Pomodoro doesn't help
July 10, 2022 6:17 AM Subscribe
The Pomodoro method doesn't really work for me. What else can I try?
Whenever I get a big task at work, I struggle to focus and get things done. I'm fine with lots of small, mini tasks being thrown my way -- in fact, I enjoy it, I'll get into a flow and the day will fly by.
But I often need to work on longer tasks that involve writing and summarising a lot of information from all sorts of different sources, and I get overwhelmed.
I've tried Pomodoro but I'll just sort of blankly stare at the screen for the 25 minutes, maybe add a full stop, delete a comma, underline something, panic a bit, and not actually get anything done. Same will happen in the 2nd Pomodoro then I'll eventually just sort of give up.
I think what I probably need to is turn the big overwhelming task into lots of mini tasks, but I even struggle with that. For example, I might decide to write the intro, then section A, section B, section C. But even "write the intro" feels like too big of a task.
Would be very grateful for any tips.
Whenever I get a big task at work, I struggle to focus and get things done. I'm fine with lots of small, mini tasks being thrown my way -- in fact, I enjoy it, I'll get into a flow and the day will fly by.
But I often need to work on longer tasks that involve writing and summarising a lot of information from all sorts of different sources, and I get overwhelmed.
I've tried Pomodoro but I'll just sort of blankly stare at the screen for the 25 minutes, maybe add a full stop, delete a comma, underline something, panic a bit, and not actually get anything done. Same will happen in the 2nd Pomodoro then I'll eventually just sort of give up.
I think what I probably need to is turn the big overwhelming task into lots of mini tasks, but I even struggle with that. For example, I might decide to write the intro, then section A, section B, section C. But even "write the intro" feels like too big of a task.
Would be very grateful for any tips.
I don’t have any deep general advice that goes much beyond what you’ve figured out (break it into small tasks), but one thing I can tell you as someone who has both written a lot of intros and also worked with students writing many intros, is that in my experience writing the intro first is a recipe for pain, and even if you can do it you will need to rewrite it. So the larger point is something like, order of the small tasks matters a lot, and doesn’t need to match the final product. What it should be is pretty situational so I won’t try to generalize further.
posted by advil at 6:44 AM on July 10, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by advil at 6:44 AM on July 10, 2022 [7 favorites]
Maybe body doubling could work for you. This can be done virtually and has many varieties. Mostly it helps me because I feel like I am accountable to the other person to have at least accomplished something even if I’m not sharing what I have written.
Stating the intention at the start of each time block like
“I will write two bad paragraphs about why we should source a better replacement for this widget piece we can no longer get from the whatzit folks” or “I will spend 15 minutes reading this article about teapot standard changes in the newest legislation and make two notes about what I have learned”
posted by bilabial at 6:51 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Stating the intention at the start of each time block like
“I will write two bad paragraphs about why we should source a better replacement for this widget piece we can no longer get from the whatzit folks” or “I will spend 15 minutes reading this article about teapot standard changes in the newest legislation and make two notes about what I have learned”
posted by bilabial at 6:51 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm a huge fan of the Pomodoro technique, but for me it only works if I've broken down my big task into little tasks. Otherwise I end up in the same place you are, just staring at the screen and wondering what to do.
I don't start using the Pomodoro technique until I've done all the heavy lifting of breaking down the tasks and deciding on the work. Once all that's done I use my timer sessions to help me focus without distractions while I'm doing the actual work. I've tried to use the timer to do the task breakdown, but to me this has to be unstructured time to allow me to brainstorm without any constraints.
I'm not sure how to tell you a sure fire method for breaking down tasks, but for things like a report or paper for school I would usually break things down like:
- Note requirements (APA style, citation style, how to name paper, etc.)
- Create outline
- Make notes in each section about what to include - for example, "...make sure to add info about how X did Y to Z in this section..."
