Interesting, but that doesn’t solve one of the main problem I tend to have at work : handling waiting delays. Things like compiling, running tests, restarting an heavy application stack, waiting for workmate answer in an IRC/IM channel, … that can take a few minutes.
I tend to do “other stuff” (either work related or non-work related) while those delays are running (reading email, checking websites, …), to avoid wasting the time (and because waiting without doing anything is something I loath). But of course, I start reading email to fill a 1 minute gap, and end up reading/replying email for 5 minutes. And then I check LW to fill a 2 minutes gap, and end up writing a comment for 10 minutes.
So I’m not fully happy with my actual way of doing, but I fear using a method like Pomodoro will be less efficient (because of the wasted “waiting times”) and much more frustrating (because not doing anything is really frustrating to me). Anyone has feedback or ideas on how to handle them ?
You could try recursion. Call the function SetPomodoro(task, time) from within a Pomodoro, if that is needed.
When you get to a point where you have to wait for a response (from the tests, or the compiler, or IRC) set a new timer and start a new sub-Pomodoro. 25 minutes might not be the appropriate time frame, but estimate how long you have to wait and set a timer for that long. Until this second timer goes off you can check emails or do “other stuff” and be confident you are spending your time wisely.
The idea is to minimize the time spent choosing what to do, or worrying about what you are doing. Decide, set the timer, get stuck in. Use your own judgement to determine what timeframes and levels of recusion are appropriate to your workflow.
Personally I log work but without imposing minimal time spans. In cases like these I log out or switch tasks, unless I continue thinking about the project. I use Emacs’ org-mode. You can switch tasks without resetting the clock. Recursive pomodoros sound like an overkill and don’t make sense if the point of chunking time is to adjust to natural “concentrated effort cycle” of a person.
Interesting, but that doesn’t solve one of the main problem I tend to have at work : handling waiting delays. Things like compiling, running tests, restarting an heavy application stack, waiting for workmate answer in an IRC/IM channel, … that can take a few minutes.
I tend to do “other stuff” (either work related or non-work related) while those delays are running (reading email, checking websites, …), to avoid wasting the time (and because waiting without doing anything is something I loath). But of course, I start reading email to fill a 1 minute gap, and end up reading/replying email for 5 minutes. And then I check LW to fill a 2 minutes gap, and end up writing a comment for 10 minutes.
So I’m not fully happy with my actual way of doing, but I fear using a method like Pomodoro will be less efficient (because of the wasted “waiting times”) and much more frustrating (because not doing anything is really frustrating to me). Anyone has feedback or ideas on how to handle them ?
You could try recursion. Call the function SetPomodoro(task, time) from within a Pomodoro, if that is needed.
When you get to a point where you have to wait for a response (from the tests, or the compiler, or IRC) set a new timer and start a new sub-Pomodoro. 25 minutes might not be the appropriate time frame, but estimate how long you have to wait and set a timer for that long. Until this second timer goes off you can check emails or do “other stuff” and be confident you are spending your time wisely.
The idea is to minimize the time spent choosing what to do, or worrying about what you are doing. Decide, set the timer, get stuck in. Use your own judgement to determine what timeframes and levels of recusion are appropriate to your workflow.
Personally I log work but without imposing minimal time spans. In cases like these I log out or switch tasks, unless I continue thinking about the project. I use Emacs’ org-mode. You can switch tasks without resetting the clock. Recursive pomodoros sound like an overkill and don’t make sense if the point of chunking time is to adjust to natural “concentrated effort cycle” of a person.