TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- WHAT IS THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE
- THE PROBLEM WITH THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
- HOW THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE WORKS
- ADVANTAGES OF THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
The flowtime technique is a popular productivity technique. It’s kind of like a modified version of the Pomodoro technique. Why do you need to know about it? Well, time is an invaluable resource, more so now than ever. People are in a rush to maximize their productivity in order to get the maximum amount of things done in a shorter span.
There are many productivity and time management techniques, but they’re not one-size-fits-all. What works for someone else may not work for you. That’s why it’s essential to try different methods till you find the one that works the best for you.
Zoë Read-Bivens came up with the Flowtime Technique to address some flaws she found in the Pomodoro technique. So what exactly is this Flowtime technique?
WHAT IS THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE
The Flowtime technique is a productivity and time management technique that enables you to be in the “Flow state”. The Flow state is when you’re fully immersed in a particular task. You’re entirely focused, your productivity levels are very high, and working seems almost effortless. You can achieve a lot with minimal effort by being in the flow state.
However, it takes some practice to get into this flow state, which is what the Flowtime technique is designed to do.
Modified version of the pomodoro technique
It’s a modified version of the Pomodoro technique. This is the Pomodoro technique in brief:
Unlike the Pomodoro time management method, the flowtime technique doesn’t require you to work in strict intervals. In the Pomodoro method, the timer is a big distraction. But because you’re not tied to a timer in the flowtime technique, you’re more likely to get into the flow state and stay there for longer.
This way of working, in turn, allows you to complete your task more quickly, as you have higher levels of productivity and focus. When you complete the task or are unable to focus, you can take a break. This way, the scheduled breaks don’t break your focus when fully concentrating on the work at hand.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
Since the two techniques are pretty similar, the effectiveness of the Flowtime method vs. the Pomodoro time management method is often discussed. While the Pomodoro technique is undoubtedly a great time management technique, it has some drawbacks.
You can't get into the Flow state
One of the main characteristics of the Pomodoro technique is using a timer to measure a Pomodoro interval and a short break following that interval. While this helps you stay focused, a significant downside is that the timer is a constant interruption and doesn’t help you get into the flow state.
The Flow state is when, under the right conditions, you become fully immersed in whatever you are doing. You become entirely focused on the task, and time seems to slow down. In this state, not only are you very productive, but your ability to be productive is almost effortless.
In the Pomodoro Technique, you’re supposed to take a break when the timer rings. That break is supposed to be a reward, but taking that break will most certainly break your flow state. Not really ideal for your productivity, is it?
A pomodoro is indivisible
Read-Bivens wrote about the problem of using the Pomodoro technique:
The first problem with the Pomodoro Technique is that the timer is a tyrant. The indivisibility of a Pomodoro is supposed to prevent interruptions. Instead, it often forces an exhausted me to work longer than I’m comfortable with, or it interrupts me when I’m engaged and working well.
The Pomodoro interval is more or less fixed. Yes, you can adjust its duration based on your level of concentration and focus, but it’s still indivisible. Say you set a goal of focusing for 15 minutes and taking a 5-minute break after that. The method says that you still have to focus for those 15 minutes.
And I used 15 minutes only as an example. It’s much more likely that your Pomodoro interval exceeds at least 20 minutes. And if you think about it. It’s kind of unrealistic to assume that there won’t EVER be distractions your way for the duration of your Pomodoro interval.
You might not always be super productive
This point adds to the one above. You might feel bored or simply unable to concentrate during your Pomodoro interval. The clock is supposed to instill a sense of urgency and motivate you to focus but sometimes it just doesn’t work!
In fact, the clock can serve as a distraction, and you might find yourself counting down the minutes to your break… Oops, I’ve been guilty of this as well. No one is perfect but if you find that this frequently happens to you, then maybe it’s time to look at another technique.
Some people just don’t deal with the pressure of a ticking clock well, and that’s that. Instead of forcing yourself to concentrate for the duration of the interval, you’re better off taking a break. The Pomodoro technique doesn’t allow this flexibility.
HOW THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE WORKS
Here are the steps that the Flowtime method involves:
- Select a specific task to work on that has an end goal. If you still think your goal is too big, break it into smaller tasks. Unitasking is very important to the Flowtime technique.
- Write the start time and also the end time before taking a break. It would help if you also tracked how long it takes you to complete a task so that you can have a better understanding of your time.
- Whenever you feel like taking a break, take a break. If you feel tired, bored, or simply unable to focus, you should take a break. Read Bivens has offered some suggestions for the break time:
- For 25 minutes or less, take a break of 5 minutes.
- For 25–50 minutes, take a break of 8 minutes.
- For 50–90 minutes, take a break of 10 minutes.
- For 90 minutes or more, take a break of 15 minutes.
During the break, do the things that relax your mind and when you feel refreshed and focused again, you can get back to doing the task.
Yes, it’s that easy!
ADVANTAGES OF THE FLOWTIME TECHNIQUE
Even though the technique is very popular, there is a surprising lack of scientific research on it. But here are some benefits of the Pomodoro technique that people have experienced.
1. better time management skills
- You track your start, end, and break time to get clear and valuable information about when you worked.
- By tracking how you’re spending your time, you can better understand how much time each task takes and become better at time management.
- So the next time you have to complete a similar task, you’ll have a more precise estimate of the time and energy it takes you to complete it.
2. Understand your sources of distractions (and stay away from them!)
- By adding a column to track any interruptions like emails, calls, and texts, you can discover your most significant sources of distractions
- Once you realize that, you can then take steps to avoid them actively.
3. utilize your maximum productivity
- You can understand your productivity levels by keeping track of when and how long you can focus.
- By looking into the data you write down with every flowtime session, you can better understand when you’re tired or energized.
- Once you understand that, you can schedule your tasks accordingly and save yourself a lot of time and effort!
4. uninterrupted flow state
- You always get a break when you need it, so a timer will never interrupt your flow state
- because you are eliminating any distractions and focusing on just one task, you can easily get into the flow state to maximize your productivity
5. unitasking
- In the flowtime technique, you pick one task to focus on and give all your attention to completing that task.
- You write down this task, which holds you accountable to complete it and adds some pressure, similar to that created by the Pomodoro timer.
CONCLUSION
So this is what the Flowtime technique is all about. I hope this post was helpful. I’ve never tried it for long because I’ve gotten used to the Pomodoro technique. If you want a detailed guide of what it is, you can read about it here:
https://youchooseyourway.com/the-pomodoro-technique/
But I really like that the Flowtime technique is more personalized and has fewer rules regarding taking breaks. If you like having a flexible time management method, then Flowtime can be very useful to you.
You should choose the productivity method that works the best for you. It can be the Pomodoro technique or the Flowtime or something else. There is no one perfect productivity method. Only by trying out different methods can you find one that is most suitable for you.
Have you ever tried using the Flowtime technique or the Pomodoro technique? Which one worked better for you? Let me know in the comments below!
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for? you make running a blog glance easy. The full look of your web site is great, let alone the content!
Hi, thank you so much for your kind comment! I really appreciate it 🙂 This is my first blog, and I hope it goes well 😀