As a family history enthusiast, isn’t it so easy to get carried away as we travel up and down the branches of our family trees? Sometimes, that’s good because it can lead to serendipitous findings. Sometimes, however, it leads to HOURS of time lost, right? If you can relate, then this post is for you! I have been feeling super-productive this week as I have added more time-blocking into my schedule and I want to share with you the technique I’ve been using and 3 reasons why you may want to try it too!
The Pomodoro Technique: Think about a tomato. It’s round & red, right? In Italian, the word “Pomodoro” means tomato. The technique I use is called the Pomodoro technique because it was created based on a kitchen timer that is shaped like a tomato. In this approach, you establish a time interval (typically 25 minutes) to focus on your task of choice. When done, take a break and then start again. I am LOVING this! Here are 3 reasons you may love it too.
Reason #1: You Can Minimize Distractions – I’ve found that when using the Pomodoro technique, distractions seem to naturally go away. I tell my family – leave me be – I’m doing a couple of rounds of Pomodoro – LOL. I also avoid social media doom-scrolling, avoid going off to websites or databases that will not specifically help me with my task, and even avoid getting up from my chair. I stay super-focused on the task at hand because I know I have 25 minutes (or whatever time-interval you choose) to get it done. It’s amazing for concentration!
Reason #2: You Can Easily Track Your Accomplishments – When I finish a Pomodoro session, I like to write a quick note of what I’ve accomplished in that time period. If you do the same, you’ll find it easier to update your research log and/or track any other specific bit of progress you’ve made or accomplishment you’ve had. After several rounds of Pomodoros, over several days, over several weeks, and so on – you’ll have generated quite a list. Tracking what you’ve done at the end of each Pomodoro round helps you track your genealogy goals!
Reason #3: You Can Compete with Yourself & Have Fun – Do you like games? Doing Pomodoro lends itself to providing a way to compete with yourself. I find myself eager to see how many Pomodoros I can complete and finishing one gives me an instant rush of dopamine — if you like to check things off your list, you may find the experience to be the same. To help you have fun, there are tools & apps available for tracking Pomodoro with all kinds of features to help you not only be successful, but also keep you interested, engaged, and doing even more. Some apps even have a social benefit!
Access my partner video to this post in my Academy Video Zone library if you want to know the way I track Pomodoro while having fun. You will be amazed at how much you’ll be able to get done when you gamify the Pomodoro experience. 😲 Head on over and once you sign-up for access, look for the video titled “Having Fun With Pomodoro.”
Try it, watch the video, and let me know what you think? Being organized with your family history is not only about the research information, but also about how we organize our time. Using Pomodoro in your approach is an excellent efficiency hack!