The super simple time management technique that will actually make you more productive.

I have a confession to make.

I was once a really bad procrastinator. 

Growing up I was the person who always waited till the day before assignments were due to get them done. Not intentionally, of course. It was just that I had to rewatch the entire season of Friends for the millionth time. Just one more episode and I’ll get back to work, I’d tell myself. But as you know, it was never one episode, it was ten… or a season.

But when I started working, I knew I needed to make a change. Whether you’re a Lady Startup working for yourself full time or you’re a side-hustler attempting to do both, I’m going to assume you’re reading this because you want to get more out of your day. (Side note: if you are an established Lady Startup looking to grow your business, micro-business or side-hustle be sure to check out the Lady Startup Rocket Plan online course). 

I couldn’t keep living with the guilt of procrastinating (I could never really truly enjoy Friends knowing I had so much work to do) or the high level of stress and anxiety that came with all nighters to finish tasks at the very last minute.

I know, I know, it’s my own fault but I just couldn’t snap out of my bad habits. And I tried a lot of things. But that’s when a friend introduced me to the Pomodoro Technique.

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the time management method is so ridiculously simple to follow that it can be mastered by anyone on anything.

Here’s how it works: When faced with a task or just your average work day, break down the work into timed intervals of 25 minute chunks (named pomodoros after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo used as a university student) separated by short breaks.

The method is genius in that it asks you to work with the time you actually have – instead of feeling like you have an endless amount of time to get things done (“I’ll just work into the night to finish this”), you feel the sense of urgency in getting things accomplished in the time you set yourself.

Plus, instead of dreading the hours of hard or monotonous work that’s to come, you know you only have to focus for half an hour before you get rewarded with a break.

The Pomodoro Technique is named after the tomato-shaped timer that Cirillo used as a university student. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Here's the six steps to the original Pomodoro Technique:

1. Set the task you need to be done.

2. Set the pomodoro timer - 25 minutes is recommended but you can figure out what time frame works for you.

3. Work on the task until the pomodoro rings.

4. Put a check on where you're at in your work. 

5. Take a short break, which could be refilling your water bottle or grabbing a coffee. (If you have fewer than four tasks, your break should be a max of five minute, then return to step 2.)

6. After four pomodoros, take a longer break (around 15-30 minutes) before resetting your check marks to zero and returning to step 1.

And rinse and repeat.

So now we’ve fixed productivity, it’s time to get to work.

If one of your goals for 2022 involves growing your customers and revenue then the Lady Startup Rocket Plan is the place to start. 

It's designed specifically for women who have started their own business or side-hustle but need a boost. Being that it's a self-paced online course, you can do it in your own time, particularly if you're juggling other work/life commitments.

Taught by Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman, this online course is broken down into easily digestible modules and covers:

• How to grow your business online without any gimmicks or bullshit strategies that waste your time.

• The difference between a mediocre website and one that actually sells.

• How to grow your email list.

• How to scale up your social media strategy, create consistently engaging content and finally have a content plan.

• How to create a Facebook paid ad the right way.

• Plus a structured system to keep you productive and ensure your big ideas actually get done.

On top of all the course content, you’ll have access to an exclusive Facebook community that is only for students in your intake, and Mia drops in for weekly group mentoring live streams to answer your questions and cheer you on. 

To find out more about the Lady Startup Rocket Plan click here.

Feature Image: Creative Christians via Unsplash

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