The Flowtime Technique: What It Is And How It Works When Applied To Work
The Flowtime technique is a method of performing tasks that uses work intervals and rest periods as rewards to maximize subject productivity.
The innovative thing about this technique is that it allows greater adaptation to the characteristics of the subject, the type of task, as well as different variables that can influence its execution and state of concentration. In this way, this greater flexibility will work better with tasks that require greater creativity, greater concentration time, or that are of greater interest to the subject.
In order to apply this work strategy well, we must record the task period, the breaks we take or the distractions we have, so that with this greater control we can also know which plan benefits the most for each person, which one best suits them. their lifestyle, their personality and we can thus take advantage of the “flow” period of maximum concentration and production of the subject.
In this article Let’s see what the Flowtime technique is which will allow you to be more productive and make better use of your work time, pointing out how you should apply it, as well as the main differences it shows with another well-known method, the Pomodoro technique.
The Flowtime technique consists of a study or work method to be as productive as possible. In this way, we set a work time and a rest period always adapted to the lifestyle, personality and type of work or study carried out by the individual.
Thus, to proceed with carrying out this technique we must choose a specific task that we want to perform, record the start time and start working, stop and take a break when we notice that it is necessary and write down the time, set the rest time. We will take and repeat the cycle until we finish the established task.
This method, as we already mentioned, will take into account the different individual variables of the subject and the task that needs to be done, also being more adaptable with respect to schedules, work time and breaks. The main objective will be to know which procedure or method works best for each subject to be as productive as possible, without cutting or limiting their work and giving them the time they need both to carry out the task and to rest.
If we look at the terms that make up the name of the technique, it also gives us more information about its consistency. It is composed of the English word “time” which means time, since this method requires tracking and recording task and rest time and the word “flow”, this concept is defined as a state in which the subject is totally concentrated on the task, he feels in control of it and loses temporal orientation, time passes faster and his self-awareness is diminished, since he is 100% focused on the work he is doing.
Once the concept of “flow” is understood, it will be very important to take advantage of this state of maximum concentration and productivity and not cut or interrupt it since we may not be able to recover it after taking a break.
How to apply it to work?
Taking into account the description made of the technique, the way of applying it will be quite flexible and adaptable to the needs of each individual. Thus, first we will select which task we want to execute (it is essential to have clear objectives). To start introducing the method, it may help you to first consider simpler tasks so when you have more mastery of it, work with more complex and time-consuming tasks.
Once the task has been set, we will start the work period by writing down the start time. It will be essential that we keep a record and write down all the breaks or breaks we take and the time of work done This organization of time will depend on each person, how they feel, their state of fatigue and concentration, so there will not be a set schedule or any timer that marks the breaks, but the indicator will be our concentration and our ability to to continue working, it is not useful or productive to continue with the task if we feel tired and our attention is not focused on it, it will be better to stop and then continue with more energy and desire.
Thus, it will not be necessary to set a rigid schedule, nor follow a work time established by others, but it will depend on oneself. The proposed interval is very flexible and ranges from 10 to 90 minutes , depending on the characteristics of each subject and the type of task performed. We can also continue working even if the time exceeds the 90-minute interval, setting an alarm after 15 minutes.
In reference to rest, this will be proportional to the time worked, assuming 10 to 50% of this , and also taking into account what state you are in and whether you feel prepared to undertake the task again with your concentration restored and with all your abilities. If you notice that you can no longer perform at all and that you are not able to be productive, it is better to leave the task and rest for a long period of time.
In the same way, we will have to take into account that there are different variables that may affect: the type of task (making an outline is not the same as reading a topic), if we have all day to do the task or we have to do other activities. , or if we are better or worse at the job we are doing.
Making notes to better organize yourself when working
When we record homework and rest time, it is recommended to also write down the interruptions we have had whether from other people, a call, a message or stimuli from our environment that may have distracted our attention.
For example, you can work for about 25 minutes and proceed to take a 5-minute break; perform homework for 25 to 50 minutes and rest for 8 minutes; Work for 50 to 90 minutes, then take a 10-minute break, or if you can stay on task for 90 minutes, take a 15-minute break.
Differences between the Flowtime Technique and the Pomodoro
The Pomodoro technique is also a method used to study and work by controlling the time we spend on the task and the time we are resting. It has some similar features with the Flowtime method , as the concretion and setting of an objective on which we will focus our work; In addition, multitasking is not carried out in it, time is organized and breaks are allowed.
But unlike the Flowtime technique, the Pomodoro is much more rigid, marking time in a much more concrete way and not adapting so much to the characteristics or personality of each subject or the type of work.
The period in the Pomodoro method consists of working for 25 minutes and resting for 5 minutes ; This way, when you have done 4 blocks in a row, you can rest for 15 to 20 minutes. But this time or work interval does not work for all tasks or for all individuals; It could be that we are concentrated and the alarm goes off, distracting us and cutting us off from our work, causing us to lose our rhythm or in tasks of greater creativity where a longer period is needed to start being productive, the 25 minutes may fall short.
The Pomodoro technique is not a bad work strategy, although it will be more focused on more repetitive tasks s where it is necessary for us to be concentrated or tasks that we do not like, since having short intervals set and rest time established as a reward can motivate us and help us maintain our concentration better. But when greater flexibility is necessary or more creativity is required, it will be more advisable to use the Flowtime technique if we want to be more productive and allow time for the state of flow to appear.
On the other hand, the Flowtime method not only allows us to adapt the working time to our capabilities, but it will also make it easier for the intervals to be different. We know that our concentration is not the same during the morning as it is at night, and that there are individuals who work better first thing in the day or others who are more nocturnal and work better later in the day. Therefore, the Flowtime strategy It will allow longer periods and shorter periods with more or less extensive rest intervals depending on the time of day or the state of the subject
Thus, we see how the Pomodoro method proposes an external control, that is, there is a timer and a preset time that will mark when we should stop and when to return to work; On the other hand, the Flowtime technique presents an internal control, depending more on the physiological or cognitive state of the subject, he himself will be the one who decides when to stop, when his mind can’t take it anymore.
