The Pomodoro Technique

Like many artists who work on their own, I am a serial procrastinator. With no formidable boss, no early morning commute, no adrenaline inducing deadlines - I am easily distracted  by various tasks and projects which I  easily justify.  Case in point: retouching  my apartment to maintain value in New York's competitive real estate market - essential..

Or repairing the shower head before Paul, the handyman, retires to his villa in Belarus  

Or tweaking my WIFI during a three hour tech call with Manuel in Manila ...  

Followed by a much needed Chakra Yoga class to restore my equilibrium..   

Namaste or no It was time for a new approach, a system, a coach. I'd heard about Pomodoro  ..

Invented in the late 1980's by Francesco Cirillo the Pomodoro Technicque involved a small tomato shaped timer set to four 25 minute blocks of time with short breaks and a checklist of successes and lapses. After achieving four pomodoros the user is entitled to a long break before repeating the exercise. 

I set my tomato to the recommended 25 minutes and began...

One Pomodor. Two Pomodoros.  It seemed to be working..

By 3 tomatoes I had managed to ignore 3 texts, 2 FB invites, 5 #realDonaldTrump Twitters and a Capetown Skype..  The work was simply flowing out of me!

I used each 3-5 minute break for a good lumbar stretch ..

At which point I experienced a slight glitch in the Technique.  My eyes wandered across a stack of unread mailings and fell upon a golden Flyer  ... 

"New Issue of Hamilton Tickets on Sale at the Box Office - Limited Time Only!" 

If I didn't get down to the Richard Rogers box office before noon -  I'd be the only remaining woman in Manhattan without Hamilton bragging rights!!  

Besides, if the N train ran on time I'd be back before my next Pomodoro rang!

"Sound of alarm sputtering"...