I’ve recently adopted a new work routine, inspired by the increasingly-popular Pomodoro Technique, but modified for my particular purposes. It’s made such a difference to my sanity and productivity working from home or from the road that I’m eager to share it. Take the tips that work for you, and, as always, modify it to fit your life/workstyle.

The Rules

Rule #1: Set a timer for 40 minutes, and focus that time on a particular project, client, or area of your work.

Setting the timer forces you to get started on a task, without worrying about a to-do list or deadlines. Personally, when I’m deadline-focused, I tend to procrastinate. When I’m to-do list focused, I find excuses to put things off and spend too much time on the tasks that I enjoy but don’t necessarily need to be done now.

The timer adds motivation in two ways:

1) By starting the timer and saying, “This 40 minutes will be spent on Client A,” I have to focus on work for Client A, and can’t be distracted by something more exciting (like my blog or WIP). Even when I’m ahead of schedule for a project, I still set aside some time each day for that project, in order to stay ahead, rather than, say, getting ahead a month and then ignoring it for a month.

2) By setting the timer for 40 minutes, I know that after 40 minutes, I can stop working for Client A and move on to the next thing. This alleviates the overwhelm that comes with staring down a huge to-do list for a client or project and allows me to work steadily to get the work done.

Rule #2: When the timer goes off, take a break. Take 5-10 minutes to stretch, check email, Tweet, read Facebook, etc.

Pulling out of a trance periodically is vital to a healthy work day. The regular buzz of the timer jolts you out of that trance and reminds you to take care of yourself for a few minutes. Conversely, waiting for those breaks to check email and social networks keeps you from being distracted by incoming messages and alerts while you should be focused on other work. (This is at the core of the original Pomodoro Technique.)

Rule #3: Spend 40 minutes during the workday away from the computer.

You may not always work for hours on end — one of the benefits of working for yourself! — but when you do, a break is important. In addition to the regular 5-10 minute breaks between each “session”, set a timer (I do it around lunchtime) for a 40-minute break and get away from the computer. Eat a meal away from your desk, stretch all of your muscles, wash the dishes, tidy a room outside of your office, etc.

Rule #4: Set aside a block of time at the beginning and end of each work day to read and answer emails.

Taking care of the most important correspondence and clearing your inbox at the beginning of each day will help you stay on top of it and keep it from distracting you from more important work throughout the day. By setting aside time at the end of the day, you won’t have to worry about checking each message as it comes in, because you know you’ll be able to get to it within a few hours (which is quickly enough!)

Rule #5: Spend no more than 40 minutes a day on planning.

This rule is vital for me. I plan, scheme, plot, and brainstorm obsessively over new story and business ideas. It’s hard for me to stop when a strong wave of ideas hits, and I can sit making lists and schedules for hours, not really making progress on anything. So I use one of my blocks during the day to plan, plot, and brainstorm, and I don’t let myself go back to planning until the next day. The rest of my time has to be spent producing.

Rule #6: Use a to-do list and calendar to keep track of to-do items and deadlines.

Even if you manage work based on time, rather than tasks or deadlines, you’ll still face both of these. Keep them straight by entering due dates and other to-do items into a tool like TeuxDeux or a calendar app. I check my list at the beginning and end of each day to make sure I’m not butting up against deadlines, or to prioritize items if I am. But then, I put it away. I don’t obsess over crossing off items; I go back to spending each block of time producing.