Not everyone is suitable for the infamous Pomodoro technique when it comes to training their focus. If you are not familiar with Pomodoro, it is a time management method where you work or study on a single task for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break during each segment. After 4 segments, you can take a longer break for 15-30 minutes. You need to repeat the segment until all of your to-do list is marked. Pomodoro is loved by many due to its simplicity, but for some others, this technique turns out to be not so effective because shorter focus spans like this can stop them while they are on their best game.
If you are not keen on Pomodoro but want to try focus technique, you may want to give Flowtime technique a try.
What is a Flowtime Technique?
The Flowtime Technique is a scheduled productivity strategy that allows you to track your focus and learn about your productivity behaviors. It emphasizes single-task work above multitasking, with the purpose of keeping you concentrated on a single job for as long as you need. You start by jotting down a single task that you intend to work on during a single Flowtime period. After that, record the moment you start working on the assignment and continue working on it until you feel the need for a break. Because you are not racing against the time to do your work, all you need to do is concentrate on it. When you begin to feel weary or your mind begins to wander, it is a cue to break time.
Time Segment on Flowtime
One notable reason to choose Flowtime is that there is no one fundamental rule of thumb when it comes to time segmentation between working and taking a break. The Flowtime Technique typically spans 10 to 90 minutes of concentration, but you are not restricted to 90 minutes if you do not feel the need for a break. Stop the timer after completing a cycle of productive work and reward yourself with a break based on how long you kept focused.
Many people recommend taking a five-minute rest after every 25 minutes of work, which is a lot like Pomodoro. If this does not suit you, do take an eight-minute break if your task is more than 25 minutes but less than 50 minutes. Take a ten-minute break if you have worked for more than 50 but less than 90 minutes. Finally, if you have worked for more than 90 minutes, you should take a 15-minute rest.
Makeuseof suggested these easy indicators for breaks:
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Putting Flowtime Technique into Practice
If you allow distractions to get in your way, Flowtime and other time management approaches will not work. The only way to avoid this is to learn how to filter out and control distractions. Keep only the browser tabs required for that work open, and shut the others. The more tabs you have open, the more readily you will be sidetracked by other things. Turn off all social media alerts and other instant messaging services, or set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode. This will eliminate all of the frequent distractions caused by those irritating alerts, allowing you to concentrate on your task. Keep your phone away from your eyes, or at the very least, on Airplane mode.
Applications to Enhance Flowtime Technique
If you think you are still unable to manually track the time when you put Flowtime into practice, there are applications you can use to help tracking it. This will be useful if you want to stay productive while on the road and have easy access to your metrics whenever you want. Here are some recommended apps:
Clockify
Clockify is a free productivity software that you can use directly from the website. You need to sign up for an account, but once you do, all of your productivity sessions will be tracked in one site. While it is more commonly used by teams for professional networking, a free account is reasonable to track your work efficiency as an individual.
You can find out more about Clockify here.
Flipd
Flipd is a well-designed mobile application that will help you practice Flowtime technique. With this, you get to record yourself for various tasks, listen to concentrating audio, and gain insights from a summary of your focus numbers. There are some limits in the free version, such as it can only record a maximum of 40 minutes, but if you can get over that, there are a lot of valuable tools accessible to free users. If you find the free version valuable, you can always enhance your experience by subscribing to its paid plan.
You can find out more about Clockify through its apps in Android and iOS.
Toggl Track
If you have tried both Clockify and Flipd software, but both are not enough to put Flowtime technique into practice, try using Toggl Track. This is a free productivity software that can be accessed via web or by downloading the app. To access the timer, store your work sessions, and view the reports, you must first create an account. Nevertheless, the process is very easy, so there should be no hassle in using this app.
You can find out more about Toggl Track here.
Flowtime is an excellent example of how to improve something that many people currently use so that more people may enjoy it. Even if Pomodoro works for you, give Flowtime a shot and see if you can combine the two for maximum productivity and work balance!
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