Stress is a constant in today's life, and students are not strangers to it. Many times we find ourselves with an immense amount of things to do and a limited time for it, so we try to carry out several tasks at the same time believing that this will make us move faster. However, the only thing we achieve is a loss of concentration, and if we add to this the almost unconscious use of social networks and entertainment websites, which are easily distracting, mental fatigue and tension will increase and can result in us not able to focus or work.

Fortunately, there is a study method that allows you to carry out all the pending activities with positive results and also take time to relax and release tension: the Pomodoro Technique.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique (Tomato Technique in Spanish, since pomodoro means tomato in Italian) is a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the eighties. Cirillo called it that because, to start it up, he used a tomato-shaped watch.

To experience the Pomodoro Technique you will need to know the activities that you must carry out (prioritizing them according to their importance) and have a stopwatch on hand that divides your study time into blocks of 25 minutes (pomodoros) separated by five minutes of rest. During those 25 minutes, you should focus only on one activity, without thinking about anything else; then you can use five minutes to distract yourself. When you have completed four pomodoros, you can take a longer break, fifteen or twenty minutes. Once you have finished a task, you can move on to the next one; The important thing is that you do not mix them and that you start on time is always the most important.

When applying this methodology you must take into account:

Your performance capacity.

That during those 25 minutes you should not do any other task, or attend to any kind of distraction that arises.

Daily tasks (it is recommended to have a sheet where you write down the new tasks that arise) and the time you need to do them.

Why is it a good study method?

The Pomodoro Technique is based on the idea that regular pauses serve to improve mental agility and also prevent multitasking actions, which do not allow us to concentrate one hundred percent. In addition, by focusing efforts in just 25 minutes, results are greater and productivity increases. Its ultimate purpose is to condition our work conduct and in turn make us set realistic goals at specific times and feel satisfaction when achieving them.

App to apply the Pomodoro Technique

Nowadays, new technologies are a source of continuous distraction: while we study, we cannot help but take a look at social networks, take a game, write to our friends ... that is why the Pomodoro Technique has also been transferred to world of mobile apps. Marinara Timer, Pomodoro Timer or Flat Tomato are some of them.

The operation of most of these applications is the same as in the physical version: a stopwatch divides the time into 25 minutes of work and five minutes of rest. The difference is that the app blocks all entertainment pages, such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp ... during the 25-minute pomodoro. At the end of this time period, an alarm that the five-minute pomodoro starts and the blocked pages are activated again. After the five minutes are up, it renders them inaccessible.

Now that you know how to apply the Pomodoro Technique, don't wait any longer! Try it out. Of course, remember that you must have willpower to not be distracted during the 25-minute pomodoros. Hard work pays off so give this app a go and get those concentration and productivity levels up!