Court reporters are often on a rigid, jam-packed schedule, and it is easy to fall into a productivity rut after a long deposition. Court reporters’ busy schedules can quickly become overwhelming as they have to rush to make important edits and meet strict deadlines. Often tasks seem more intimidating than they actually are. It is so easy to lose energy, focus, and momentum when faced with too many tedious tasks at once. The Pomodoro Technique can help anyone continue to operate at their most efficient and productive level all day long.
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
In order to maintain a high level of productivity throughout the day, the Pomordoro Technique teaches that setting a timer for 25-minute intervals of intense focus on a single task will maximize output and change the way you work. For 25 minutes, do nothing but focus solely on the task at hand. When the 25 minutes are up, allow yourself a short break to reset and refresh your brain. When your break is over, you can come back to your task feeling renewed, calm, and motivated to achieve success.
Ditch the phone, but download an app first.
Many of us fall into the trap of endlessly and mindlessly scrolling through our phones when there are other priorities waiting to be tackled on our schedule. Instead of wasting your time, let your phone help you be more productive. The iOS app called “Be Focused” sets 25-minute intervals of “focus-time”, so you can embrace the Pomodoro Technique and more easily use it to your advantage. “TomatoTimer” is also a great app that utilizes the Pomodoro Technique. Just make sure to try to avoid glancing at your phone, checking messages, emails, or scrolling through social media. Let your Pomodoro app keep track of your time for you so you can reap the benefits of being your most productive.
Define and adjust your objectives
Many of us try to set goals and objectives when it comes to the tasks on our daily to-do list, but all court reporters know that some tasks just take longer than others. When it comes to productivity, ask yourself if you are being efficient with your time management when it comes to these objectives. Does that deposition editing really take you that amount of time, or are small distractions sneaking in and slowing down your progress? Although they may seem small, those distractions add up and pull you out of the “headspace” needed to be focused and productive.
When you define your objectives, adjust how you approach them, and be strict with your focus, you might find the tasks that once took you four hours may now only take you two hours. Take an honest look at how you approach your to-do list and you might find yourself crossing off every item by the end of the day.
Court reporters and other busy working professionals can benefit from taking a hard look at how their time is truly spent and then choose to re-work how they work.
For more information on staying cool when your workday becomes stressful, read our other blog for helpful stress management tips: 5 Strategies to Maintain Your Cool When You’re Stressed
Source: https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique
