번 이상 진행해야 하는 일이 있다면, 그것들을 더 작은 규모로 나누라고 한다. 즉, 일의 단위를 25분 작업시간에 처리 가능한 수준으로 가능한 작게 만드는 것이 필요하다. 이렇게 기록한 진행경과를 "Records" 에 정리한다. 이 과정에서 최초의 추정과 실제 소요 시간 사이의 차이를 확인 할 수 있고, 이를 통해 자기의 역량에 대해서 수치화된 검토 및 평가가 가능하다. 이 전체적인 과정을 진행하는 동안에 Interruptions 들을 기록한다. 이것은 내적인 부분과 외적인 부분을 구분하고, 이런 방해요인들을 정리해보면 실제 자기 작업환경과 몰입에 대해서 검토할 수 있다. 25분 작업+5분 휴식은 간단하게 적용해 볼 수 있는 방법이지만, 지속적으로 기록하며 진행하는 것은 쉽지 않은 일이다. 하지만, 이 관리 방법은 팀이나 조직으로 확대 적용이 가능한 장점도 가지고 있다. 

 

pp. 14

The technique helps us develop a constant dialogue with ourselves, to observe ourselves and not delude ourselves. In any case, if you find yourself writing messages instead of focusing on your goal, do not worry: The next Pomodoro will go better. Be gentle with yourself.

 

pp. 23

Goals of the Pomodoro Technique

• Alleviate anxiety linked to becoming

• Enhance focus and concentration by cutting down on interruptions

• Increase awareness of one's decisions

• Boost motivation and keep it constant

• Bolster the determination to achieve one's goals

• Refine the estimation process in both qualitative and quantitative terms

• Improve one's work or study process

• Strengthen one's determination to keep applying oneself in complex situations

 

pp. 31

A Pomodoro can't be interrrupted: It marks 25 minutes of pure work. A Pomodoro can't be split up: There is no such thing as half a Pomodoro or a quarter of a Pomodoro. The atomic unit of time is a Pomodoro. (Rule: A Pomodoro is indivisible.) 

 

pp. 36

What you track and record depends on what you want to observe and the kinds of reports you want to generate. The initial aim of tracking and later recording could be simply to present a report with the number of Pomodoro completed per task. In other words, you may want to show the effort expended to accomplish each activity.

 

pp. 37

What's important to track the number of Pomodoro actually completed: the real effort. This point is the key to understanding the Pomodoro Technique.

 

pp. 41

The aim is to accept the fact that needs do emerge and shouldn't be neglected. Look at them objectively and if possible reschedule them for another time.

 

pp. 49

The first objective in cutting down on interruption is to be aware of the number and type of internal interruptions. Observe them, accept them, and schedule them or delete them as the case may be.

 

pp. 58

If it takes more than five to seven Pomodoro, break it down. If you do this, not only do single activities become less complex, but estimates become more accurate. This effect is magnified when the breakdown involves incremental activities, not simply smaller activities. ( Incremental activities deliver a little value at a time.) 

 

pp.78

Imagination is the most powerful tool for preventing complexity from growing.

 

pp.80

In any case, choosing which metrics to track and record has to be subordinate to the choice of improvement objectives. In this case, the metrics system will grow incrementally on the basis of real need., keep tracking complexity to a minimum.

 

pp.84

When we work on a team, goals tend to be more complicated to reach. The more complicated the goals, the more unexpected and urgent the related activities will be, and, in turn, the more destructive the delays and the interruptions will become.

 

pp.87

Pomodoro Techniques six objectives 

1. Find out how much effort an activity requires

2. Cut down on interruptions

3. Estimate the effort required for activities 

4. Make the Pomodoro more effective

5. Set up a timetable

6. Define your own personal improvement objective 

 

pp. 122 

The person who asks for help only interrupts when they are sure they can describe the problem in one sentence. At a request for help, the other microteams immediately interrupt their work and focus on that request. The coworkers working in the other microteams who think they can help with the problem immediately convey their willingness to volunteer.

 

pp. 128

... downtime between Pomodoro that consistently lasts more than 5 to 10 minutes can break the rhythm between Pomodoros. It would be better to finish the current set and take a 15- to 30- minute break.

pp. 129

We can stimulate the ability to feel time in a different way by means of a series of exercises that enhance consciousness of passing time among Pomodoro users. This different awareness of the passage of time seems to lead Pomodoro users to a higher level of concentration in performing the activity at hand.

 

pp. 132

... fast isn't important; reaching the point of actually being fast is. You do this by learning to measure yourself, observe how you work, and develop the value of continuity.

 

pp. 135

Your attention is on the here and now, emphasizing the search for a concrete way to stimulate the value of continuity and carry out activities in the most reasonable order.

 

pp. 139

The key objective is never to recover lost time but instead of to be focused on taking the next step on your chosen path, which you often - consciously - change.

 

pp. 142

Stopping, detaching, and observing yourself from the outside enhance awareness of your behavior. Stopping becomes synonymous with strength, not weakness.

 

pp. 143

In fact, to guarantee consistently high productivity, it is not effective to make yourself work or study nonstop from morning till night. .. human being don't function like industrial machines.