Use Productivity Sprints When Your Attention Span Is Low

When you have a lot of work to do, a lack of focus can be disastrous for your productivity. So instead of fighting it, you can use it to your advantage by working in “sprints” rather than trying to run a marathon. Like the Pomodoro technique , the sprint method forces you to work in a series of shorter periods so you can complete your tasks without losing focus and productivity. Here’s how to try it…

What is the sprint method?

With the sprint method, you will complete work in short bursts with breaks in between. That’s all it really is, but since breaks are necessary for truly productive work , they are effective.

Although, as noted, the sprint method shares some elements with the popular Pomodoro method, which involves working in well-timed chunks interspersed with well-timed breaks, this method is a little more flexible. With the Pomodoro method, you work for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break. After four cycles you take a longer break. However, when you do a sprint, you determine in advance how long you need (or can) concentrate and set a timer based on that.

The real trick to using sprints rather than the more rigid Pomodoro method is goal setting: you should set a long-term goal, such as finishing a large work project by the end of the week, and run towards it, no matter how long the number of sprints is. it takes you away. Each sprint should be focused on a smaller goal, such as completing part of the project, and you should time it so that it covers exactly the amount of time that the smaller goal is likely to take. By changing the time instead of relying on the 25 minute rule, your timer won’t go off before you finish the mini-challenge. You will remain in focus mode until the task is completed, while being fully aware that a break is approaching .

If you’re having trouble figuring out how long each task block will take, consider ditching the timer altogether and instead committing to simply working in a sprint until the task is completed. One of the most important elements of this approach is to remain deeply focused for the entire time it takes you to complete the task, so turn off your phone and avoid any other distractions. Then buckle down and focus, whether you’re given a 10-minute task or a 30-minute task.

What to Consider When Using Productivity Sprints

Because your goal is not just to work for a predetermined period of time, but to complete a specific task, you can (and should) work as hard as you can without focusing too much on how long it will take you or whether you are getting it right. For example, if you are writing an article, one sprint can be devoted to writing the right words. After the break, the second sprint can be devoted to editing for clarity.

Completing complete tasks during sprints will give you a sense of accomplishment that you may miss if you rely more on timing than results. Likewise, being interrupted by a timer in the middle of a main focus is tiring, while sprints allow you to be more focused on the task.

Breaks should be half as long as sprints.

Just don’t skimp on breaks: no matter how long a mini-task takes, give yourself about half that time to recover before moving on to the next one. If it takes 30 minutes for words to appear on the page, pause for 15 before editing. This is a sprint , not a marathon, so prioritize bursts and recovery periods.