pomodoro (technique that is)

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:37 am

One thing that I struggled with after being desperately ill with MC for 24 months with MC was how junky my house got. I'm not a neat nick and I'm not a hoarder but I was kind of depressed by the piles of stuff all over my house. About 13 months ago when I started feeling better/got my energy back I began using the pomodoro technique to clean up my house. I set my cell phone timer for 25 minutes and focus on one small task. I've been trying to do 1 or 2 pomodoros (25 minute at a time cleanup of one small area) a day for the last 13 months. It is amazing how good my house looks now.

Here is some extra info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
http://baomee.info/pdf/technique/1.pdf
http://pomodorotechnique.com/

Link two gives good info.

Brandy

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:35 am

Thanks, I think............

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:11 pm

I think that is an excellent strategy for your brain. Tell yourself....really? folding that laundry will literally take 5 minutes. Easier said than done with MC fatigue.

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:33 pm

Thanks, Brandy! I started my own "mini" version of this. Every area in my home needed attention. I made myself deal with at least one area every day. It could be as small as cleaning out one drawer but if I wanted to continue I did. Some days one small drawer was enough and all my energy would allow. Slowly, as I've made headway, it's gotten easier. I'm still working on it! Deb

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:45 pm

I learned Italian some years ago, and pomodore was tomatos.

How did pompodore go from food to cleaning up?

Poor Italians :-)

Lilia

Post by **tex** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 6:33 pm

Lilia,

The guy who developed the technique visualized a timer in the shape of a tomato, so he named it after that.

I agree with you — he had an odd way of looking at things.

Tex

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:44 am

Thank you, Tex. What a funny name :-)

Sometimes, postponing things can drain your energy even more than just doing the things you are postponing.
I'm a doer - when I'm not ill.

Lilia

nerdhume · Post by **nerdhume** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 6:09 am

I have used the 15 minute flylady technique for years. I think the stress of things that need attention is worse than actually doing it. Why stress over emptying the dishwasher? 5 minutes!
Today I am a little stressed with the laundry pile from my trip and the house after DH was here a week by himself

CathyMe. · Post by **CathyMe.** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:22 am

Theresa,
I'm a huge fan of the Flylady method as well. I use her ideas to keep my bathroom spotless and now that I'm feeling better I damp mop my house 1 a day....takes 15 minutes and my house is always in good shape!

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:36 pm

I love the saying: "The most exhausting task is the one that has yet to be started!"

Polly

humbird753 · Post by **humbird753** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:55 pm

Brandy, I had the same feeling about my house. The extreme fatigue from MC made even the smallest of tasks very difficult. My DH was very helpful, but my standards were higher so I felt I was watching my house literally fall apart before my eyes. I continued to work full time, but didn't have the energy level to maintain my home the way I wanted to. Now that my energy has increased I am doing so much more. I like your idea of focusing on one task, and in time it will all look so much better. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who had things get pretty out of hand at home. Thanks for sharing this.

Paula

nerdhume · Post by **nerdhume** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:13 am

humbird753 wrote:Brandy, I had the same feeling about my house. The extreme fatigue from MC made even the smallest of tasks very difficult. My DH was very helpful, but my standards were higher so I felt I was watching my house literally fall apart before my eyes. I continued to work full time, but didn't have the energy level to maintain my home the way I wanted to. Now that my energy has increased I am doing so much more. I like your idea of focusing on one task, and in time it will all look so much better. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who had things get pretty out of hand at home. Thanks for sharing this.

Paula

I prayed that my tolerance for dirt would match DH because he will clean something if it is past his tolerance level and I am OCD. All I can say after 1 1/2 years of MC is be very careful what you pray for