Struggling to stay focused during work or study sessions? This time-management method, created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, is simple and extremely effective.
Here’s how it works:
Set a Timer: Decide on a task, then set a timer for 25 minutes—this is one “Pomodoro.”
Work with Intensity: Dedicate those 25 minutes solely to the task, avoiding all distractions.
Take a Short Break: When the timer rings, take a 5-minute break to recharge. Set a five minute timer if necessary and go get water, use the restroom, do something unrelated to reset your mind as your brains palate cleanser.
Repeat and Rest: After four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15–30 minutes.
The technique leverages time-boxing to help you focus on manageable chunks of work. It also reduces mental fatigue by incorporating regular breaks, making it easier to sustain productivity throughout the day.
Start with the classic 25/5 cycle and revise as needed. You may find that some tasks you can spend more than 25 minutes on and maintain productivity, you may find that 10 minutes of deep work is enough for others.
The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool for prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance, helping engineers stay focused on what matters most. Here’s how to effectively use it in your daily work and delegate tasks efficiently.
The Matrix Breakdown
Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important: Do these tasks immediately (e.g., critical bug fixes).
Quadrant 2: Important, Not Urgent: Plan to do these later (e.g., long-term refactoring). Give them a date or deadline so they’re not forgotten, but don’t plan to actively work on them until Quadrant 1 items have been completed.
Quadrant 3: Urgent, Not Important: Delegate these (e.g., repetitive data entry).
Quadrant 4: Not Urgent, Not Important: Avoid or deprioritize (e.g., low-value distractions).
Daily Use in Engineering
Start Your Day:
List all tasks, including coding, debugging, and operational work.
Categorize them into the four quadrants.
Focus on Quadrant 1:
Ensure critical work and strategic goals get your attention.
Figure out Quadrant 2:
These are great to set a deadline for that isn’t immediate.
Delegate Quadrant 3:
Assign setup or administrative tasks (e.g., creating accounts, updating spreadsheets) to support staff or possibly junior team members.
Remove Items in Quadrant 4
These should be de-prioritized.
Most of the time these are things like social meetings. Discussions that don’t need to immediately be taken to move forward billable work. Sometimes they’re tasks that are not impacting and can be removed from your mind for the sprint.
Can these tasks be moved to another sprint? Can they be added as a fast-follow after a deployment? Can they be removed entirely as a “wont do” because they’re unnecessary?
Review Regularly:
Reassess tasks daily to adapt to changing priorities. Day-to-day priorities can shift. Checking in regularly with Project Management or Product Managers can help you re-evaluate if there has been any shifting priorities.
Some Examples
Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important (Do Immediately)
Fixing a production outage or critical bug.
Reviewing a time-sensitive pull request blocking a release.
Resolving broken CI/CD pipelines.
Quadrant 2: Important, Not Urgent (Plan to Do)
Refactoring legacy code for better maintainability.
Researching and proposing a new tech stack for a future project.
Writing technical documentation for internal tools.
Quadrant 3: Urgent, Not Important (Delegate)
Setting up user accounts or configuring environments.
Gathering data for a report or presentation.
Responding to non-critical support requests or inquiries.
Quadrant 4: Not Urgent, Not Important (Eliminate or Deprioritize)
Engaging in prolonged Slack discussions about non-essential topics.
Experimenting with a low-priority feature idea.
Tweaking visual elements that don’t impact user experience or functionality.
Delegation Tips
Clearly define expectations for tasks you delegate.
Use templates or checklists to streamline repetitive work.
Provide access to tools or training if the task is unfamiliar to the person you’re delegating to.
By leveraging the Eisenhower Matrix, you’ll maximize productivity, focus on impactful work, and empower your team to handle support tasks effectively. Start using it today to bring clarity and balance to your engineering workflow!
Why should I use Zettelkasten if I’m an engineer, programmer, coder etc. and not an academic currently enrolled in college? No matter your role, the Zettelkasten method is an effective way to:
Retain complex concepts.
Encourage active recall and deep learning.
Connect ideas across different domains (e.g., programming, architecture, debugging, UX, UI, design).
Core Principles
Atomic Notes:
Write each note as a single, self-contained concept.
Example: A note titled “String manipulation algorithms” with a brief explanation and examples.
Links Between Notes:
Create connections between related notes to reveal patterns.
Example: Link “String manipulation algorithms” to “Common Algorithm Complexities.”
Unique Identifiers:
Use consistent tags or IDs for referencing.
Example: Tags like #algorithms, #frontend, #debugging.
Fleeting, Permanent, and Literature Notes:
Fleeting Notes: Quick, unrefined ideas (e.g., notes from a debugging session).
Permanent Notes: Refined, reusable concepts (e.g., summary of HTTP/2 features).
Literature Notes: Insights from articles, books, or documentation.
I personally keep mine organized as Capture, Refine, and a Finalize section. Finalize is for moving items to the Digital Garden as a final step. I don’t consider anything “complete” or “permanent” but I do like to make sure those initial scratches of fleeting notes have been through a first round of refinement before I can publish them.
I also keep sub-categories within each so I can organize.
Use markdown files or specific Zettelkasten plugins.
Capture Learning Moments:
From code reviews, projects, and technical reading.
Example: After solving a tricky async issue, write a note explaining the problem and solution.
Link Topics:
Example: Link “Promise.all in JavaScript” to “Handling API Requests in React.”
Tag Notes Strategically:
Use tags like #bugs, #performance, or #UX.
Group related concepts for easier navigation.
Regularly Review:
Revisit notes to refine them and find new connections.
Example: Add insights from a new debugging tool to an existing “Common Debugging Techniques” note.
Benefits for Engineering
Less day-to-day memorization: Sometimes problem-solving doesn’t lead to retention and memorizing concepts. This process helps core retention while enabling yourself to move onto the next task knowing that you’ll be able to return to these notes if the need occurs.
Improved Problem-Solving: Access interconnected knowledge for faster troubleshooting.
Career Growth: Build a knowledge base to reference in presentations, mentoring, or blogging.
Cross-Disciplinary Thinking: Discover insights across engineering domains, like linking UX principles to performance optimizations.
Example Workflow
Encounter a new concept: “WebAssembly Basics.”
Create a fleeting note during research or learning.
Refine it into a permanent note with concise definitions, examples, and use cases.
Link it to related topics like “JavaScript Performance” or “C++ in the Browser.”
The Zettelkasten methodology isn’t just for academics—it’s a powerful way for engineers to systematically build, organize, and leverage knowledge. By creating a personal knowledge network, you’ll enhance your ability to learn, teach, and innovate.
