🍅 Timers never worked for me... until now

My anti-burnout set-up to get out of a study rut

Dear readers,

I mentioned how I started using the pomodoro method to avoid burning out at work. While it worked wonders when I was working from home, I couldn’t try it in-office. Between meetings and discussing designs with coworkers, my day was already full of small interruptions.

However, I did manage to use it for my hobbies. It worked so well, I thought I’d share it with you.

I was facing my worse rut in a while…

After trying a few, the best pomodoro settings for me are:

• 20 minutes of focus

• 5 minutes break

• 15 minutes break every 4 sessions

It might seem low at first, but I actually do one more round of focus with this set-up. And I feel like I’m taking breaks all the time!

As for apps, I got rid of LifeAt. While it’s a very useful tool, it doesn’t integrate with apps I already use. I have TickTick for tasks and planning, and Toggl for time tracking. They both have timer features, which was redundant with other apps.

I found that TickTick allows me to turn my tasks into convenient sticky notes on my screen. The timer also displays in my navigation bar. I can even start a timer from these notes, and reorder them in one click.

This side of my screen looks so neat! Did you notice the small timer on the top bar?

Last month, I didn’t feel like watching Korean TV any more. I had burnt out from watching TV shows for hours. Now, when I want to relax and watch some TV, I also use a timer. After 20 minutes of TV, I take a short break and reconsider if I want to keep watching or do something different. It really helps me pace myself and get some time off my screen.

I sometimes forget to stop the timer during the 5-min breaks, but can you see how I segmented my morning studying?

I’m trying to get better at using both apps. But I have to say, have such a lovely set-up is really taking some cognitive load off my mind. I feel like I have more time, while taking more breaks.

I know this is burnout season, so take it easy. This is just a reminder that better days are not far away. Do you have any tips on studying when you need to take it slow?

Have a nice week,

Best,

Lou

✍️ Dear language learner

Learn your target language with useful phrases! Here are a few to translate to test yourself. If they’re relevant to you, you can add them to your notes or spaced-repetition system.

🌱 Beginner

I studied for 20 minutes.

🌿 Intermediate

I finished my book in 3 weeks.

🌳 Advanced

I don’t feel like doing chores, so I’m studying instead.

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Thank you for reading “I heard from Lou”. It can be hard to find people who share your passion for learning. If you have friends who might like this letter, let them know.