The Pomodoro technique and its application in PREP's study plan

Recently, young people have been actively discussing a time management method that has been very successful. Have you heard of it? Surely the Pomodoro Technique is no longer unfamiliar to today's youth, right? Moreover, many people have recognized the "magical" power of this tomato technique.
Therefore, PREP now advises Preppies to use this method in various detailed study plans that PREP has compiled. So how should you apply it to conquer the self-study process for the IELTS exam? Let's explore the details in the following article together with PREP!

I. Overview of the Pomodoro Technique

1. What is Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique (tomato technique) is a method used to effectively manage time. This method was invented by Francesco Cirillo, an Italian CEO. It can be applied in various fields to optimize time and improve work performance.

2. Who is the Pomodoro Technique suitable for?

The Pomodoro Technique, or tomato technique, is particularly suitable for developers, designers, and anyone working in creative fields. Some professions that can benefit from this technique include editors, writers, software engineers, app developers, game programmers, copywriters, scriptwriters, content creators, journalists, and more.

In addition, studying at home and preparing for exams using the Pomodoro Technique is a great idea for students to apply during the upcoming exam season. Applying the tomato technique can help students avoid information overload, improve focus during exam preparation, minimize distractions, and increase effectiveness.

II. Effective Use of the Pomodoro Technique

1. Tips for effective use of the Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Technique is a very easy method to use with a simple and understandable approach:

• Choose a task or assignment that you want to work on.
• Set a timer with a cycle of 25 minutes of continuous work and 5 minutes of rest. Note that during the work period, you must truly focus on the task without any interruptions or loss of concentration.
• One cycle of 25/5 is called one Pomodoro learning cycle. After completing four cycles, take a longer break (20-30 minutes).
• Repeat the cycles if your task is not completed.

2. Benefits of the Pomodoro Technique for studying

By applying the Pomodoro Technique, you can:

• Minimize wasted time in your work.
• Learn how to organize and balance your time.
• Gain motivation after work by knowing how to manage your time and tasks effectively.
• Limit psychological influences such as stress and time pressure.

3. Considerations when using the Pomodoro Technique

Through the mentioned benefits, it can be seen that the Pomodoro study technique is extremely useful when facing challenges in time and task management. However, when using the Pomodoro study technique, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

• Sometimes, we may encounter tasks with a large workload, which can lead to interruptions in our workflow when taking a 5-minute break. To improve this, we can increase the work time (from 25 minutes to 45 minutes).
• In essence, the Pomodoro technique is more suitable for smaller tasks rather than large tasks that require sustained focus over a longer period.
• Similar to the above case, increasing the work time is only a situational solution for the huge workload we are facing. Therefore, this technique should be used more for executive tasks (checking emails, completing small assignments, reviewing small pieces of knowledge, etc.) rather than strategic tasks (planning, etc.).
• The Pomodoro technique is only truly effective when we can organize our tasks systematically and logically. Otherwise, we may easily get caught in a cycle of "starting new tasks before completing previous ones." Therefore, before applying the Pomodoro technique, it is important to prioritize and arrange tasks in the right order.

III. Websites and Mobile Applications that apply Pomodoro Technique

1. Tomato Timer

This Pomodoro website provides an electronic timer to help users easily track their Pomodoro progress. Here are some steps for effective use of the website:

• Step 1: To start the Pomodoro process, the first thing you need to do is click the Start button. Then, 25 minutes will begin to count down, and this 25 minutes is the time you need to focus intensely on your current task.
• Step 2: After the first 25 minutes, you can press the Alt + S key combination to reward yourself with a 5-minute break during the Pomodoro process. When the 5 minutes are up, another 25-minute period starts.
• Step 3: Note that every 4 break intervals of 5 minutes, you will get a longer break of 10 minutes by pressing the Alt + L key combination.

You can repeat the Pomodoro cycles using the Tomato Timer website for 8 hours of work in the office or 2-4 hours of study at home. By doing so, you will accomplish more tasks without feeling bored or tired as you did in the past.

2. Focus Timer

Focus Timer is an ideal Pomodoro application for mobile devices. This app is suitable for both IOS and Android operating systems. Users can customize the Pomodoro time intervals according to their preferences, set notification sounds, and easily review their work history. An interesting feature of this app is that it provides a star-based rating system to motivate users in their learning.

IV. Applying the Pomodoro Technique to PREP's Study Plan

A common feature in the study plans on prepedu.com is not only providing the topics and knowledge that we need to cover in a day but also incorporating study methods to help us manage our time effectively, thus achieving a reasonable and efficient schedule.

Now, let's see how we can apply the Pomodoro Technique to our study plans!

As mentioned in the previous note, this technique is suitable for smaller tasks that require more execution. Therefore, in this article, I will divide it into two corresponding parts:

• Part 1: Using the Pomodoro Technique for reviewing foundational knowledge (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation).
• Part 2: Using the Pomodoro Technique for reviewing the four skills in the IELTS exam (Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking).

Part 1: Reviewing foundational knowledge

Because this is a foundational course, the amount of theoretical knowledge that needs to be reviewed is substantial. Therefore, for all three areas of Vocabulary, Grammar, and Pronunciation, we can apply the Pomodoro technique while studying to better manage our time:

• Vocabulary: Review vocabulary based on topics and combine it with doing exercises on the prepedu.com website.
• Grammar: Review grammar forms according to the learning path of the Grammar course (Basic - Intermediate - Advanced), and also complete corresponding exercises.
• Pronunciation: Review vowels and consonants according to the schedule, as well as complete corresponding exercises.

With a large amount of theory, during the breaks of the Pomodoro technique, we can increase the working time for one cycle from 25 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the amount of knowledge and the abilities of each individual.

Part 2: Reviewing the 4 IELTS skills

For studying IELTS, the Pomodoro technique is more suitable for smaller tasks and knowledge review:

• For the Reading skills: these are the skills to handle the exam (skimming & scanning, paraphrasing, etc.) as well as studying different types of Reading tasks.
• For the Listening skill: we can use the Pomodoro technique to review different types of Listening tasks.
• For the Writing skill: similar to the Listening skill, this technique can be applied to review different types of Writing tasks and how to approach them.
• For the Speaking skill: along with reviewing topics, the Pomodoro technique can be used to simultaneously review the skills needed for the exam.

Similar to foundational knowledge, depending on the amount of theory and the abilities of each individual, we can adjust the working time within one Pomodoro cycle to be suitable (25-45 minutes).

This article has provided the most fundamental knowledge about the Pomodoro technique and some ways to apply this tomato technique to the study plan at PREP. Hopefully, you will truly follow the outlined plan and apply effective learning techniques and methods to improve your scores in recent English exams!