Effective time management with Pomodoro technique

Effective time management with Pomodoro Alimenkou Mikalai [email_address] http://xpinjection.com 23.01.2010

Background
Java Technical Lead/Scrum Master at Zoral Labs
5+ years in software development
3+ years of working by Agile methodologies
Expert in Agile engineering practices
Agile coach (TDD, Testing, Planning)

Agenda
Why I need time management?
Pomodoro technique basics
Experience report
Tools and best practices

I’m not going to talk about …
Planning your future
Prioritizing your values
Family
Setting goals
Establishing a schedule
Avoiding stress and staying healthy

Am I efficient enough?

Yes, definitely yes!
I have a lot of skills
I have much experience
I manage my time well enough
I try to help others
I have clear goals

Then why do I need to change? I fill like a hamster in a wheel I can’t measure my performance I feel stressed and tired at work I’m doing some tasks simultaneously I have no or small breaks I don’t know what to improve

More symptoms
Reduced performance
Communication breakdown
Lower job satisfaction
Poor decision making
Focus on unproductive tasks

What are the reasons?
Poor planning
Many interruptions
Cluttered workspace
Inefficient delegation
Many chaotic meetings
Noisy environment
Waiting and delays
No clear priorities
Huge email flow
Social networks
No rhythm
Too many responsibilities

Convey’s four-quadrant

Parkinson’s Law Work expands to fill the time available for doing it

Why we do nothing about it? We need kick in the ass to start changing

Time management ideas attacked me from …
“ Peopleware ” by Tom DeMarco
Facilitating Scrum meetings
Scrum planning
Kanban WIP limitations
Lean “Eliminate waste” principle
TDD practice
Pair programming
Buzz around Pomodoro technique

I decided to try Pomodoro

Pomodoro rules
A Pomodoro is indivisible
After each Pomodoro take small break (3-5 minutes)
After 4 Pomodoros take a longer break (15-30 minutes)
Once a Pomodoro begins , it has to ring
The next Pomodoro will go better

Additional rules
Protect your Pomodoro
Breaks are breaks! “Disconnect” from work.
Review the same task if done before Pomodoro rings
Void the Pomodoro if interrupted

What to do during breaks?
Looking out of the window
Eating or drinking
Have a fun
Walking
Relaxing
Discuss something
Read news, emails, chat messages
Even sleeping 

Estimation rules
If task takes more than 8 Pomodoros break it down
If task takes less than 1 Pomodoro combine it with other tasks
Use Inventory Sheet to allocate all tasks
Use Today Sheet to allocate daily tasks
Use yesterday’s Pomodoros “weather”

Inventory Sheet structure
Fine grained tasks
Ordered by priority
Estimated in Pomodoros (optional)

Today Sheet structure
Contains daily tasks with estimations
Done Pomodoros marked
Record interruptions
Make session notes and facts

Pomodoro normal cycle
Reprioritize tasks if needed
Select top priority task for Pomodoro from Today Sheet
Start Pomodoro
When Pomodoro rings close sentence/code line/thought
Mark Pomodoro as done
Have a break

What if?
Interruption happens
Try to protect current Pomodoro
If it is impossible then void Pomodoro
If possible schedule interruption as task in Today Sheet
Increment interruptions counter for current task
Unplanned task happens
Finish current task
Add unplanned task to Inventory Sheet or Today Sheet
Reprioritize on next Pomodoro

More about interruptions
Internal interruptions (phone call, email, chat, etc.)
Make them visible
Try to formulate interruption as a task
External interruptions (by other people)
Inform others about current Pomodoro
Try to reschedule interruption
Always call back to build trust

Organizational Pomodoro
Prepare Today Sheet
Select unfinished tasks from previous day
Add tasks from Inventory Sheet
Make estimations, break tasks if necessary
Set priorities
Prepare to working day
Start needed applications
Check all necessary information sources (email, chat, task tracking system)

Pomospective
Update Today Sheet and Inventory Sheet
Update statistics
Make notes about today’s session
Analyze daily progress and make decisions about enhancements
How many Pomodoros have you done? Why so many/few?
Are estimations has been well done? Why not?
Do you feel tired or stressed? Why?
Is rhythm established? Can interruptions be avoided?
Check again all necessary information sources (email, chat, task tracking system)

How to select Pomodoro length?
Not very long
To minimize interruptions
To stay focused
To be flexible
Not very short to perform some work
25 + 5 = 30 minutes for easy calculations
8 hours = 1 Organizational Pomodoro + 1 Pomospective + 3 sets of 4 Pomodoros + 1 hour for breaks

Pomodoro metrics
Pomodoros done per task type/tag
Pomodoros done per day
Number of interruptions
Percent of unplanned tasks
Estimations reality factor

It looks like Scrum
Inventory Sheet = Product Backlog
Today Sheet = Sprint Backlog + Sprint Burndown
Organizational Pomodoro = Sprint Planning
Pomodoro = Ideal Day
Daily Finished Pomodoros = Velocity
Unplanned Task = Unplanned Task
Pomospective = Retrospective

Tips and tricks
Everything is tasks (fun, investigation, reading, etc.)
Avoid information overloading
Take biological clock into account
Don’t yield to temptation make quick interruption (read email, answer in a chat, make phone call, etc.)
Collective Pomodoro breaks (lunch, sport, discussion)

Pomodoro tools
Physical Pomodoro timer + paper
Software timer + paper
Any timer + plain files
Any timer + spreadsheets
Special tools

Extended techniques
Avoid planning when you have much experience
Use Pomodoro for meetings and other working activities
Thank yourself for good work
If interruptions level is low don’t track them
Use tags or task types to control activity distribution
Use tags for each user story and application layer

Pomodoro benefits
Helps with Scrum daily meeting preparation
Use Pomospective and yesterday Today Sheet to answer “What was done?” and “What is blocking progress?”
Use Today Sheet to answer “What will be done?”
Separate Organizational Pomodoro helps to prepare to working day
Improves estimations precision
Improves productivity
Increases self-discipline

Useful links
Resources:
http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/ - technique website
http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/resources/cirillo/ThePomodoroTechnique_v1-3.pdf - free PDF book
Tools:
http://www.focusboosterapp.com/ - Focus Booster
http://code.google.com/p/pomodairo/ - Pomodairo
http://pomodoro.ugolandini.com/ - Pomodoro
http://reborg.github.com/pomodori/ - Pomodori

Any questions?

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Effective time management with Pomodoro technique

by Mikalai Alimenkou on Jan 24, 2010

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