Learning to code takes a lot of work. Even if you answer big questions (like “Where do I start?” and “What should I study next?), you’re left with the task of learning more. With text messaging, social media, emails, and websites as possible distractions, it is easy to lose focus while studying. To be an efficient student, it helps to develop systems to optimize your time learning.
This is where the Pomodoro method can help. This focus-based time management method is designed to keep you productive and accountable while studying.
So, how can the Pomodoro Technique keep your coding study on track?
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method based on 30-minute intervals consisting of 25 minutes of focused study and 5 minutes of break. This popular method for focused learning first appeared in the 1980s.
The idea behind this method is that you only stay focused and retain information on a subject for a short amount of time. Long periods of unbroken learning reflect willpower rather than the ability to comprehend information.
Software Engineering involves consuming dense, technical ideas and documentation. Blogs may be easier to read than API documents, but both require intense concentration to retain and comprehend their content. Looking at either for too long without a break will lead to burnout.
Using the Pomodoro Technique, you can ensure that you study for periods where you can actively learn.
While the main benefit of this method is enabling you to study for long periods, another benefit is the visualization of how you use your time. At the end of each interval, you place a mark on a tracker. It can be a calendar, whiteboard, or piece of paper that shows you have completed an interval.
If you aim to self-study for 4 hours daily, seeing 8 X’s on your tracker shows you are keeping pace. This is a great way to keep yourself accountable for your study schedule over days and weeks.
The thinking behind this method is not exact, so you should feel free to play around with the interval lengths. You could do hour-long intervals with 45 minutes of focused activity and 15 minutes of breaks. Try different methods until you find the perfect setup for your study needs.
Take Your Learning to the Next Level
You may want to check out a bootcamp if you are actively transitioning into a software engineering career but don’t have a structure for learning. Through structured lectures and self-paced learning, bootcamps such as Thinkful’s Software Engineering Bootcamp can take you from zero knowledge to a full-stack web developer in just five months.