I’ve put my own twist on the Pomodoro Technique and embedded it in a magic daily work ritual that has changed my life and help me do more than I ever thought possible, like writing a million words in five years.
We hate breaks. They don’t do anything.
My uncle Wu-Wei says otherwise. He is a master of the ancient Taoist notion of “the action of non-action”. He achieves while doing nothing and he has mastered the Art of The Break.
Regular breaks are the hardest part of the Pomodoro Technique. But it wouldn’t be called a discipline if it didn’t make you do things you don’t want too. If you practice the discipline, and take them regularly, you will learn things you never knew. Besides, taking regular breaks are the key to achieving your first Fulday, with 16 pomodoros done in a single day, without being wiped out.
Westerners think that the key to productivity is hard work. They hyperfocus and “work, work, work”. But what if breaks helped you do more and do it better?
I only recently became truly aware of how powerful and important breaks are.
Breaks aren’t empty wastes of time. They’re pregnant with opportunity. Like a pause at the right time in your sentence, they are the blue note that makes the song of your actions sing.
That’s why I rarely miss my 5 minutes at the end of every 25 minutes. Even if I have to drag myself away from my computer. Why? They’re the perfect time to do some yoga, drink some plain water, do conscious breathing, and a hell of a lot more.
This brings us back to Uncle Wu-Wei, the master of the action of non-action. He informs me the key to success is knowing when to take action and when to take non-action. That’s something to think about.
In the meantime, listen in as I tell you how to stop being busy all the time and start being effective, by mastering the Art of the Break.
With humble gratitude. Thanks for listening. I hope this gift helps you live the life of your dreams somehow.
