Latest news with #PomodoroTechnique
India Today
4 days ago
- Health
- India Today
6 Simple Steps To Improve Concentration
6 Simple Steps To Improve Concentration By Princy Shukla Distractions are everywhere, but concentration is a skill you can build. These 6 simple steps will help you sharpen your focus, boost productivity, and achieve more in less time. Choose a quiet space, silence notifications, and keep your work area tidy. A clear, interruption-free environment helps your brain stay in flow mode longer. 1. Create A Distraction-Free Zone Working on smaller, manageable parts prevents mental fatigue and keeps you motivated. Use short, focused sessions with breaks in between to maintain peak concentration. 2. Break Tasks Into Chunks Mindfulness exercises like deep breathing or short meditations train your brain to focus on the present moment, making it easier to ignore unnecessary thoughts. 3. Practise Mindfulness Daily Sleep well, eat balanced meals, and stay hydrated. Physical health directly impacts mental clarity and the ability to concentrate for longer periods. 4. Follow A Healthy Routine Focusing on one task at a time improves efficiency and reduces mistakes. Your brain performs best when it's not constantly switching between different activities. 5. Limit Multitasking Work in 25-minute focused bursts followed by short breaks. This method keeps your mind fresh and prevents burnout during long study or work sessions. 6. Use The Pomodoro Technique Improving concentration takes consistency, not complexity. By making these small changes part of your daily routine, you'll find it easier to stay focused and achieve your goals. Did you know readers have different brains? To know more, Click Here
India Today
5 days ago
- Health
- India Today
6 Science-Backed Ways To Beat Study Stress
6 Science-Backed Ways To Beat Study Stress By Radhika Hitkari Studying for 25-mins bursts with 5 mins breaks helps keep focus sharp. Pomodoro Technique Even 2 minutes of stretching or walking lowers stress hormones. Movement Breaks Slowly inhaling and exhaling activates your relaxation response. Deep Breathing Being at least 10 minutes outdoors helps boosts mood and reduces anxiety. Nature Exposure A few minutes of mindfulness can calm a racing mind. Mindful Mini-Meditations Stable blood sugar helps in better mood & focus. Hydration & Balanced Snacks
Fast Company
09-08-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
New research shows why remarkably productive people don't work nearly as hard (or as fast) as you might think
Extreme bursts of productivity are certainly eye-catching. But science shows why steady consistency wins nearly every business race. BY I'm a big fan of productivity bursts. Like choosing a task that will take 10 or 12 hours—a task you've long been putting off specifically because it will take 10 or 12 hours—and knocking it out in a single day. (Here are the eight steps to an incredibly productive day.) I'm also a big fan of using shorter bursts within a day. Generally speaking, a person can focus on any given task for only 90 to 120 minutes. After that, typically you need a 15- to 20-minute break to recharge and achieve high performance on your next task. (The Pomodoro Technique uses even shorter bursts: 25 minutes of work, five-minute break.) In so many words, productivity sprints are great. But they do not a work life make. Over the course of a month, much less a year, how much you get done on a consistent basis matters a lot more than what you can pull off for short bursts. For example, Stephen King, the best-selling author of nearly 70 books, doesn't write a book in three or four hard-core weeks. For decades, he wrote for five or six hours a day, shooting for 2,000 words a day. These days, he works for four hours with a goal of 1,000 words. (That pace is still more than most authors manage, and King is 77 years old.) For King—and for you—endurance matters more than speed. More to the point, durability matters more than speed. Top Speed Versus Sustained Pace Imagine you're a factory worker. You start the day full blast, producing 80 widgets the first hour. No other worker can match your speed; you're the Usain Bolt of piecework. But then you start to fade. You manage 75 widgets the next hour, 70 the next. By midafternoon you're down to 50. Over an eight-hour shift, you manage 505 widgets. The person next to you never managed to make more than 70 widgets in an hour, but because she kept that pace for her entire shift, she made 560 widgets. Sound a little too tortoise versus hare? Not really. As writer Brady Holmer notes in a recent Substack post, durability is not about how fast you can go when you're fresh. Durability is about how little you slow down when fatigued. Bolt may have been faster—at an absolute speed—than everyone else, but he also could have slowed down the least. That's especially true as race distances get longer. The 400-meter hurdle world record holder, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, may not be faster at top speed than everyone else. But she clearly slows down less over the course of a race. Why does that matter to you? Because your workday isn't a sprint. Your work year isn't a sprint. Work—your efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, output—is an endurance race. One where your ability to maintain a steady, consistent