The Pomodoro Technique: A Powerful Solution for Anxiety and Procrastination

Hey, everyone. I'm Kristen, the anxiety therapist. And today I want to share with you a technique called the Pomodoro Technique. And I think in our fast-paced world, you know, it's really easy to get overwhelmed by our ever-growing to-do list. And there never seems to be an end in sight. And, you know, a lot of times this elicits a feeling of anxiety that's coupled with the tendency to procrastinate. And this can really be a hindrance to our productivity and leave us feeling pretty stuck.

But there is a technique that can help you kind of overcome these challenges and feel like you have a sense of control over your tasks. And that is the POMODORO TECHNIQUE, and it's basically a time management method that boosts productivity but also alleviates anxiety.

What is The Pomodoro Technique?

And it was first developed by Francisco Cillo in the late 1980s. And it's a pretty simple technique, but still highly effective in terms of time management.

So the main idea behind it is that you want to break your work into manageable intervals, usually lasting about 25 minutes long. So each of these 25-minute stints is called a Pomodoro. And then each Pomodoro is followed by a short break of about five minutes. And then after you go through a set of four Pomodoros, then you get a more extended break of 15 to 30 minutes.

How It Helps Procrastination

So, the way this helps with procrastination is that you know, procrastination often comes from a feeling of being overwhelmed by the magnitude of a task. And so the Pomodoro technique tackles this head-on by breaking the task into smaller, more manageable pieces. And so when you're focusing on a single Pomodoro at a time, then you sort of eliminate that sense of being overwhelmed, you replace it with a sense of accomplishment after each completed segment or completed Pomodoro. And it just really helps you stay on track and allows you to focus on one thing at a time, to be very intentional about what you're working on, and really minimizes the temptation to put off tasks indefinitely.

It can also help with increasing focus. So I know a lot of us can struggle with maintaining focus, especially when we have so many distractions like our phones or if we're at the office with colleagues or whatnot. But the Pomodoro technique helps you sort of channel your attention by providing that structured time frame for that concentrated work. So by committing to those 25-minute intervals of undivided attention and working on a specific task during those intervals, you sort of create a sense of urgency that boosts productivity. And then when you do this more regularly, you find yourself really fully immersed in the task during each Pomodoro. And that just allows us to be more efficient and enhances the quality of our work.

How It Helps Anxiety

And then finally, in terms of alleviating anxiety, you know, anxiety often comes from the overwhelming thought of having too much to do and not enough time to do it. And so what the Pomodoro technique does is it instills a sense of structure and control by breaking these tasks into those manageable intervals. So then we sort of have a clear roadmap for our work and this clear structure, something concrete to rely on, really helps to reduce anxiety and promotes that sense of accomplishment when you complete each Pomodoro. And then the short breaks in between act as sort of a refresher and allow you to recharge, refocus, alleviate any built-up stress, and things like that.

So basically, in terms of implementing the Pomodoro technique, it's pretty straightforward and adaptable to whatever your specific needs are.

So you want to start by identifying the task, you know, something that a task or a project that requires your attention, set a timer for 25 minutes, signaling the start of the Pomodoro. Work diligently and focus solely on the task at hand until the timer goes off, avoiding any distractions. Then take a short break when the timer goes off and just relax and recharge. Then repeat this and track your progress.

Again, you want to repeat this cycle, completing four Pomodoros, and then take a little bit of a longer break like 15 to 30 minutes after the fourth one. And be sure to keep track of your completed Pomodoros to monitor your progress.

So hopefully, you found this helpful and that this can assist with getting started. I think a lot of times the hardest thing for us is to just get started on something. But once we get going, usually it feels a lot easier. And then when we have this structured approach, then that anxiety and that procrastination can be managed and doesn't feel quite as overwhelming.

Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. And if you want more information about me and the work that I do or feel like you might need some one-on-one help, my website is Cathartic Space Counseling dot com. And I will see you guys next week.