In an effort to increase my personal effectiveness I've recently been experimenting with different productivity techniques.  Over the past couple weeks I've attempted to use the Pomodoro approach to task execution.  I've modified the "official" pattern but tried to stay true to it's intent.  My spin on it consists of the following steps:

Set Up

1. Create a catalog of like sized tasks I want to complete.  These tasks don't have to be related but usually are smaller bits of a larger project.  The catalog is prioritize and ordered.  The tasks don't all have to be the same size but it helps to keep the Pomodoros same duration.

2. Arrange a distraction free environment for the duration of the upcoming Pomodoro.  This means shutting down email, IM, TweetDeck, and closing all potentially distracting browser tabs.  If I'm working in a common area I'll either move to somewhere more secluded or put my headphones in to avoid potential interruption.

3. Make sure the stage is set, meaning, make sure all the necessary software is running and projects are open.  No sense wasting the first two minutes of the cycle opening text editors and spinning up servers, etc.

Execute

4. Set a timer.  For me I'm using the simple Pomodoro Timer app for my iPhone.  This works well for me although it seems some people prefer a physical kitchen timer for this.  I find that 20 or 25 minutes work best, more than that you lose the drive to get to the finish and with less time you don't accomplish enough.

5. Do work!

6. Take a 5 minute break and GOTO step 4 until task catalog is complete.  Obviously you'll want to keep the list manageable.  I would suggest not putting more items in the catalog than you can actually accomplish in a set of sequential Pomodoros as this leads to chronic spillage on to the next task list.  You get a nice mental kick when you throw away a completed list.

It sounds like a lot of setup for just 20 or 25 minutes of heads-down time but the ritual really does put me in the mental space to knock something out.  I'm finding that I can run three Pomodoros with 5 minute breaks before I need a longer break or inevitably get pulled into a meeting or something more distracting.  

Although I haven't yet experienced it, I hear people say good things about employing this technique while pairing as it keeps a virtual carrot in front of the pair and relieves the pressure valve every 20/25 minutes or so.