pace makes an exponentially greater difference than your ability (valuable though it may be) to occasionally crank out a chunk of work. The Big Three of Sustainable Output Let's extend the running analogy a bit more. Most runners focus on the primary factors of endurance performance: running economy, lactate threshold, and VO₂ max. Running economy is just what it sounds like: how efficiently your body uses energy to maintain a given pace. Biomechanics, coordination, strength, flexibility, and other factors all play a role. In work terms, less wasted effort, less unnecessary repetition, working smarter, not harder. (Although I'm a fan of working smarter as well as harder.) Lactate threshold is the highest intensity or pace at which your body can clear lactate from your blood as quickly as it's produced. Go past your threshold and lactate builds up, fatigue kicks in, and performance drops. VO₂ max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. The higher your VO₂ max, the more oxygen your muscles get, which in exercise terms means you can run, bike, swim, etc. faster and longer. Here's where it gets interesting. A new study published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that runners who maintained a steady pace for 90 minutes experienced a 3% drop in their VO₂ max, and a 7% drop after 120 minutes. Turns out VO₂ max isn't absolute; it changes with effort. So do other endurance factors. Work too hard for too long and your ability to keep performing at that level decreases—regardless of willpower, persistence, and determination. The cost on your body—and, in workplace terms, on your mind—of maintaining a fast early pace gets higher and higher until holding that pace becomes impossible. No matter how hard you try to keep grinding. That's takeaway No. 1: Your pace, over the course of a day or week or month or year, needs to be sustainable. No matter how fast the start, producing a steady 70 widgets an hour over an eight-hour shift beats a reverse hockey-stick 63 widgets an hour. But you can also ramp up your steady, sustainable pace. Self-imposed limits Working economy—how efficiently you perform certain tasks—is relatively easy to improve. (Here are 90 ways.) The less effort a task requires, the less hard you have to work, and as a result, the easier you can maintain a steady pace. Where improving productivity and overall output are concerned, streamlining and optimizing should always be the first steps. Then focus on your 'lactate threshold' and 'VO₂ max.' Unless a solid chunk of manual labor is involved, your job likely doesn't involve a high degree of physical fatigue. But every job involves mental fatigue. And every job feels like it has limits. You can only do so much until you can't do more. Except you can. The 40% Rule is a concept popularized by former Navy SEAL Dave Goggins through entrepreneur Jesse Itzler's 2016 book Living With a Seal: 31 Days Training With the Toughest Man on the Planet: When your mind tells you that you're exhausted, you're really only 40% done. You still have 60% left in your tank. In short, you have more in you than you think. When you're doing something difficult and think you need to stop, you have more in you. Most of our limits are self-imposed. Over time, we've set those limits for ourselves. They don't come close to lactate threshold, much less VO₂ max. That doesn't mean you need to squeeze out the remaining 60%. But you could try to eke out another 5%. The 40% Rule How long you'll stick with a challenge before giving up and moving on? That's not really a limit. How long you'll stare at a whiteboard, trying to think of a way past a problem, before giving up and moving on? That's not really a limit. How many calls you'll make, emails you'll send, proposals you'll create, follow-ups you'll make? Those limits only seem real. But they aren't real. They're just habits. Think of a time when fear helped you push past what you thought was a barrier. Think about a time when a huge incentive helped you push past what you thought was a barrier. Then, you could do more. Because it turns out your limit was only 40% of what you were truly capable of achieving. The next time you think you've reached your cold-call limit, make one more. The next time you think you've reached your employee development meeting limit, conduct one more. The next time you think you've reached your quality double-check limit, check one more order. Challenge yourself to see if you can endure just a little more. You'll find out you can. What's more, you'll realize that a limit you thought was absolute was only self-imposed—and that you can accomplish a lot more than you once thought possible. Over a really long period of time. Without burning out. — By Jeff Haden This article originally appeared on Fast Company 's sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. The early-rate deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is Friday, September 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maria Jose Gutierrez Chavez is the editorial fellow at Inc. and Fast Company. Before joining Mansueto Ventures, she interned at The Boston Globe, El Economista, and The Architect's Newspaper. More
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Burnt-out Pune techie now works just 4 hours a day. No phone, no distractions. What's the Pomodoro trick she swears by?
