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Pomodoro Technique Illustrated: The Easy Way to Do More in Less Time (Pragmatic Life) 1st Edition
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Do you ever look at the clock and wonder where the day went? You spent all this time at work and didn't come close to getting everything done. Tomorrow try something new. Use the Pomodoro Technique to work in focused sprints throughout the day. In Pomodoro Technique Illustrated, Staffan N teberg shows you how to organize your work to accomplish more in less time. There's no need for expensive software or fancy planners. You can get started with nothing more than a piece of paper, a pencil, and a kitchen timer.
You have so much you need to accomplish today. Your list is a mile long and you find yourself getting interrupted every other minute. You'd like to tell everyone to leave you alone, but most of the interruptions are coming from you! You think of a phone call you need to make or a web site you need to check and before you know it you're answering email, checking twitter, and finding a million other things to occupy your time.
You need to focus---really focus.
The Pomodoro Technique puts you back in charge of your day. You'll apply successful techniques from software engineering to identify what you should be doing today and to help you achieve your goals. Your mind won't wander when it is fully engaged in short bursts of focused activity.
Learn to work less and accomplish more using nothing more than paper, pencil, and a simple kitchen timer.
Set the timer and start on your next Pomodoro. When the bell rings take a break. This personal approach to timeboxing is at the core of the Pomodoro technique and this book is filled with advice on how get started and how to tailor it to your own needs.
- ISBN-101934356506
- ISBN-13978-1934356500
- Edition1st
- PublisherPragmatic Bookshelf
- Publication dateFebruary 2, 2010
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions7.4 x 0.3 x 9.2 inches
- Print length156 pages
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The Pragmatic Programmers publishes hands-on, practical books on classic and cutting-edge software development and engineering management topics. We help professionals solve real-world problems, hone their skills, and advance their careers.
Editorial Reviews
Review
""This is an easy read with a life-changing message to all of us who have "too much to do and not enough time." Since Staffan introduced me to the Pomodoro Technique, I have become a better person, both professionally and in my private life. This is a book I wish I had read years ago!""--Thomas Nilsson CTO, Agile Mentor, Responsive Development Technologies AB
""The Pomodoro Technique is the one action-planning technique that fits exactly as conceived into Agile approaches to projects. If you want to learn the technique and become excellent at it, you need this book. Staffan brings humor, examples, and a step-by-step approach to making the Pomodoro Technique work for you. Your overall estimates will become better, and you'll get more work done.""--Johanna Rothman, Author, Consultant
""The Pomodoro Technique is amazing in its simplicity and its power to make you more productive, and this book is the perfect introduction to the technique.""--Dave Klein Author, ""Grails: A Quick-Start Guide""
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Pragmatic Bookshelf; 1st edition (February 2, 2010)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 156 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1934356506
- ISBN-13 : 978-1934356500
- Item Weight : 13.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 7.4 x 0.3 x 9.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #520,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #121 in Software Design & Engineering
- #492 in Time Management (Books)
- #595 in Software Development (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Staffan Nöteberg is an internationally renowned author and enterprise agility coach with years of experience in improving personal productivity. He authored bestsellers like Pomodoro Technique Illustrated (2009) and Monotasking (2021).
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book helpful for getting things done. It's easy for them to read and understand, with clear explanations of the technique. They appreciate the simple, straightforward approach that helps them stay focused and productive. The book provides useful insights into the psychology and applications of the technique.
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Customers find the book helpful for getting things done. They appreciate the author's explanation of the basic technique and tips for implementing it. The book provides a good understanding of the how and whys of the Pomodoro Technique. It is described as a hands-on learning guide that demonstrates using planning sheets, metrics, and daily review.
