This week I HAD to focus on a huge upcoming program, and with just three days in the office, every minute had to count.

So to keep me focused, I employed one of my best time management techniques: The Pomodoro Technique. And Tuesday morning, I hosted the first-ever #PomodoroParty to invite others to get. stuff. done.

What Is The Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is simple: Set a timer for 25 minutes and do JUST ONE THING during that time. Don’t check your phone. Don’t look at email. Don’t go to FB. Just do that one thing. Then when the timer goes off, take a 5 minute break to do something else.

So simple, yet so powerful. I use this technique to write blog posts, get through email (that’s sometimes my ONE thing), design a new presentation, etc. An Italian guy invented the concept with his tomato-shaped kitchen timer (tomato in Italian? Pomodoro, of course).

How to Have a #PomodoroParty

For the #PomodoroParty, I invited people on my Facebook Page to join me for a 3-hour block Tuesday morning. Then I set up a custom timer at MarinaraTimer.com. The site lets you send out a link to your timer, and everyone at the “party” kept the link page open on their devices while they worked in 25-minute increments. During the 5-minute breaks, I returned to the FB page to see how people were doing, add encouragement, etc.

The end result… WE ROCKED IT! I finished a big chunk of my upcoming presentation, and here are just a few of the attendees’ accomplishments:

Why Have a #PomodoroParty?

A focused work session in your office might be just the thing to kick off the work week on Mondays. Or maybe everyone needs to focus on an upcoming project. Or maybe you just all need a reminder of how blissful work can be without interruptions. Whatever your reason… try it! It’s free and simple and fun.