Pomodoro vs Flowmodoro
The best way to focus
Deep focus is key to learning and creativity. But taking breaks is also important. What’s the best way to balance focus and breaks?
Flowmodoro
Why Flowmodoro:
The goal of the Flowmodoro technique is to enter a state of flow and maintain that state until a break is needed. Proponents of Flowmodoro argue that interrupting flow can be counterproductive and that the rules of Pomodoro are too restrictive.
Why Not Flowmodoro:
Flowmodoro has practical and theoretical flaws. Practically, Flowmodoro can be incompatible with time blocking and calendar planning. If you have class in 30 minutes, you should set a 30 minute timer.
Theoretically, Flowmodoro increases secondary cognitive load and reduces chances for diffuse mode thinking. Flowmodoro increases secondary cognitive load because you have to consistently monitor energy levels and decide if they’ve passed a lower threshold. This is problematic — if your energy levels are too low to study, why would they be high enough to diligently make a break decision? You could stop while your energy is still high, but if you miss that opportunity and become a zombie, there is no timer to save you.
Additionally, healthy breaks do more than re-energize. A good break allows us to step back, look at the big picture, and be creative (something Barbara Oakley calls diffuse mode). Breaking flow to go for a thoughtful walk or explain your work to someone can lead to both creative ideas and information consolidation.
Other good breaks include self-care, eating healthy foods, and exercising — all things that improve our learning, focus, and productivity in the long run. Don’t skip these for the sake of flow.
Lastly, flow might not be a good thing! If you’re working on a cognitively demanding task like studying, it shouldn’t feel flow-y. Flow feels good, but high quality learning feels uncomfortable and difficult.
Pomodoro
Why Pomodoro:
The goal of the Pomodoro Technique is to break up many hours of work into manageable chunks and maintain high energy levels in the long run. It is a simple regiment that requires little planning and no self-monitoring.
Why Not Pomodoro:
Pomodoro timing is arbitrary. 25 minute study? 5 minute break? 30 minute break? Where did these numbers come from?
Personalized Pomodoro
We can take the best of Pomodoro and Flowmodoro and create a Personalized Pomodoro backed by Focus Training. While simple to understand, this system will take time to develop as your focus and self-awareness improve.
Training Focus
Set a timer for 25 minutes and study. Was it easy to maintain focus for that long? If so, increase the time for your next session. Repeat this until you’ve found an amount of time you can definitely focus for. That’s your baseline.
A Pomodoro time in the iPad app Ahmni: Infinite Canvas
Begin to increase the amount of time from your baseline, forcing yourself to stay focused just a little longer each time. Can you get to 55 minutes?
As you improve your focus, reflect on how frequently you should take a break. Maybe you need more frequent breaks to stand up and stretch and there is an upper limit to how long you should focus without moving around.
Calculating Break Timing
At the end of each session give yourself two choices for break timing. Each of these should be a percent of the time you spent focused. It is up to you to determine these percents — what works best for you?
If you focused for 64 minutes and want to take a long break (60%) you will take a 38 minute break.
Take Good Breaks
A break does not have to break your flow, it can improve it. Take a thoughtful walk and meditate on the bigger picture of your studies, maybe you’ll gain some insights.
Want to use pomodoro, flowmodoro, mindmaps, and revision scheduling?
Check out Ahmni: Infinite Canvas.