"...In doing so, Nöteberg not only lays a strong foundation for future Pomodoro researchers, but also widens the practical appeal of the technique as he..." Read more
"...other agile practices quite nicely and have found it useful to implement from time to time when appropriate. Recommended." Read more
"...Technique Illustrated is a small little book about a simple personal time-management techniques called "Pomodoro"...." Read more
"...This helped me immensely with getting things done...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate the clear, concise explanation of the Pomodoro technique with examples. The book is described as a time-saver and a great read.
"...The book is full of sound, practical advice delivered crisply and concisely that would serve both novice and expert Pomodoro practitioners equally..." Read more
"This is a very simple and easy book to read. It is by no means a comprehensive time management system...." Read more
"If you're looking for an easy-to-read overview of the Pomodoro technique, this is it. The technique itself is so simple you really don't need a book...." Read more
"...understand the Pomodoro Technique, or explain it to others, this book is excellent." Read more
Customers find the book's approach simple and straightforward. It explains the technique clearly, providing examples and systems for implementation. Many find it doable and effective, saving time.
"...but doesn't surprise much in the technique as the technique is just incredibly simple. Nice job." Read more
"...The technique itself is so simple you really don't need a book...." Read more
"...The Pomodoro method is pretty simple, in its most raw form: -..." Read more
"Okay. The technique is pretty darn good, and it either doesn't work, or works well for you...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for focusing and concentrating. They say it helps them get more done each day with less effort. The book provides detailed information about the psychology and applications of the Pomodoro technique, as well as ways to chunk their time and still feel productive. Readers appreciate the ticking timer that keeps them concentrating and the mind maps.
"...Pomodoro experience with secondary research on human brain, psychology, and various cognitive theories to appraise the technique from all sorts of..." Read more
"...The purpose is to truly instill the discipline of focus. and to learn how to divert interruptions...." Read more
"...allowed because that would explode the Pomodoro, which helps me focus for the whole time...." Read more
"...into a very simple way of thinking and doing -- in regulated, focused intervals. As I read it, I often said to myself, "Why didn't I think of that?"..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2012As the first book after Cirillo's original masterpiece dedicated to the Pomodoro Techique in it's entirety, Swedish Software Programmer cum Pomodoro guru Staffan Nöteberg's Pomodoro Technique Illustrated escaped my notice for 2 years. Better late than never, I ordered my copy, set my Beloved It's Pomodoro Time to 7 Pomodori and I read on!
First of all, this is a respectable effort in every which way: Nöteberg blends a good amount of practical Pomodoro experience with secondary research on human brain, psychology, and various cognitive theories to appraise the technique from all sorts of angles. In doing so, Nöteberg not only lays a strong foundation for future Pomodoro researchers, but also widens the practical appeal of the technique as he shows it to be highly compatible with the findings of cutting edge research in time management.
Along the way, Nöteberg makes quite a few unique contributions to the Pomodoro practice. I found his "Now" list particularly useful. Like most intuitive things that make you go "How come I didn't think about this?", "to-do now" list points at the obvious: Build a manageable daily to-do list and add your top priority task to your 1-task-only "now" list. And then just do it. Simple, eh? Like loading a gun with a single bullet and then firing it...
Nöteberg addresses every imaginable aspect of Pomodoro practice including tools, management of break and Pomodoro periods, group work, effort estimations, handling interruptions, managing your task list, and many others with a friendly yet authoritative voice. The book is full of sound, practical advice delivered crisply and concisely that would serve both novice and expert Pomodoro practitioners equally well. I'd like to quote a few here:
-"...working overtime is like shopping with a credit card. With it, you buy things you can't afford right now"
-"with the pomodoro technique, rating 25 minutes of effort as a success gives us immediate feedback"
-"focused, quality work is the goal of the Pomodoro, and a focused, quality relaxation is
the goal of the break"
-"never switch activities in the middle of a Pomodoro"
-"when you estimate that an activity will take more than seven Pomodori, the it's too complex. You'll need to break down the activity"
I found a few topics in the book, such as his emphasis on constant reassessment (just how many times a day can you set strategic goals?) and Recording & Processing begging a bit more clarification.