Is it really possible to finish 8 hours of work in just 4? For Pune-based techie Shrutika, the answer is a resounding yes — and all it took was a timer, some discipline, and the Pomodoro Technique . After struggling with burnout and endless work hours, Shrutika turned to a focused system that changed her daily life. She recently shared the full breakdown in an Instagram post that's now grabbing attention for all the right reasons. Physical timer To start, Shrutika ditched her phone and used a physical timer instead — a key part of avoiding digital distractions. Her desk was kept clear, her focus limited to a single task, and her phone was banished to another room. With just a notebook and water bottle at her side, she was ready to get to work. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Healthcare healthcare Public Policy Design Thinking Operations Management Management Data Science Project Management Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence others PGDM Leadership Others Digital Marketing MCA CXO Technology Data Analytics Finance MBA Data Science Product Management Degree Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details Pomodoro trick The core of her method? The 25-minute rule — also known as the Pomodoro Technique. Shrutika works in short, focused sprints of 25 minutes, giving her full attention to one high-priority task at a time. During these intervals, there are no messages, no emails, and no 'quick' calls. It's all about deep work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo 5-minute break Then comes the non-negotiable active 5-minute break. Shrutika recommends stepping outside for some sunlight, doing a few stretches or push-ups, and drinking water — but absolutely no doomscrolling. These breaks help reset the brain and keep energy levels steady. Why does the Pomodoro technique work? According to Shrutika, it's biology. She said that our brains aren't built for hours of uninterrupted focus — they max out around the 25-minute mark. Pushing beyond that is what leaves most people mentally drained by mid-afternoon. Her results? Pretty impressive: – A 200% jump in output – No more dragging through 10-hour workdays – Clearer decision-making – And best of all, a real work-life balance She also shared a few pro tips for anyone wanting to try it out: - Batching similar tasks together -Using breaks to move the body because sitting kills productivity - Tracking completed sessions (she aims for 6–8 a day) - After four sprints, take a longer break of 15–30 minutes What's a big no-no? Perhaps the most important rule of all — no using your phone as a timer. Shrutika insists that it's the fastest way to fall back into distraction mode. Who created the Pomodoro technique? As per information on his website, Francesco Cirillo is the creator of the globally popular Pomodoro Technique — a time-management method he developed as a university student trying to work smarter, not longer. Francesco has worked across startups, multinationals, and as a mentor to thousands of professionals, always focused on boosting productivity through smarter, more efficient systems.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
How to create a distraction-free study zone at home
Building a distraction-free environment isn't just a preference — it's a necessity. Research shows that even brief distractions (like phone pings or background noise) can break the flow of learning, forcing the brain to take up to 25 minutes to fully refocus. Creating a peaceful and focused study environment at home is one of the kindest gifts a child can receive. With distractions buzzing all around, from smartphones to TV noise to even the kitchen blender, it can be tough for a child to stay focused, especially during study hours. Many believe that simply assigning a desk and chair in a quiet room does the trick. But the truth is, there's a deeper science behind how kids concentrate, and it has more to do with their emotional comfort, sensory input, and daily habits than just silence. Here are some powerful ways to create a nurturing, distraction-free study zone at home. The study corner shouldn't always be a corner Corners often feel boxed in and can make a child feel isolated, especially if the walls are blank or dark. Instead, placing a desk near a well-lit window or in a softly active space (like the side of a living room during quiet hours) can help the child feel more connected and emotionally secure. When the surroundings feel alive but not loud, focus often improves organically. Sensory-friendly additions can work wonders Silence alone doesn't help every child concentrate. In fact, too much quiet can feel uncomfortable or even distracting for some. Soft background sounds like gentle instrumental music or nature sounds (water trickling, birds chirping) can actually soothe the brain and extend attention spans. Adding a small indoor plant, a calming aroma diffuser with lavender oil, or a soft-textured chair cushion can provide subtle sensory comfort. These micro elements help the child settle in emotionally, and emotional ease is the first step to mental focus. Declutter with a story, not a rule Simply ordering a child to 'clean the desk' doesn't always result in better focus. But weaving a reason behind the action often works like magic. One way that's seen good results is to give each study item a 'story', like calling the pencil box 'the tool kit,' or the lamp 'the thinking light.' It gives objects meaning and builds emotional connection, making kids more likely to keep them organised. When the space becomes a place of ownership rather than instruction, distractions naturally reduce. Use light and time together, not separately The body clock responds better when light exposure and schedule are synced. Having a study routine that aligns with natural light patterns, such as studying during the late morning or early evening hours with soft lighting, can greatly improve alertness. A dim yellow light in the evenings paired with short study sprints of 25 minutes, inspired by the Pomodoro Technique, makes the study experience feel calmer and less rigid. Build a 'pre-study ritual' rather than jumping in Transitioning from playtime or screen time straight into study mode creates mental friction and lowers retention. What truly helps is a 5-minute ritual that gently shifts the mood, like sipping warm water, arranging books in a certain order, or simply stretching arms towards the sky. These small but consistent actions prepare the brain to switch gears and bring clarity. It becomes less about discipline and more about rhythm. When this rhythm is built slowly, the mind becomes less likely to wander.