You can make the outline as granular as you want. I know I've outlined my intros into separate sections, especially for research projects. So if you're looking at "Create intro" and freezing, break it down further. What sections need to be in the intro? List those, and go down them one by one. I just took a look at my big research project for grad school, and I see that I broke down my Intro into:
- Overview
- Problem to be solved
- Research questions
- Intro to lit review
The same goes for each section. Depending on your field, there may be requirements for how to structure the various sections. Add those to your outline:
Section name
- Need to
- Cover this stuff
- In this order
Then start working down each section, using the Pomodoro timer. I will note that some sections are easier than others, so I don't make it a requirement to go A, B, C...,etc. If starting with C gets words on the page, then good. What matters is that I'm getting words on the page.
Here is something to keep in mind: the perfect is the enemy of the done. It's OK to get half way through breaking down your big task into smaller tasks only to realize that you should have done X here, instead of Y there. So put X and Y where they belong, and keep going.
Basically, the sole purpose of the timer is to keep you from getting off track. When I hear my timer ticking, and I have to use one that audibly ticks, I know that I'm in work mode. That makes it easier for me to resist the temptation of just checking that one thing online....and two hours later I haven't gotten anything done.
posted by ralan at 6:55 AM on July 10, 2022 [6 favorites]
I don't start using the Pomodoro technique until I've done all the heavy lifting of breaking down the tasks and deciding on the work. Once all that's done I use my timer sessions to help me focus without distractions while I'm doing the actual work. I've tried to use the timer to do the task breakdown, but to me this has to be unstructured time to allow me to brainstorm without any constraints.
I'm not sure how to tell you a sure fire method for breaking down tasks, but for things like a report or paper for school I would usually break things down like:
- Note requirements (APA style, citation style, how to name paper, etc.)
- Create outline
- Make notes in each section about what to include - for example, "...make sure to add info about how X did Y to Z in this section..."
You can make the outline as granular as you want. I know I've outlined my intros into separate sections, especially for research projects. So if you're looking at "Create intro" and freezing, break it down further. What sections need to be in the intro? List those, and go down them one by one. I just took a look at my big research project for grad school, and I see that I broke down my Intro into:
- Overview
- Problem to be solved
- Research questions
- Intro to lit review
The same goes for each section. Depending on your field, there may be requirements for how to structure the various sections. Add those to your outline:
Section name
- Need to
- Cover this stuff
- In this order
Then start working down each section, using the Pomodoro timer. I will note that some sections are easier than others, so I don't make it a requirement to go A, B, C...,etc. If starting with C gets words on the page, then good. What matters is that I'm getting words on the page.
Here is something to keep in mind: the perfect is the enemy of the done. It's OK to get half way through breaking down your big task into smaller tasks only to realize that you should have done X here, instead of Y there. So put X and Y where they belong, and keep going.
Basically, the sole purpose of the timer is to keep you from getting off track. When I hear my timer ticking, and I have to use one that audibly ticks, I know that I'm in work mode. That makes it easier for me to resist the temptation of just checking that one thing online....and two hours later I haven't gotten anything done.
posted by ralan at 6:55 AM on July 10, 2022 [6 favorites]
I have a couple of thoughts about what to do when "write the intro" feels like too big a task. (I do agree with advil that it's often unwise to write the intro first - I'm just using that as an example).
First of all, break that down more. What does the intro need to do? For example, it might be things like "tell the audience what you're talking about," "tell the audience why that topic is important," "situate your take on that topic in terms of what other people have written on this same topic," "tell your audience about what new information or ideas you have about that topic."
So now you've at least got a more specific list of things you need to do, and if you're stuck on one of them, it might at least be easier to figure out why you're stuck.
Secondly, do not worry about writing badly as long as your paragraphs are doing what they need to do. (At least in your first draft). Some people find it easier to write as if they were trying to explain their paper topic to a friend - and then make the language more precise and more formal in the second draft.
Third, remember that things like brainstorming, strategizing, and outlining are important parts of the writing process that might need to go before "writing" in your list of tasks.
So maybe instead of "write the intro," "write section A," "write section B," "write section C," your task list should look more like:
- brainstorm ideas for the paper as a whole
- make a preliminary outline for the paper
- outline important bullet points for section A, section B, section C
- gather outside sources of information for section A - review, take notes
- do a very rough draft of section A
...and so on.
