In here before I’ve reviewed the book The Pomodoro Technique about a time management strategy for completing tasks at a job or elsewhere.

You set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes in which to work on part of a project. When the timer goes off you set it for five minutes in which to do nothing and rest.

Then set the timer for a new 25 minute time period. Use 3 or 4 “pomodoros” in the morning and 3 or 4 “pomodoros” in the afternoon.

The author of the book and creator of this technique had used a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato. He is Italian and pomodoro is Italian for tomato. Sounds so much better than The Tomato Technique right?”

I think using pomodoros is an effective way to pace yourself throughout the workday and not get frazzled. The Pomodoro Technique is a way to work hard in the right way.

Research indicates that the more hours you work at a job every week over 40 hours the less productive a person is. The goal should not be warming a chair for 50 hours. It should be doing your best work within an 8 hour workday routinely. With little need for overtime. Except maybe during a crunch period like the launch of a new product.

Too each of us workers should take one break in the morning and one break in the afternoon. Even if the break is just 15 minutes.

One career strategist years ago recommended taking a 2-hour lunch on your job. I wouldn’t go that far unless you’re networking at lunch or meeting a client.

Coming up in the next blog entry a review of a book for college students who would like to get a job after they graduate. In keeping with my love of library work the author of this book urges young people to find a job that reflects their life’s purpose.