Eat that FROG with Pomodoro
Eat the frog:
Here word frog is used for a task from to-do list, which is disturbing you, but you are procrastinating it for so long and have no urge to do that. Eating a frog means, doing a task without procrastinating it. Eat the frog before frog eat you. It simply means that if you will not do the task and will keep on procrastinating it then the procrastination will eat your whole day.
It’s a popular saying that Frogs are happy because they eat whatever bugs them, so if something is bugging you just eat it. If a frog (a task) is bugging you then you should eat that frog first without letting that frog disturb you anymore.
Pomodoro:
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Pomodoro is an Italian word used for Tomato.
Eating the frog with pomodoro:
It means performing tasks by using a pomodoro technique. This technique helps not only to do the procrastinated tasks but also helps in saving a lot of time.
If you spend 1 hour doing a thing, by using pomodoro technique you can do that thing in may be 30 minutes or 40 minutes.
After knowing about this technique, I decided to apply this in my routine tasks, I spent a day using pomodoro technique. Firstly, I decided a tough task so that I can feel relieved and can-do other things without burdened mind.
I had a presentation of HND next day, as its important, big and urgent task so I decided to do this first. After deciding the task, I set the timer of 25 minutes at 4:00PM and Guess what? I did nothing in these 25 minutes, I didn’t even write a single word. I got a message from a friend and BOOM, I forgot everything about my frog and frog won in surviving.
Well, after successfully wasting my first Pomodoro cycle, I put my phone on silent and set the second timer of 25 minutes, in these 25 minutes I didn’t touch my phone and worked with full concentration and in this second cycle, I ate the frog. It was a great feeling like I won a battle, like a big burden is not on my shoulders anymore.
After that I took a little 5 minutes break, and started second task which was Creating Eisenhower Matrix, again I set the timer of 25 minutes, there were distractions during this task, but I happened to eat another frog in third cycle.
I took another break of 15 minutes for Namaz, after saying my prayer, I changed the quality of task and decide to do some physical task which doesn’t involve brain. I decided to wash dishes and make tea in 25 minutes and yes, I did it in 25 minutes. I ate 3 frogs and I was full, so I gave a reward to myself on this accomplishment, I went on a drive with my family.
It was not tough at all, on the other hand I found it very easy, it was an outstanding experience and I did everything with relaxed mind in no time, I usually spend whole day on a single task and I know if I hadn’t set the timer then I would’ve spent a whole day on a single presentation. Setting a time is like setting a deadline for a task.
I find it very helpful, I completed everything which was mentioned in my to-do list of that day; I even did a task from a to-do list of next day. I am thinking to apply this technique in my everyday life even in doing little things.