Finally, there is something to be said about the eye-catching illustrations on virtually every single page of the book. They are so cute that it hurts - possibly reflecting the playful and intiutve nature of the Pomodoro Technique. Well done Mr. Nöteberg!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2013This is a very simple and easy book to read. It is by no means a comprehensive time management system.
Many time management systems focus on strategic goals in life - i.e. 7 habits of highly effective people.
The pomodoro technique is highly tactical. Rather than answering the question, "what should I do in life?", it attempts to answer the question, "What should I do right now?"
The technique involves basically prioritizing tasks for the day, and then commiting to working on particular tasks in 'pomodoros' which are blocks of focused time - recommended at 25 min a piece. For a particular pomodoro, one commits to ignoring all distractions - including distractions from OTHER work pulling at you.
Sound simple? It is and it isn't. Anything that interrupts a pomodoro invalidates it. A coworker interrupts, a bathroom break? Doesn't count as a pomodoro.
The purpose is to truly instill the discipline of focus. and to learn how to divert interruptions. The technique urges timing each pomodoro, and keeping a record of interruptions, so that one might improve at it. Between pomodoros breaks are allowed, but these are recommended to be time boxed as well.
In practice, it is surprisingly difficult to complete more than 4-6 pomodoros in a day (for me at least), and striving to do so has improved my prioritization and focus. The author does NOT recommend that a person live their life by the pomodoro, but rather use it as a tool for when they want to get serious work done. I find that it complements other agile practices quite nicely and have found it useful to implement from time to time when appropriate.
Recommended.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2014The Pomodoro Technique Illustrated is a small little book about a simple personal time-management techniques called "Pomodoro". It was invented by Francesco Cirillo (who does a foreword) and involves small 25 minute time-periods called Pomodoros in which you intensely focus followed by a short break. The technique asks you to measure your focus so you can reflect and improve.
The Pomodoro Illustrated book consists of seven chapters. The first two chapters sort-of provide the background. Especially chapter two covers a lot of ground but all very brief and shallow, but does give some background on why the Pomodoro technique works. Chapter 3 is the actual Pomodoro explanation and then chapter 4 and 5 explain how to deal with interruptions and give some hints on estimation. Chapter 6 talks about whether and how you should adapt the Pomodoro technique and chapter 7 closes the book with some ideas on how you could apply it in a team context.
The book is short and easy to read (the technique isn't very hard). Each of the pages comes with an illustration that explains or clarifies the concept describes (or provides some fun). The illustrations make the book quite special. Based on the content of the book, I'd probably rate it at 3 stars as it does what it should do but didn't feel incredibly special. Considering the illustrations, I've bumped up the rating to 4 as the illustrations do make the book special.
All in all a simply book and if you want to know about using Pomodoros for managing your own time, then this book will be for you. If you've read another description, then do think twice because the book will give you some additional information but doesn't surprise much in the technique as the technique is just incredibly simple. Nice job.
Top reviews from other countries
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Client d'AmazonReviewed in France on August 4, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars intéressant
offert à une amie !
- Daniel CastroReviewed in Mexico on January 6, 2019
4.0 out of 5 stars It gives extra information and background of the Pomodoro technique.
It is a good guide and it goes beyond to the original book but it's too expensive for what it is.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on March 27, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars great illustrations, well presented
charming, insightful. more than a to do book. great illustrations, well presented . better than average business book.
- LindaReviewed in Australia on February 1, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars The Pomodoro Technique
Excellent and easily understood overview of the technique.
I am retired but can easily see how I can adapt this to various activities.
- Julio DantasReviewed in Brazil on August 28, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful technique!
I have tried many ways and read many books about increasing my productivity but this is the only one which bridges very well the theory & practice! I can sense the pomodoro technique will have a big impact in my life. I'm in the process of applying the lessons learned and must say it is not easy to master it, but I will get there!!