I think it's worth reading David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" if you haven't read it - but one of the points he makes is that we often don't break things down enough. We'll put "clean the garage" on the to-do list but when you actually start to clean the garage you remember that the old washing machine that doesn't work any more is cluttering up the garage, and you need to call someone to haul it to the dump. Writing, too, has those "I have to call someone to haul that to the dump" moments, and for me they're usually where I either haven't done enough research, or don't know enough about what I want to accomplish with a specific paragraph or section (or with the paper as a whole). I can't always do more planning and research in advance - so sometimes I have to stop writing in the middle of a project to take a "what am I really trying to accomplish?" break.
posted by Jeanne at 7:08 AM on July 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
First of all, break that down more. What does the intro need to do? For example, it might be things like "tell the audience what you're talking about," "tell the audience why that topic is important," "situate your take on that topic in terms of what other people have written on this same topic," "tell your audience about what new information or ideas you have about that topic."
So now you've at least got a more specific list of things you need to do, and if you're stuck on one of them, it might at least be easier to figure out why you're stuck.
Secondly, do not worry about writing badly as long as your paragraphs are doing what they need to do. (At least in your first draft). Some people find it easier to write as if they were trying to explain their paper topic to a friend - and then make the language more precise and more formal in the second draft.
Third, remember that things like brainstorming, strategizing, and outlining are important parts of the writing process that might need to go before "writing" in your list of tasks.
So maybe instead of "write the intro," "write section A," "write section B," "write section C," your task list should look more like:
- brainstorm ideas for the paper as a whole
- make a preliminary outline for the paper
- outline important bullet points for section A, section B, section C
- gather outside sources of information for section A - review, take notes
- do a very rough draft of section A
...and so on.
I think it's worth reading David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" if you haven't read it - but one of the points he makes is that we often don't break things down enough. We'll put "clean the garage" on the to-do list but when you actually start to clean the garage you remember that the old washing machine that doesn't work any more is cluttering up the garage, and you need to call someone to haul it to the dump. Writing, too, has those "I have to call someone to haul that to the dump" moments, and for me they're usually where I either haven't done enough research, or don't know enough about what I want to accomplish with a specific paragraph or section (or with the paper as a whole). I can't always do more planning and research in advance - so sometimes I have to stop writing in the middle of a project to take a "what am I really trying to accomplish?" break.
posted by Jeanne at 7:08 AM on July 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
Following up on bilabial's suggestion to try body doubling -- I use the FocusMate website for this, and find it extraordinarily helpful. (I think it's free for a limited number of sessions a day, then $5/month.)
I tell a real, live, human being what I will try to accomplish in the next 25 minutes, and at the end, I tell them what I actually got done. The accountability helps, as does the prompt to break work down into manageable chunks.
In addition to FocusMate, I'll set up doubling sessions with friends, which is also a delight. However, it requires some discipline to say "enough chit-chat, get back to work".
posted by Metasyntactic at 7:13 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
I tell a real, live, human being what I will try to accomplish in the next 25 minutes, and at the end, I tell them what I actually got done. The accountability helps, as does the prompt to break work down into manageable chunks.
In addition to FocusMate, I'll set up doubling sessions with friends, which is also a delight. However, it requires some discipline to say "enough chit-chat, get back to work".
posted by Metasyntactic at 7:13 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have a different question back for you.
Do you find you have this same difficulty writing anything? Or is it just these specific items?
I ask because I have a funny feeling that your issue isn't one of time management after all. Time management plans like Pomodoro are good for more concrete, practical tasks - building a birdhouse, cleaning the bathroom - because each of the steps in the process for that task are pretty....straightforward. You pick out the wood, you measure and cut the wood, you attach pieces of wood to each other. Maybe you paint or varnish the results.
But for writing....some of those tasks are practical, like "assemble your source material" or "check your draft for spelling". But some....aren't. You can put "sit down in front of your computer to write", but if your brain ain't playing that day, it ain't playing. So you're sitting there staring at the wall.
This is the way it is for people who write for a living too, by the way. You have moments where you're like "yes I know exactly what I'm going to say" and moments where you're all "uh...words? Buh?" and you can't think of anything and after an hour of frustration you decide to stop and come back later. It's just the nature of the beast. And it's also why I don't think the Pomodoro technique would be helpful here.
