A Time Management Technique to boost productivity

As we navigate the wine industry rollercoaster, the last few months have felt like one procrastination roadblock after another with focus hard to come by. But no matter the ups and downs, deadlines don't magically extend (even when they wish they would) and the work still needs to get done.

Desperate for a shift (or shove) in focus, earlier this week I joined a remote coworking session with eight other female solo-preneurs—all communications pros, and all strangers.  We came to the hour with the same goal: to tackle a project that we had been avoiding, and break through the resistance to get sh*t done.

To manage our time, the host introduced The Pomodoro Technique, a method likely familiar to many readers, some of whom may also find focus elusive. Developed by entrepreneur and software designer, Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique is to break work into short, 25-minute timed intervals—called pomodoros, named after the small tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo used—followed by five-minute breaks. After four pomodoros, you take a longer break before diving back in. 

With zoom screens on, the timer was set, and we got to work.

Did it work?
Yes!

The structure helped me stay focused - the endpoint was close enough to keep me motivated, but not so far out that I got distracted. By the end of the session, I had cracked open a critical project, and more importantly, broken the cycle of crippling procrastination.

I had been meaning to try the Pomodoro Technique since hearing about it from Jessica Waugh at last year's TEXSOM conference during her session on neurodiversity.

Jessica, a Nevada-based wine educator, coach and wellness advocate, uses the Pomodoro Technique at her practice, JWaugh Education, to help wine studies clients improve their focus and information retention. We profiled Jessica in Meet the Community, last year, and earlier this week I caught up with her to learn more about how she uses the technique with clients with different learning styles.

She encourages clients to experiment with 25 minutes of focus with five minutes of break, to reflect on the experience, and then refine the time to suit their needs. For clients who struggle to focus, she may shorten the interval to 15 minutes with three-minute breaks. For others who need longer periods of focus, she may stretch it to 30 minutes, or more.

 "Most of my clients land on the 45 minutes on 15 minutes off" Jessica told me. "But I do have some clients who have gone down to the 15 minutes on three minutes off. It's all different depending on what their brain type is."

According to Jessica, more critical than the length of focus time, is how people use their breaks. Instead of checking email, or scrolling social media, Jessica strongly recommends physical movement to help get oxygen flowing to the brain.

"Our brain can only focus for a certain amount of time and the best way to give your brain a break is getting oxygen to it. The easiest way to get oxygen to your brain is through movement, especially being outside in fresh air helps with oxygen intake."

So, whether it's a brisk walk outside, jumping jacks, or stretching, moving your body will help you when you sit back down (don't forget to reset the timer!)

Jessica also recommends brain healthy snacks, but that's a topic for a future story.

If you need help focusing for studies, or a critical project, check out the Pomodoro Technique, and Jessica's website for more details on her offerings. Beyond her wine studies coaching, Jessica also has an extensive Wellness practice through JWaughWellness, and is an inspiring resource for anyone curious to take charge of their wellbeing.

Wishing you all the success with your studies, projects, and staying the course during these most trying of times.