Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the tasks you need to complete? Juggling multiple deadlines while maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging, but it is possible with tactful time management skills. In this blog, I’ll be discussing how the Pomodoro time management technique could help you enhance your productivity in a less stressful way. The Pomodoro Technique Pomodoro is a time management technique I came across while exploring the Study Skills Hub provided by the University of Essex Online. The idea of the technique is that you work on a task for 25 minutes, before taking a short break of 5-10 minutes. You can then take a longer break of 20-30 minutes every four Pomodoro sessions. The small breaks are relaxing rewards for your body and mind; for example, you could use the time to make a cup of tea, meditate, or do some stretches while listening to music. Then on the longer breaks, you could go for a stroll, make a quick meal or enjoy some leisure activities and repeat the Pomodoro technique until your tasks for the day are completed. How Could Pomodoro Work for YOU? A study published in Cognition concludes short breaks help keep your attention span on track, which may enhance productivity (Ariga & Lleras, 2011). In fact, a case study by entrepreneur Chris Winfield found this technique helped him finish 40 hours of work in less than 17 hours. As you alternate short working blocks with relaxing breaks or enjoyable activities, it may help prevent the build-up of stress or boredom over a longer working period. Studies have even shown that engaging in hobbies or physical activity during these breaks may improve mood and energy levels, in turn improving job performance (Ariga & Lleras, 2011; Frtiz et al., 2013). Make Your Schedule Flexible Being flexible with your schedule is important to allow space for any last-minute changes. That way you won’t feel guilty for not sticking to your plans, especially when you’ve found a schedule that works for you. The traditional Pomodoro technique suggests taking a long break for every four 25-minute slots. Depending on the length of your short break, one session may be around 75-90 minutes before your long break. However, you may end your session earlier if you complete your task sooner than expected. Take on Your New Endeavours with Pomodoro! By adapting this technique in a flexible way, you may find it greatly improves your work-life balance and time management skills. The University of Essex Online provides lots of different study skills tips to help students with their studies. If you are interested in attending a virtual event or have any questions about the courses available, visit online.essex.ac.uk , or contact the Admissions team on enquiries@online.essex.ac.uk . References Ariga A, Lleras A. (2011). Brief and rare mental "breaks" keep you focused: deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements. Cognition, 118 (3), 439-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2010.12.007 Fritz, C., Ellis, A. M., Demsky, C. A., Lin, B. C., & Guros, F. (2013). work breaks: Recovering from work stress.  Organizational Dynamics, 42 (4), 274–280.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2013.07.005 Winfield, C. (2014). How to Get 40 Hours of Work Done in 16. http://www.chriswinfield.com/40-pomodoro-workweek/