And that's why I was asking how you are with writing overall. If you struggle with writing anything, then...maybe writing isn't something that's in your professional skillset, and that's fine. If its just writing these things that's tricky, maybe it's time to examine why - maybe it's worth a talk with your boss to ask him what he wants to see in these. (Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and your boss will be all "your summaries have been great, but they're actually more than we need, so you can totally scale back").
But I have a feeling that the problem isn't the Pomodoro technique as such and it may be worth thinking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:19 AM on July 10, 2022 [4 favorites]
Do you find you have this same difficulty writing anything? Or is it just these specific items?
I ask because I have a funny feeling that your issue isn't one of time management after all. Time management plans like Pomodoro are good for more concrete, practical tasks - building a birdhouse, cleaning the bathroom - because each of the steps in the process for that task are pretty....straightforward. You pick out the wood, you measure and cut the wood, you attach pieces of wood to each other. Maybe you paint or varnish the results.
But for writing....some of those tasks are practical, like "assemble your source material" or "check your draft for spelling". But some....aren't. You can put "sit down in front of your computer to write", but if your brain ain't playing that day, it ain't playing. So you're sitting there staring at the wall.
This is the way it is for people who write for a living too, by the way. You have moments where you're like "yes I know exactly what I'm going to say" and moments where you're all "uh...words? Buh?" and you can't think of anything and after an hour of frustration you decide to stop and come back later. It's just the nature of the beast. And it's also why I don't think the Pomodoro technique would be helpful here.
And that's why I was asking how you are with writing overall. If you struggle with writing anything, then...maybe writing isn't something that's in your professional skillset, and that's fine. If its just writing these things that's tricky, maybe it's time to examine why - maybe it's worth a talk with your boss to ask him what he wants to see in these. (Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and your boss will be all "your summaries have been great, but they're actually more than we need, so you can totally scale back").
But I have a feeling that the problem isn't the Pomodoro technique as such and it may be worth thinking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:19 AM on July 10, 2022 [4 favorites]
(Not specific to writing) If you ever find yourself just kind of blankly staring during a pomodoro, don't let yourself stare blankly for 25 minutes. Five minutes of blank staring, and you have a new task: figure out what's going wrong. I turn off my screen and write longhand on paper for this - I do think it's helpful to switch away from your current task completely.
Just try to answer:
What would help me get started on this?
Is there a thorny problem that's making it hard for me to get started?
Is there more prep work that I need to do?
Is there emotional stuff going on that I need to deal with?
Is there a completely different angle I can take that might shake a few things loose?
posted by Jeanne at 7:24 AM on July 10, 2022 [15 favorites]
Just try to answer:
What would help me get started on this?
Is there a thorny problem that's making it hard for me to get started?
Is there more prep work that I need to do?
Is there emotional stuff going on that I need to deal with?
Is there a completely different angle I can take that might shake a few things loose?
posted by Jeanne at 7:24 AM on July 10, 2022 [15 favorites]
Not being to get started / staring during a pomodoro is what led me to get perscribed Adderall. After taking it a few weeks I "knew the feeling" it gave me and I can take caffiene etc instead without the side effects.
posted by bbqturtle at 7:45 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by bbqturtle at 7:45 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Writing a document like this is a series of mini-tasks, and you may have more luck doing the tasks out of order.
1) Start with a section summarizing the entire document, though you may not need this wrap-up element in the final doc
2) Then work on sections A, B, C in the order of ease: if you have most of "B" worked out, write that, and set it aside
3) Move on to the next-easiest section
4) Write the introduction last, after you've worked out the other bits
5) Rearrange your sections, and review: do the intro & the sections tie out to your closer?
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:18 AM on July 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
1) Start with a section summarizing the entire document, though you may not need this wrap-up element in the final doc
2) Then work on sections A, B, C in the order of ease: if you have most of "B" worked out, write that, and set it aside
3) Move on to the next-easiest section
4) Write the introduction last, after you've worked out the other bits
5) Rearrange your sections, and review: do the intro & the sections tie out to your closer?
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:18 AM on July 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some really great advice here.
