When you need to focus right now to get a task done, review information you’re learning, or practice a specific skill, using a timer is an enormously successful focusing strategy.
Here’s how it works:
STEP 1: Choose one task or skill to work on.
STEP 2: Set a timer for a short amount of time, perhaps 5 or 10 minutes.
STEP 3: Think briefly about what you’re about to accomplish.
STEP 4: Turn on the timer – but make sure you can’t see it as the clock is running down.
STEP 5: Get to work!
This is officially called the Pomodoro Method (named after the tomato-shaped timers used in kitchens). I find that no one can remember that name, so I just call this the “Timer Method.” No matter what you call it, this method is miraculous.
I’m not sure if it’s the anticipation of waiting for the timer to go off, or the idea that you’re in a race against the clock, or if it’s just that you’ve allowed yourself to forget all other items on your to-do list and truly monotask, but having a timer going completely alters most people’s sense of urgency and focus. Having the timer on will push you to intense levels of focus and help you get the job done. True monotasking feels like a miracle because it’s so rare in our lives.
There’s a second aspect of the Timer Method that seems miraculous: Using a timer allows you to forget about the clock. While this is counter-intuitive, timers let you forget about time. You’ve transferred your usual feelings of responsibility around time to the timer itself. You are now free to get your work done instead of giving in to the usual temptation of looking up at a clock to see how long you’ve been working on something.
Every time you check the clock, you get out of your focused zone. With the timer, you can forget all about time and intensely focus on the matter at hand. When the timer goes off, you’re done with this item for today.
Give the Timer Method a try. Here are two other pointers for the Timer Method: (1) It is effective even for extremely short bursts of focused time, like 1 or 2 minutes. (2) Never set the timer for more than 20 minutes. Your brain won’t truly focus on one thing for more than about 17 minutes.
