Ever feel like no matter how many new tools you have to save time, you just get busier and busier?

Hi Keeley

As you know, I’m pretty strict with my online use. I don’t use Instagram, Facebook, or any of the other junky social media. You’ll find me on LinkedIn chatting business, but I’m fiercely protective over my time. 

I’ve been in business for over 30 years, and you don’t get to see significant growth and success if you can’t focus and be productive. Yet, despite all my age-old experience, I’m still human, and still find myself struggling with overwhelm, procrastination and lack of productivity. 

A few days ago, I sat on a Zoom call with a couple of super-smart business owners (the ones I’m partnering with to launch my Peer to Peer Network, KPI (KPI – Key Peer Insight ) and I thought I’d see if they had any useful suggestions. You see, it doesn’t matter how old, smart or long-in-the-tooth you are, you can always learn something from your peers! 

So I asked the question, “What do you guys do to help with focus and productivity and avoid procrastination?”  Now, I have to say I was a little surprised when both of them gave the same answer… “Chadd, I use the Pomodoro Technique.” I was intrigued. So I did what I always do and I turned to YouTube to do a bit of research.

Invented by a chap named Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro (which means Tomato in Italian) Technique is said to help increase focus, improve concentration and boost productivity. The idea came to him while he was at university and struggling to study effectively. While pondering on how he could do it better, his eyes fell upon a kitchen timer on the worktop.  Now, this particular kitchen timer was shaped like a tomato…hence the name, The Pomodoro technique. The process is simple. You do 25 minutes of totally focused, distraction-free work, followed by a 5-minute rest break. You can get up, walk around, make a cup of tea, scroll your Instagram…  Then, when the 5 minutes is up, you return again for another 25 minutes of focused work. 

Does it really help? I have to say, for me it has. I’m feeling less burnt out, more focused, and I’m getting more done without feeling pulled in 70 million different directions at once. The studies seem to agree too. Research has shown that the Pomodoro technique can help increase your focus, boost your concentration, and improve productivity when it’s done right. So, if you’re a busy business owner, and you’d like to get more done with less stress, I’d recommend you give the Pomodoro Technique a try. No tomatoes required. 

And if you’ve got any super-smart time management or productivity tricks up your sleeves, I’d love to hear about them! Hit reply and share your secrets.

Chadd