So for years, my job was to coordinate and create content for multi-volume proposals, often for topics I had to master along the way. My best advice for this kind of thing is to try to REPURPOSE documentation whenever you can instead of starting fresh because editing is easy but starting from scratch is exhausting and horrible. This doesn't always work for every section, but for me, blocking in bulky and rough content and then focusing my energy on on a clean, thoughtful revision set tends to make things go so much faster.
Because you'll have a general idea of what the end product will look like, using a reference document can help you create quick, approachable pomodoro tasks: You'll see your example report and go, hey, I'll need a cover, a TOC, a section for each topic, an index, a contact sheet. And each section needs an introduction, a description of each X, a Q&A, a list of upcoming Y, and a map. Or whatever. It helps to keep a running list of tasks next to your computer. I like to write these out by hand.
When I got stuck, I'd do something mundane like a walk or a shower and let my subconscious take over. By the time I was done, I was clear enough to do the next set of tasks.
posted by mochapickle at 9:48 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
So for years, my job was to coordinate and create content for multi-volume proposals, often for topics I had to master along the way. My best advice for this kind of thing is to try to REPURPOSE documentation whenever you can instead of starting fresh because editing is easy but starting from scratch is exhausting and horrible. This doesn't always work for every section, but for me, blocking in bulky and rough content and then focusing my energy on on a clean, thoughtful revision set tends to make things go so much faster.
Because you'll have a general idea of what the end product will look like, using a reference document can help you create quick, approachable pomodoro tasks: You'll see your example report and go, hey, I'll need a cover, a TOC, a section for each topic, an index, a contact sheet. And each section needs an introduction, a description of each X, a Q&A, a list of upcoming Y, and a map. Or whatever. It helps to keep a running list of tasks next to your computer. I like to write these out by hand.
When I got stuck, I'd do something mundane like a walk or a shower and let my subconscious take over. By the time I was done, I was clear enough to do the next set of tasks.
posted by mochapickle at 9:48 AM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I use Pomodoro, and also find I sometimes need to switch it to stopwatch mode - it basically just tracks how long you've been working. I'll usually tell myself: you need to work for at least an hour, and then you can turn it off and take a break. But then sometimes, if I'm in a groove, I'll end up working for hours, and that's fine obviously.
posted by coffeecat at 10:18 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by coffeecat at 10:18 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
When I’m stuck like that, I free write for 10-15 minutes. Just whatever comes to mind, griping about this stupid project, how I’m feeling. It usually shakes something loose so I can see a not-obvious barrier to just doing the thing that I couldn’t articulate before. Going for a walk can work, too.
posted by momus_window at 10:25 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by momus_window at 10:25 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
There’s a problem-solving heuristic I like from a mid century mathematician Polya - the language strikes some people as opaque and some people as resonant, so. It might be useful in the making-smaller-steps stage.
What do we know? What do we not know? What conditions do we need to meet?
posted by clew at 10:37 AM on July 10, 2022 [4 favorites]
What do we know? What do we not know? What conditions do we need to meet?
posted by clew at 10:37 AM on July 10, 2022 [4 favorites]
It’s so hard! For me, it’s simplicity that helps the most. I bought myself a Time Timer (a visual timer) and I’ll set it for small chunks of time when I need to really get something done. I got the “mod” version. It’s cute and incredibly useful. I love not having to open my phone to set a timer. This feels much more analog and I love that. I hope you find a solution!
posted by sucre at 11:19 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by sucre at 11:19 AM on July 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
Pomodoro is just one weapon against procrastination. What we need is an entire arsenal:
How to End Procrastination (the Poster).
And if that doesn't work, bring on the heavy guns of mindfulness.
posted by storybored at 2:51 PM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
How to End Procrastination (the Poster).
And if that doesn't work, bring on the heavy guns of mindfulness.
posted by storybored at 2:51 PM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I don't expect myself to concentrate for more than 3 minutes at a time, and I have a lovely timer cube which I place 3 minute side up at the same time as I reach for the piece of work I'm starting on, and I can normally force myself to concentrate through to the end of that 3 minutes. Then rest, and start again whenever that happens. Full 30 minute pomodoros are also not really for me.
posted by ambrosen at 3:47 PM on July 10, 2022
posted by ambrosen at 3:47 PM on July 10, 2022
You can try a reverse Pomodoro: Every half hour you work on the task for five minutes, or even for just two minutes if five minutes is too long. If you can't stay immersed in it for a whole twenty five minutes, but can throw yourself into it for a few moments before petering out this may work.
