Not the obvious thing to take to the office with you, is it?

 It is just not possible to have a discussion around time management techniques, without mentioning the Pomodoro Technique, which was created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980's. At that time, Cirillo was a university student in Rome, and he was searching for a way to improve his own study habits. The Pomodoro Technique is named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that was first used by Cirillo when he was developing his technique (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato).

By the 1990's, the Pomodoro Technique was being used by professional teams, and today Cirillo is an innovator in process-improvement techniques, a team mentor, public speaker and author. The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility. It offers to 'Eliminate the Anxiety of Time', and 'Enhance Focus and Concentration'. What is a little bit different about this technique as a way of being more productive, is that it recognises the importance of solid blocks of time working on a task, interspersed with regular breaks. I really love that. So, here it is, the Cirillo way.

 What you Need:

• A timer, eg. a Pomodoro timer.
• A sheet of paper, preferably lined.
• A pencil and eraser.

What you Do:

• Choose a task to be accomplished
• Set the timer to 25 minutes (this length of time is known as 'one Pomodoro')
• Work on the task until the timer rings
• Put a check on your sheet of paper
• Take a short break (about 5 minutes)
• Every 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break (about 15-20 minutes)

Successful use of the Pomodoro Technique is not, however, just a matter of waiting for the timer to ring. It is based on the achievement of incremental objectives, one at a time.

There are various Pomodoro Technique resources available on Francesco Cirillo's official website, www.pomodorotechnique.com, including official lined pages, and the official Pomodoro Technique book, both of which can be downloaded for free. You can also purchase your own tomato-shaped timer to help you along.

I, for one, have downloaded the book and am planning to read it, and I will blog about the method in greater detail - how about you?

This article was written by Valerie Redmond, co-founder of RWorks.com. I can be followed on twitter @rworker, or to get my blogs just go to the RWorks.com  'follow' page and 'like' RWorks on Facebook