One of the common questions many of our clients at 411Writers often ask us is: How do you guys manage to complete orders in such a short time? No, we don’t have hidden writers in the attic, we have a couple of writing techniques up our sleeves that help us improve our focus. Yes, in digital copywriting, it’s not about manpower, but brainpower. The Pomodoro Technique is one of our secrets for increased productivity, which is why we manage to provide the blog writing services that we do.
In the spirit of sharing and caring, I’ve decided to share my know-how on using this technique to improve both your writing and many other aspects of your work, including your focus. Hop in!
What Is the Pomodoro Technique
The secret sauce many people still don’t know about
The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo. It is a time management method that helps to improve your focus and productivity within a limited timeframe. So, instead of struggling with minutes and hours, you get to work within the time you have.
Here is how it works:
Stage 1: Work for 25 minutes without stops and interruptions
Stage 2: Take a 5-minute break
Stage 3: Repeat four times and then take a 20-minute break
Each 25-minute slot is called a Pomodoro. After you make a series of 4 Pomodoros, your brain will need more than a short break to recover, so feel free to take a longer one (but not too long!).
Why It’s Efficient
TL;DR: Because it makes tough tasks more manageable
The reason why the Pomodoro Technique is so efficient for content writers, digital marketers, students, freelancers, and overall people who seek better time management and task organization is really simple. The process itself prepares your brain:
- Firstly, you need to pick a task. It could be something on your to-do list or a project you’ve been trying to tackle. Either way, that’s where it all starts.
- Minimize most, if not all, distractions. Close all tabs that aren’t related to the task at hand. That includes emails, social media, games, podcasts, anything. Shut the door if you have to and put your phone on silent.
- Get your timer ready. It’s best if you don’t use your phone’s timer, but if you don’t have a separate device, the phone will have to do. Prep your laptop, notebook, and other things you will need and press Start.
- When the 25-minute countdown ends, take a break. Make yourself a coffee, stretch your legs, grab a snack, check your social media, whatever helps you. For me, it’s going to my balcony (yay for home office), slurping some tea or coffee, and stalking my nearby neighbors.
- Repeat it all over again. Our brains work best when there’s a routine, which means repetitive action. As time goes by, you’ll see, it’s much easier to get into a productive mindset.
How to Use The Pomodoro Technique In Your Writing
The exciting part
The beautiful thing about the Pomodoro Technique is that it helps you get a clear cut method for completing the different steps of a writing task.
Here’s an example of how to break down your writing project into 4 separate sections where you can dedicate a Pomodoro to each:
- Idea generation & frantic writing: Use the first 25-minute chunk to get all your thoughts out. Write down everything that comes to your mind and don’t bother thinking about grammar, punctuation, and any of that jazz. The goal is to mark all your ideas and TKs, so you don’t skip something in the process.
- Editing and then some more editing: Once you have a rough piece of content, however chaotic and unpolished it may be, it’s time to edit, add, and edit again. Pomodoro writing helps you pre-set your content creation strategy as you know what to expect in each 25-minute slot.
- Refining: Have a good read of your piece so far. Refine the parts that you don’t like or don’t flow well, and pat yourself on the back for the parts you do like.
- Polishing (and publishing): After the last 5-minute break, take a deep breath and get back at it. By this time, you’ve already sunk deep into the topic/project, and you will be able to make final tweaks, add links, images, etc., and run it through Grammarly if that’s part of your work process. If it’s something that’s up for publication, now is the time to publish it and let your mind rest for the next task in line.
Let’s Recap
‘Cause I have some Pomodoro writing to do myself…
For those of us in the business of content and blog writing services, it’s absolutely imperative to ace the focus game if we are to get anything productive done. Pomodoro writing has helped me in more ways than I can express, and that goes way beyond my professional life. It’s an incredibly simple yet effective way to pre-program your brain, so you can make the most of your focus. I really hope it works as good for you as it does for me. You can read more about the psychology behind the Pomodoro Technique here.
As for me, I have a timer ready to start ticking.
Till next time,
T.