Another thing that may work is to alternate five minutes of work on the task with five minutes of work on something else, or alternate it with five minutes of physical exercise.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:50 PM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Another thing that may work is to alternate five minutes of work on the task with five minutes of work on something else, or alternate it with five minutes of physical exercise.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:50 PM on July 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have ADD, and this sounds like it could be a combo of ADD and writer's block. I solve writer's block by writing a bunch of stuff even if it's only halfway relevant and I think it's trash. Oddly enough that sometimes works for ADD too, because I'll become captivated by the process and just rip into it with hyperfocus.
Someone else mentioned body-doubling which works great for me for things I hate like organizing, but I have no idea how this would be implemented at work, unless it's ok in your work culture to be on discord or something similar and that's acceptable.
FWIW I've tried Pomodoro again and again and it does not work for me at all. If I do get into something it breaks up my flow and if I can't, I literally cannot keep my brain on it. The only thing that solves this with any real regularity for me is medication and I hate being dependent on ADD meds. (for one thing, I've been unable to get them continued once I moved to another state--I've called a dozen places and none of them that see ADD patients will see Medicare patients).
My other suggestion is to pace. It sounds weird, but if you can pace or walk (if you're in a big building complex for example) while you read or dictate your summaries out loud to your phone that sometimes keeps me focused enough to do something I hate. A small jolt of caffeine sometimes helps.
posted by liminal_shadows at 9:11 PM on July 10, 2022
Someone else mentioned body-doubling which works great for me for things I hate like organizing, but I have no idea how this would be implemented at work, unless it's ok in your work culture to be on discord or something similar and that's acceptable.
FWIW I've tried Pomodoro again and again and it does not work for me at all. If I do get into something it breaks up my flow and if I can't, I literally cannot keep my brain on it. The only thing that solves this with any real regularity for me is medication and I hate being dependent on ADD meds. (for one thing, I've been unable to get them continued once I moved to another state--I've called a dozen places and none of them that see ADD patients will see Medicare patients).
My other suggestion is to pace. It sounds weird, but if you can pace or walk (if you're in a big building complex for example) while you read or dictate your summaries out loud to your phone that sometimes keeps me focused enough to do something I hate. A small jolt of caffeine sometimes helps.
posted by liminal_shadows at 9:11 PM on July 10, 2022
What helps me is micropomodoros - what can I do in FIVE minutes? or TWO minutes?
Maybe your tasks for the first pomodoro of the project would be:
- write down all the steps you'll take on the project, making each one as small as possible
- now take those tasks and, if any of them would take longer than five minutes, break it down into 3-5 minute tasks
- now from that list, pick three things you might be able to knock out during your NEXT pomodoro
- still got a few minutes left in this current pomodoro? go ahead and do ONE five-minute task
If a step is daunting, it's too big or too non-specific. It'll take some practice, but try working toward a rhythm in which everything on your list is small enough to be done in five (or three, or two) minutes.
It doesn't work for me all the time, but it sure helps.
posted by kristi at 3:59 PM on July 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Maybe your tasks for the first pomodoro of the project would be:
- write down all the steps you'll take on the project, making each one as small as possible
- now take those tasks and, if any of them would take longer than five minutes, break it down into 3-5 minute tasks
- now from that list, pick three things you might be able to knock out during your NEXT pomodoro
- still got a few minutes left in this current pomodoro? go ahead and do ONE five-minute task
If a step is daunting, it's too big or too non-specific. It'll take some practice, but try working toward a rhythm in which everything on your list is small enough to be done in five (or three, or two) minutes.
It doesn't work for me all the time, but it sure helps.
posted by kristi at 3:59 PM on July 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
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I often spend the first Pom identifying what discrete tasks are that I can chip away at. E.g., create outline, add info and citations from sources as bullets, tidy references, write a paragraph off of outline, etc. Then I pick one of those from the list for the next Pom.
posted by jilloftrades at 6:30 AM on July 10, 2022 [11 favorites]