by Dr. Monroe Mann, PhD, Esq, MBA, LLM, ME, EMT
Founder & Executive Director, Break Diving, Inc., & Author of “Time Zen”
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Here’s the skinny: I love this app because it combines the proven concept of pomodoro clocks with repeating tasks (and subtasks) in a simple intuitive interface that just works.
So, how to use it? This is how I use it. I’m sure you can find other ways, if this doesn’t suit you.
- I set all pomodoro clock timers to 15 minutes, for each activity. For me, 15 focused minutes allows me to get a lot done, and also provides enough time in the day to shuffle through many 15-minute pomodoros each day. Note: pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 😀
- Next, I created a bunch of categories, such as: Study, General, Break Diving, Showbiz, Writing, Showbiz, Money Makers, etc.
- Within each one, I added repeating tasks. For example: Create a YouTube video, Assimil Chinese Study, DC (Developing Chinese) Writing Exercises, DC Listening Exercises, Walk Around Block, Promote my book “T.R.U.S.T.”, Market My Legal Services, Write a Blog Post, etc.
- I then do two things: I give each task a first deadline, and then I give it a repeating period, i.e. every 4 days, or every 1 week, or every 2 weeks, etc. This sets it up so I have something to each day. And the tasks repeat.
- Finally, I selected the option so that it removes completed tasks when done and shows the tasks in ‘up next’ order. This way, when I finish one task, it shows me what’s next.
That’s the set up. Then, for each day, I have a list of what repeating tasks are due and upcoming, and I use the pomodoro clock for each task to focus on progressing with each in 15 minute bursts. If I want to skip ahead a day, and do a 15-minute burst on something else, I can. And it tells you when to GET UP and take a break to. FYI, I set my short breaks on the app to 3 minutes, and long breaks to 15 minutes.
Not only is it really gratifying, but I feel this app organizes my days, weeks, and months far better than any other ‘repeating task’ app out there. Plus, it’s so affordable. While other similar apps (that don’t work half as well) cost upwards of $5 per MONTH, this app is just a one-time flat fee of $1.99 as of this writing.
If you’re looking to improve your daily productivity, and get twice as much done, this app is a good place to start. It works hand in hand with my time management system, “Time Zen” which you can purchase as a book on Amazon, or as a video course on Udemy. Both are very highly rated, and are perfect complements to using this app!
TIP: For each task, don’t start the pomodoro clock normally. Click on the task, and then click the small ‘play’ button on the right. This will start the pomodoro clock for that specific task, which allows you to better track how you spend your time each day.
Finally, after you finish a pomodoro session, you can, if you like, restart the same clock and do another 15-minute burst for that same task. You’ll see the tomatoes start adding up next to that task. Pretty cool!
Now, go make things happen! I promise this app will help you get more done each day!
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