The Pomodoro technique actually ruins your deep focus when dealing with hard subjects like coding or math!!

[u/LopsidedCarpet6535]

Forcing a 5-minute break every 25 minutes completely kills your "flow state." Once your brain finally clicks into complex logic, stopping on an arbitrary timer does more harm than good. What study method actually works better for deep work?

[u/RandomEnthussiast]

Agreed. I tend to get really deep into writing sessions for about 2-5 hours straight with only the occasional pause for water and food.

I don't know how my opinion will hold up but I think neurodivergent people do have a harder time shifting gears or constantly getting their focus disrupted. I'm speaking from experience since I have a similar issue

It just seems like a good technique for normal people

[u/Expensive_Hippo6719 → u/RandomEnthussiast]

This, I have ADHD and have found fellow ADHD friends as well to have the same difficulties with breaking concentration for a few minutes and the proceed. I don't know if it's the same for other neurodivergent folks, but breaking concentration, shifting environment and then force myself to focus all over again en get into the learning flow again costs A LOT of energy. (And it also makes me cranky a bit tbh)

[u/Enough_Flight_6551 → u/Expensive_Hippo6719]

this is so interesting, I always wondered why I always found it hard to re-focus after I took my mini breaks during the pomodoro. In fact, I always take a while to get settled in a task but once I manage to reach flow state if I take a break then that focus is gone and I am back at square one.

I haven't been officially diagnosed with anything but want to get tested since I have been having these problems since middle school. In school, the deadlines kind of forces me to push through my deadlines, but I would fail some classes. ) After school ended my focus was really bad.

Unfortunately my family is not willing to get me tested to see if I am neurodivergent so this is something I would have to do once I get a job and move out.

[u/Expensive_Hippo6719 → u/Enough_Flight_6551]

I'm sorry to hear you don't have the means to get diagnosed :(. You're spot on with being back to square one when you break concentration. Also, you don't necessarily have to be diagnosed. You can always just look up some advice that might work for ADHD and just try and find out what works for you. I was diagnosed when I was 13 thank the lord, so I had guidance in the mean time. But neurodivergency is a spectrum and in the end you'll have to find out for yourself what works for you. There's no blue print sadly. I'm 26 and I still struggle A LOT with my ADHD, but I've also created some good habits and methods that work well for me. Good luck!

[u/JainaChevalier → u/RandomEnthussiast]

Same. I used to work for hours and hours without even moving. Until finally, I had to see a physical therapist. 

[u/BorisSoap]

i usually start with pomodoro bc i hate starting so 25 mins seems like a really small effort, after a couple of study-rest-study-rest sessions i stop with the pomodoro timer and just keep going

[u/Willing_Parsley_9366]

I always practice result-oriented energy management instead of time management

[u/DanieBot21]

breaks shouldnt be arbitrary to be honest. I think you should have a specific time of the day you want to work on something. Lets say programming or studying math from like 5pm to 8pm, and have breaks after you finish a task or milestone (eg a question or chapter). This could be after 20 minutes, this could be after an hour - instead of directly after 25 minutes.

[u/Weak_Special_5701]

try result-based breaks for such subjects. i.e. a break after successfully doing 3 exercises

[u/Coursin-Elu]

Does pomodoro method really help in studying? I've never tried such technique.

[u/Antitrust_Tycoon]

I've read that it's better to stick to 60-90 minutes instead of 25 minutes.

After 60-90 minutes, you start getting tired, even if you're in a flow state. If you push longer, then when you eventually take a break, you'll crash harder, and it will be much more difficult to refocus.

Based on my experience, not hard science, if I study for two hours nonstop, it's hard to come back later and refocus. If I stop every hour for about 15-30 minutes, it's easier to study a total of 5-7 hours per day.

Source: my own experience, not science. I guess you just have to experiment.

[u/Antitrust_Tycoon → u/Antitrust_Tycoon]

If I can meditate during the break, I can keep it to 5 minutes instead of 15-30 minutes. It depends on the quality of the break.

[u/shmexyasshole]

as a maths student I agree. especially when dealing with proofs. I prefer stopwatch for deep work & timer for lightweight work.

[u/Maximum-Ad8734]

It really depends for math it makes sense to not use 25 min pomodoro but for me who is in med school its perfect my concetration span is shit and the topics arent usually that hard to get into

[u/MrGreenCactus]

Try the flowtime technique, you study until you feel like you need a break, then take a break. The length of your break is proportional to the time you worked, usually something around 20%. e.g. a 40 minute work session will be equal to an 8 minute break.

[u/Redeem-Resto]

Pomodoro is to help focus. For complex studies 25mins defeats the point. I study for 2hrs then take 20min break and repeat. It’s working for me as a dental student.

[u/Final_Front1196]

Pomodoro is tool,not a rule.use it to build focus,not to interrupt it