How the Pomodoro Technique Can Transform Your Productivity

What do grant applications, tomatoes, and productivity have in common?

More than you'd think.

Let me explain.

I’ve been meaning to write about the Pomodoro Technique for a while, but I’ve been searching for a practical way to explain how it actually works. I think it's one of the simplest, most powerful time management methods out there.

What is the Pomodoro Technique

The technique breaks your work into short, focused intervals, typically 25 minutes of concentrated work followed by a 5-minute break. Each interval is called a Pomodoro, named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer used by its creator, Francesco Cirillo. After completing four Pomodoro's, you take a longer break (usually 30 minutes). This technique helps reduce burnout, limit distractions, and boost productivity by keeping your brain fresh and focused.

But what I find the Pomodoro Technique best for is simply getting started, especially on those tasks you really don’t want to do. You know the ones: big, overwhelming projects that feel so daunting you need ten cups of tea and a pep talk to yourself just to begin.

That’s where the Pomodoro Technique comes in. I break the task into smaller, more manageable chunks, and assign each chunk to a 25-minute sprint (or Pomodoro). If I don’t finish a section in one Pomodoro, then I continue the task in the next Pomodoro.

Let me show you how.

Let’s imagine we’re working on a grant application for funding a project. I chose this example because it’s the kind of task that often feels huge, daunting, and time-consuming. But the moment you break it down into smaller, manageable chunks, it becomes far less intimidating.

A task like this also doesn’t need to be completed all in one sitting and more often than not, you’ll work on it in stages, coming back to it over several days. That’s what makes it the perfect example for applying the Pomodoro Technique

Pomodoro 1: Break the Task into Sections

Set your timer for 25 minutes, could be on your phone or an online time like this one. Limit distractions like phone notifications etc so that you fully focus for 25 minutes.

Start by dividing your task into clear, manageable chunks. For a grant application, for example, you might break it into:

1. Applicant Information

2. Project Overview

3. Objectives & Activities

4. Budget Breakdown

5. Outcomes & Impact

6. Final Review & Edits

Each of these sections becomes its own mini-task or Pomodoro.

Step 2: Take a 5-Minute Break

When the timer goes off, step away. Stretch, grab a drink, or scroll guilt-free. The break is part of the process, it helps your brain recharge.

Step 3: Applicant Info

After your break, move on to the next part of the application which for example would be the Application Information and repeat the process. One task per Pomodoro. If a section isn’t finished by the end of the 25 minutes, just pick up where you left off in the next Pomodoro.

Step 4: Take a 5-Minute Break

When the timer goes off, step away. Stretch, grab a drink, or scroll guilt-free. The break is part of the process, it helps your brain recharge.

🍅 Step 5: Repeat for the Next Section

After your break, move on to the next part of the application which for example would be the Project Overview and repeat the process. One task per Pomodoro. If a section isn’t finished by the end of the 25 minutes, just pick up where you left off in the next Pomodoro.

☕ Step 6: Longer Break After Four Pomodori

Once you’ve completed four Pomodori take a longer break (15–30 minutes). However, I think depending on the type of work you have been doing, some people might need a break after three Pomodori. Then carry on as per step 1.

Why the Pomodoro Technique Actually Works

What makes the Pomodoro Technique so effective, especially for big, daunting tasks like a grant application is that it helps you just get started. The technique fights perfection paralysis because knowing you only have 25 minutes to work on a section lowers the stakes. It’s easier to focus and make progress when you’re not obsessing over getting it perfect in one go.

And instead of staring down a massive to-do list and convincing yourself you need an entire uninterrupted day to even begin, you break it into small, manageable chunks and chip away at them one Pomodoro at a time. This method keeps your focus sharp without draining your energy, and it replaces the anxiety of “I have so much to do” with a simple, achievable next step.

More than anything, it gives you a clear sense of direction, a roadmap through the overwhelm and before you know it, you’ve made real progress without the burnout.

It’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter, one tomato at a time!