Use Flowtime As a Flexible Alternative to the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a superstar in the world of productivity techniques because its premise—that you work hard for 25 minutes and then reward yourself with a few minutes of rest—is effective and appealing. But that doesn’t mean it works perfectly for everyone. Like everything else, it adapts. Try time-flow techniques if you find that 25-minute work sessions with five-minute recovery breaks aren’t working for you.
What is flow technique?
The time-flow technique is a variation of the pomodoro technique and is essentially based on the same principles: you work for a while, then take a break. The difference is that you decide how long work and play lasts. This method, sometimes called “flowmodoro”, also aims to keep you in the task zone by luring you into deep work , using the goal of taking a break to continue working.
The key here is the continuous work you do while you strive for a break. Just like the tomato, you should focus on one task for the entire time you are working, instead of doing a little work, checking your phone, typing a little more, checking your email, etc. The only way to improve your flow time is to be Different is that you decide how long you work, instead of relying on a “25 on, five off” system.
How to set up personal flow time
The downside to using Flowtime instead of Pomodoro is the same as the upside: you’re in charge of how long you work. While the Pomodoro technique is simple and accurately determines how much time you can work and rest, setting up your personal work hours requires a little more work. It will take you about a week to figure everything out before you actually start putting it into practice.
Here’s what you do during this pre-setup period:
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Keep track of when you start working on a specific task without getting distracted. You can use time tracking software , but in this case it is better to use a spreadsheet because you will also…
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Write down when you start to feel restless, distracted, or uninterested. Take a break.
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Write down when you feel enough energy to return to the task.
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Repeat until the task is completed.
In your spreadsheet, allocate one sheet for each task that needs to be completed. Your columns can be labeled in whatever way makes sense to you, but it’s helpful to use something like the following, including the date, start and break time, and final end time. After working with a spreadsheet for a while, you’ll get an idea of how long you can usually work on something before you need a break, and how long those breaks typically need to be before you feel rejuvenated enough to get back to work. .
Once you understand your work abilities and preferences, you can put them into practice. If you can usually focus on cleaning for 15 minutes, start setting a timer for 15 minutes each time you clean, and then give yourself a break that works for you, whether it’s five or 10 minutes. Promise to return to the task.
You can set yourself the goal of gradually increasing the time of your work sessions, but this is not necessary. If your particular method works for you, great. If you want to improve your concentration over a long period of time, start by adding one minute each time you complete a task, gradually increasing it from, say, 15 to 16 or 17 minutes each time. If you’re planning on doing this, it’s helpful to use a spreadsheet so you can see if you’re starting to break down too early and adjust your flow timing.
This is not an easy way out if the pomodoro doesn’t suit you. Rather, it is difficult to find a combination of times that suits you. Something is always better than nothing, so find the time that suits your needs and harness the power of continuous work with promised breaks, even if it looks a little different from the norm.