It’s getting close to deadlines and all your friends are spending hours in the library but you’re not that kind of person. Keeping your attention on your work for hours on end is not something you can handle. Fear not- you can still ace those exams with a little help from an Italian tomato timer.
The Pomodoro (tomato in Italian) technique is the perfect way to tackle through exam prep for those with a short attention span. This technique involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and working with no distractions until the timer goes off. Simple! These short bursts of concentration are the perfect way to accomplish your study tasks.
First things first, make a list of all the tasks you want to get done that day. Grab a kitchen timer (preferably a tomato one) set it to 25 minutes and get working. The Pomodoro time management technique is the ideal way for students to revise. Once your 25 minutes are up, take a break of up to 5 minutes and then set the timer again for the next task. The recommended amount of work time is 4 Pomodoro’s (100 minutes) and then take a longer break between 15 to 20 minutes. Textbook amount of time for lunch or to stretch your legs.
X certainly marks the spot. By setting goals and achieving them within the time frame, your mind will be fresh and focused each time you mark a topic off your list. We all know that sense of achievement when we are able to cross something off our to-do lists. This study technique works in the same way. In somewhat like a competition with yourself, try and complete a task and engage in your studies before the timer goes off.
Pomodoro gets your mind working faster and with a less amount of mental fatigue. These short intervals allow you to concentrate for the right amount of time before your brain starts to wander. Getting work done has never been so easy! Let’s face it, 25 minutes is not a long time. Distractions like those Snapchat notifications, your mum ringing you to make sure you’re eating properly and your mates trying to get you to go for a drink are now easy to ignore. 25 minutes is more than enough time to concentrate before your mum rings the police because you didn’t answer her call. You can call her back in your 5-minute break and tell her how much you are succeeding with the Pomodoro study technique.