Thanks to the Pomodoro Technique, Josh has been able to manage his time for client projects with higher clarity and accuracy, building a higher work discapline by removing destractions and setting goals for the tasks at hand. He also uses the tecnique for personal use like writing, reading, appointments, family time, etc…
"I am able to get paid without counting the seconds! I have the confidence and integrity to send invoices with the exact amount of time I worked."
Josh Medeski – Graphic Designer
PT: When did you begin using the Pomodoro Technique?
J: I started using the technique a few years ago. Just on and off I can’t remember the exact timeframe.
PT: Why did you start using the Pomodoro Technique?
J: I started using it because I’m a self-help junkie and it seemed like a cool principle.
PT: What did you apply the technique in?
J: When I was on the computer.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: I kept getting interrupted a lot more than I expected.
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: I had to figure out what time of the day I would have the least amount of distractions.
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: I figured out the time of day was just as important as the motivation to work. I also realized that responsibilities sometimes get in the way of interruption free work, so I just had to plan around that time.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: Interruptions were the biggest problem (and still are sometimes). Internal interruptions were not too bad, because I am good at focusing on a single task if I’m asked. But external interruptions are out of my control (or so I thought). Family members, emails, phone calls, etc…
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: Turning off emails and putting my phone out of reach helped with internal interruptions, and letting my family know that when the timer starts, I am not available to do anything. But when I’m done, I am able to help them with whatever they need.
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: Better communication with my family, knowing when email is important (and when it’s not), and setting a respectable response time with my clients.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: Figuring out how long something would take. I chose to use the Pomodoro Technique with writing (something I don’t do it often enough). I seemed to be under budget almost every time.
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: I had to practice. Over time I started to learn how long a certain activity takes to be completed.
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: Being able to budget my time more efficiently. Knowing how much I could get done with the time I had available to me.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: Almost every time I was working on a project for a client, I would want to keep working after the timer and not take a break, sometimes it would be 15-20 minutes after the timer went off and I was still working.
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: I had to train myself to take a break no matter what I was doing (5 minutes of finishing up was ok sometimes). Forcing myself to stop came through repetition.
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: Overall, my work is better when I take breaks every half hour. I am able to work longer and feel more accomplished. It has also taught me better self-discipline to say “no”.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: Wanting to work more. And sometimes overworking.
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: I would set plans with my family so that when the timetable was up my time was filled doing something else (fun). I would set “no-work” times of the day (mostly evenings).
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: I was able to enjoy the time with my family more knowing I did all I could for that day with work. There is freedom in believing you did your best every day.
PT: What did you choose as your personal objective?
J: For my personal objective I choose to monitor time and log hours for my paid work.
PT: What difficulties did you encounter?
J: Remember to mark the Pomodoro after each session, and to log the hours at the end of the day.
PT: How did you overcome the difficulties?
J: I write my to-do list on a sticky note and estimate the amount of sessions. I also try to stick to one project per day (sometimes two). After four sessions (on the long break) I will always log those hours into Freshbooks.
PT: What benefits did you receive?
J: I am able to get paid without counting the seconds! I have the confidence and integrity to send invoices with the exact amount of time I worked. I am even thinking about switching to an invoice system labeled: “Payed by the Pomodoro”. I think it would be a great idea to share with the Pomodoro community as well!