The art of taking a break or the Pomodoro Technique

"Just five more minutes and I'll start." Who hasn't said this before diving into a "final" episode of their favourite series or endlessly scrolling on their phone? What if you regained some control by applying the Pomodoro Technique?

The principle? 25 minutes of focus and 5 minutes of break. This simple method has already proven itself in professional life, so why not apply it to personal life as well?

Choose one task (tidy that overflowing drawer, sort photos from your last holiday…), set an alarm for 25 minutes later and during that time, concentrate solely on your mission. When the alarm rings, take a 5-minute break. Breathe, drink a glass of water, etc. Avoid immediately grabbing your phone and looking at a screen; the idea is to stay focused. Every hour, give yourself a longer break, around 20 minutes.

Why does it work? Because it sets limits. There’s no need to do everything and finish it all at once. Just for 25 minutes, then start again if necessary after the break. Treat it like a game and don't underestimate the satisfaction of finally completing a long-postponed task.

Often used by students during their study sessions, the method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late '80s. But why Pomodoro? Simply because of the tomato shape (pomodoro in Italian) often given to timers. If you don’t have one at home, a website dedicated entirely to the method awaits you: https://pomofocus.io.

So, what are you waiting for to try it? No miracle is needed to lighten your to-do list. Just a timer and you're set!

(MH with Céline Massart - Photo: © FreePik)