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Can a Tomato Increase Your Productivity?

Article  in  Journal of Research on Christian Education · May 2016

DOI: 10.1080/10656219.2016.1191926

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Larry D Burton
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 Journal of Research on Christian Education

ISSN: 1065-6219 (Print) 1934-4945 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/urce20

Can a Tomato Increase Your Productivity?

Larry D. Burton

To cite this article: Larry D. Burton (2016) Can a Tomato Increase Your Productivity?, Journal of
Research on Christian Education, 25:2, 95-96, DOI: 10.1080/10656219.2016.1191926

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10656219.2016.1191926

Published online: 22 Jul 2016.

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JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
2016, VOL. 25, NO. 2, 95–96
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10656219.2016.1191926

EDITORIAL

Can a Tomato Increase Your Productivity?

How can a tomato or even a lot of tomatoes help increase an individual’s

productivity? The answer lies in the Pomodoro Technique, a time manage-
ment strategy developed by Francesco Cirillo while he was a graduate student
in Italy during the 1980s (Carter, n.d.; Cirillo, 2013). The Pomodoro Tech-
nique is deceptively simple yet extremely powerful. I have been using it for
the past several months and found it to transform my work.
First, let me explain why it is called the Pomodoro Technique. Cirillo (2013)
decided on a simple tool to help him with time management—a kitchen
timer—which happened to be in the shape of a tomato. Tomato, in Cirillo’s
native Italian, is pomodoro. So, his time management strategy became known
as the Pomodoro Technique. To begin using the Pomodoro Technique, you
also will need to have a timer. Based on suggestions from Zahariades
(2015) and Carter (n.d.) I purchased a mechanical kitchen timer that sits
on my desk while I am working. I can hear the tick, tick, tick of the timer
as I progress through my task. For me the physical presence of the timer
and the audible sound of time passing serve as constant reminders to stay
focused on the task I have chosen. However, Pomodoro timer apps are avail-
able for computers, tablets, and smart phones.
The basic concept behind the Pomodoro Technique is the creation of
focused, timed work sessions during which you focus on a single task. First,
create a list of tasks you need to complete and estimate how much time it will
take you to finish each one. Then, prioritize the tasks (Carter, n.d.). Next,
decide on the length of the Pomodoro session you will complete. Recommen-
dations for those new to the Pomodoro Technique generally suggest Pomo-
doro sessions of 25 minutes. To start a Pomodoro session you set your
timer to 25 minutes and begin work. When the 25 minutes are completed,
you take a 5-minute break. Then you begin your next 25-minute Pomodoro
session, followed by a 5-minute break.
It is possible to divide your day up into several Pomodoro sessions with
breaks in between them. At lunchtime, you take a longer break. Some people
find that 25 minutes is not an efficient timeframe for them to work on a task.
For example, I have discovered that I prefer 50-minute Pomodoro sessions
followed by a 10-minute break when I am working on course development,
research projects, or article writing. Those are activities I enjoy and require
significant cognitive load. However, for tasks that I do not enjoy, such as

© 2016 Taylor & Francis and Andrews University

 96 L. D. BURTON

answering email, dealing with paperwork, and other detail related work, I
prefer the 25-minute Pomodoro sessions.
According to Zahariades (2015) the efficacy of the Pomodoro Technique
is due to four principles:
1. It limits the amount of time the brain has to focus.
2. It demolishes the tendency to procrastinate.
3. It reduces distraction born of multitasking.
4. It pushes the individual toward completing tasks rather than just working
on them. (Chapter 3, Section 4)
I encourage you to investigate the Pomodoro Technique further and
experiment with it. You can find more information online or by reading
the references for this article. I would be very interested in hearing how
it works for you.

References
Carter, C. (n.d.). Pomodoro technique mastery: The unofficial beginner’s guide to instantly
double your productivity for life. Kindle Edition purchased from Amazon.com.
Cirillo, F. (2013). The Pomodoro technique: Do more and have fun with time management
(3rd ed.). Berlin: FC Garage GmbH.
Zahariades, D. (2015). The Pomodoro technique: A 10-step action plan for increasing
your productivity (1st electronic ed.). Kindle Edition purchased from Amazon.com.

Larry D. Burton, PhD, has served as Editor of JRCE since 2005 and particularly enjoys the
editing part of his job description. He is also co-editor, with Anthony Dosen (DePaul
University), of the Research on Religion and Education Book Series, published by Information
Age Publishing.

Larry D. Burton
Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA
jrce@andrews.edu

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