In the world of fitness, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) combines bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest or lower intensity exercise. Using this HIIT method, athletes can maximize their training benefits in a reduced period of time. There is some evidence to show that adjusting the workday to resemble a high-intensity interval training session can improve productivity.

Working in intervals to increase productivity is not new. In the late 1980s, Francesco Cirillo developed the Pomodoro Technique which he named after his tomato-shaped kitchen timer. (Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato.) In this method, 25-minute periods of work are separated by a three to five-minute break. Every fourth break is longer, about 15 minutes.

Last year, the Draugiem Group studied its employees using their software DeskTime and found their most productive employees arranged their day to work in cycles of uninterrupted work followed by a break. The results showed the ideal productivity cycle was 52 minutes of work, followed by a 17-minute break. This is similar to both the Pomodoro and the HIIT fitness cycle — work hard, break, work hard, break, repeat.

What is the best work/break time interval to use?

Just like HIIT training is adjusted for each athlete and each sport, you can adjust your productivity intervals as well. Choosing the best work/rest time interval depends on a number of factors. Your mental/physical/emotional state, the type of work you are doing, and the time of day will all influence the work to rest ratio.

To find what works best for you, set a timer when you start working on a task. Work as long as you feel comfortable and stop the timer when you start looking for distractions or get fidgety. In a notebook (either paper or electronic) write down the duration of that time period, the time of day and the type of work you were doing. Continue doing this for a few days for different tasks at different times of the day to notice your work pattern.

Estimate a break period at about 25% of the length of your work period. If you work for 60 minutes, your break period should be about 15 minutes. Remember that during your break period you should not be doing any work. Leave your computer station and stretch, get a snack, or take a walk.

How should I track intervals?

A timer, stopwatch, or clock works best when you are initially determining your time/break periods. This simple digital timer from Canadian Tire counts up and counts down. It has a magnet to stick to a whiteboard or a stand so it can sit on your desk. The pre-installed timer/clock app on your smartphone can also be used.

Once you have your interval pattern set, you might find it time-consuming to continually set and reset your timer. There are several different software applications for your phone and computer that you can pre-program. Once programmed, you only need to start the application once and it counts the work and break intervals sounding a different alarm at the beginning of each period.

Will using intervals really increase my productivity?

In today’s world where distractions abound and multitasking is expected, focusing intently during the work interval will likely feel unnatural in the beginning. You can start by using shorter work intervals and longer break intervals until you build up your stamina. Gradually lengthen your work intervals and shorten your break intervals.

Also, you may not wish to use productivity intervals all day, every day. Athletes only use HIIT on certain days as it is fairly exhausting. If you have implemented time blocking techniques, you can decide in which time blocks the productivity intervals will work best. Perhaps you decide that you will only use this technique when researching a paper or writing proposals.

The value of productivity intervals is that they, encourage you to do what you need to do when you need to do it. The intervals can be easily adjusted to suit anyone at any time, from students to office workers, to entrepreneurs.

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