Creating Structure with Pomodoros

One of the best things you can do in times like this is to create and maintain some kind of structure. Being confined to our homes, though it’s difficult in many ways, it also gives us new opportunities and more time to get things done. Without commuting, impromptu meetings, running errands and the other things that distract us from the main actions that will help us to achieve our goals-we have more solid time to get things done.

If you think of your day in 25 minute work blocks followed by a five minute break, aka “pomodoros” … here’s a suggested way to look at your time and create a structure you can use while you’re stuck at home and beyond.

Imagine your entire day in Pomodoros.  Assuming you sleep 8 hours a day, that still leaves you with 16 hours or 32 Pomodoro‘s per day… That’s a lot! Even when you deduct eight hours or 16 Pomodoro‘s for work, it’s still leaves you another 16 Pomodoro’s every day. Think of them as spending money, or poker chips.

We have at least 16 free Pomodoros a day, five days a week that means you have 80 Pomodoros a week to schedule family time, exercise, checking in with friends, learning a new language, organizing your office, reading a book, pursuing a new interest or investment and so many other activities that your usually too busy or distracted to focus on … plus weekends!

Plan out your week on Sunday afternoons or Monday morning by looking at all of your categories or pillars of things that matter in your life and create at least one Pomodoro for each of them for the week.