I follow it closely, then I follow it loosely, then I give up.
If this has happened to you, you might need to follow this simpler version.
The problem, according to blogger Alexey Guzey, is in managing all your work and break periods.
The solution: Have one daily calendar with one fixed pomodoro schedule.
No matter when you get started, the first five minutes of every hour and half-hour are breaks.
And every three hours, you take a half-hour break.
Break, then work til 10.
Break, then work til 10:30, and so on.
You take half-hour breaks at 11, 2, and 5.See a diagram on Alexeys site.
Once youve done this for a couple of days, you get used to the schedule.
No matter what time you start working, you know where in the pomodoro cycle you are.
If you get distracted during a work session, dont change your schedule and dont reset your pomodoros.
Get back to work until the next break.
Itskind of like meditation: The trick isnt to never get distracted.
The trick is to notice the distraction, and refocus without getting frustrated.
The schedule doesnt change, so the alarms dont have to either.
No one productivity system is for everyone.
But if you thrive on habit and routine, this schedule will work better for you than typical Pomodoro.
The rigidity of the schedule will free you from planning and meta-management.
And hopefully youll stick with it longer.
