Need to break up with procrastination? Try a Pomodoro!

Deborah DeLue • November 13, 2020

The Art of Applied Visual Thinking


The official newsletter of Applied Visual Thinking SUPERHEROES.  Vol. 1 No.

Nov 13, 2020


Procrastination can happen to the best of us. On a good day, you give yourself a gentle nudge or swift kick and get moving, but sometimes you need a little extra help.

What do tomatoes (pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato) have
to do with overcoming procrastination, you may ask, more than you may think. 
According to Wikipedia, "The Pomodoro Technique" is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.
Tomoto kitchen timer

Ready to break up with procrastination? 


Grab yourself a copy of the free template, and dive in.

AVT Pomodoro Template
  • Step 1: Fill in each quadrant with a portion of the task you've been avoiding. Have fun with it, use color and
    hierarchy, add icons, give it some pizzaz! 
  • Step 2: Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of each 25-minute interval by adding what you'll do on your breaks. It could be a cup of tea, a stretch, a snack, or a
    5-minute power nap; let your imagination run wild. 
  • Step 3: Set up your materials, and whatever else you need to work on your task, settle in, set a timer (any timer will do,
    but if you have a tomato timer, all the better), and get to work. Once the timer goes off, take a short break and repeat until you've completed your pomodoro. 
  • Step 4: Create another pomodoro with your next four tasks. Visualizing your next four tasks now will help you get a jump start on your next session. Don't forget to schedule time on your calendar for your next session. If it isn't scheduled,
    it isn't real!
     
  • Step 5: Celebrate your success by giving yourself a high five and take a longer break


Don't have time to do all four quadrants in one sitting?
No problem, try planning your pomodoro over a few
days or a couple of weeks. 

Progress breaks procrastination. 

Breaking up with procrastination can be fast, fun, and easy with a pomodoro and a little applied visual thinking. Grab a free copy of the Pomodoro template and get ready to break up with procrastination. 

Grab Your Free Template Now!
How to draw a clock step by step

After you finish your pomodoro take a break with a little drawing practice!


Share with a friend

Drawing of the life cycle of a turtle
By Sheri Kennedy June 6, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6, No 12 - June 6, 2025 - See how a simple circle expands the possibilities.
By Deborah DeLue May 23, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 11 - May 23, 2025 - Connecting the Dots: Big Ideas from Simple Marks
A drawing of an inflatable LuminAID lantern charging a cell phone
By Sheri Kennedy May 9, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 10 - How women in tech and visual thinking light the way for human-centered solutions.
Someone widening their skill by practicing adjacent hobbies.
By Deborah DeLue April 24, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Think Vol. 6 No. 9 - Widen your skills with adjacencies.
people at a whiteboard holding markers. 3 green arrows point upward different directions. Co-Create
By Sheri Kennedy April 11, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 8 April 11, 2025 - Shining a light on the Co-Create type of conversations.
Person holding a consulting type conversation
By Deborah DeLue March 26, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 7 March 28, 2025 4 Types of Conversations Part 3 of 4 - Consult
Drawing of someone telling people something
By Sheri Kennedy March 14, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 6 March 14, 2025 - A deep dive into the Tell Conversation Type, plus a nod to Pi Day
The 4 types of conversations - Sell, Tell, Consult and Co-Create
By Deborah DeLue February 27, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 5 February 28, 2025 - A Conversation Types overview, plus visual tools to use with the Sell.
four icons - yellow circle with radiating shapes, red heart, orange burst, gray cloud
By Sheri Kennedy February 14, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 4 February 14, 2025 - Emotions can feel complicated. Untangle them using visual thinking.
Person visualizing their emotions
By Deborah DeLue January 31, 2025
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking Vol. 6 No. 3 January 31, 2025 - Apply your visual superpowers to mastering your emotions.
Show More