Bernard O'Shea: Can this catchy technique help me focus?

Could the Pomodoro technique help you focus, or is it another trendy productivity hack?

Bernard O'Shea. Photograph Moya Nolan

Have you ever sat down to work only to watch cat videos for hours? One moment, you’re determined to tackle those dusty emails that you were supposed to respond to last week, and the next, you’re deep into the rabbit hole of YouTube, watching videos about the history of Prussia.

Francesco Cirillo invented the Pomodoro Technique in the late 1980s. It’s based on the idea that breaking work into intervals, usually 25 minutes long, with short breaks in between, can boost productivity and concentration. Scientific studies suggest that focused intervals followed by breaks reduce mental fatigue and improve overall performance. The method leverages the brain’s natural attention span, typically 20-30 minutes. However, social media has surpassed that to under three seconds (yep, that’s terrifying!) But how effective could it really be for someone as easily distracted as me?