[improve yourself, stop being average]

[使自己進步，不再只淪為平庸]

So if you're the kind of person that wants to learn things faster, or finish a day's work in two to three hours, then this video might actually help you.

如果你想要以更快的速度學習，或是在 2 到 3 個小時內將一天的工作量做完，那麼這支影片會對你有所幫助。

I know I was a slow learner and it took me three years to be below average at playing guitar, three whole years when I could've been there in one third of the time.

我知道自己學習速度很慢，我花了 3 年學吉他，技巧卻還是低於一般水準，原本只需要一年時間，我卻花了整整 3 年。

I really enjoy learning new stuff so I had to change my approach.

我真的很喜歡學習新事物，所以我必須改變學習方式。

After few weeks of searching, I've encountered an idea that really helped me to go crazy fast through the learning curve.

經過幾週的探索後，我偶然發現了一個能幫助我快速學習的方法。

I used it to learn programming, and literally I was amazed.

我用這個方法學習程式設計，而我真的對它感到驚艷。

I was confident in Android and finished my first freelance project in just four months.

我對安卓系統十分有把握，而我在四個月內完成我第一個獨自探索的企劃。

When I think back, I am so glad that I stumbled upon the concept, because I would've wasted 12 months for something I've learned in four.

當我回想時，我很慶幸我在偶然間發現了這個方法，沒有這個方法的話，我可能會浪費一年的時間學習可以在四個月內學成的事。

So what helped me, is the Pomodoro Technique.

幫助我的方法為「番茄工作法」。

It was invented in the early 90s by Francesco Cirillo, it was named after the kitchen timer, shaped like a tomato, he used to track his work as a university student.

Francesco Cirillo 在 1990 初期發明了「番茄工作法」，他大學時常用形狀像番茄的廚房定時器追蹤他的工作進展，這個時間法由此命名。

And it goes like this.

番茄工作法如同以下的說明。

First, pick something you want to work on, set a timer for 25 minutes, and focus extremely hard on the task you are working on, if a distraction pops in your head, write it down on a piece of paper and get back on the task immediately.

首先，選擇你要做的事並定時 25 分鐘，全神貫注在這件事情上，如果突然有分心的念頭浮出，將它寫在紙上並趕緊將專注力放回正在做的事情上。

After the timer rings, take a five-minute break.

在定時器響後，休息五分鐘。

That is one Pomodoro session.

這是番茄工作法的一個區段。

After four Pomodoro sessions, take a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes, and repeat the process.

經過四個區段後，休息 20-30 分鐘，接著再重複整個過程。

It sounds simple, but the key part is that you must be extremely focused during the session, no phone, no Facebook, nothing.

聽起來很容易，但關鍵是在每一個區段時，你一定要極度專心，不能使用手機或臉書，要心無旁騖。

Our brain tends to be very effective at remembering and connecting information when we are extremely focused.

當我們非常專心時，大腦易於有效的記憶並連結訊息。

This dates back to our ancestors, they had to pay attention when a predator was nearby.

這追溯至人類的祖先，當有獵人在四周時，他們必須留心注意。

It was a life or death situation, and when they focused, the brain worked really hard to collect all the information and store it, so in the future the encounter would likely to [sic] be in their favor.

這是攸關生死的情況，當他們專注時，大腦會為了搜集並儲存所有訊息而努力地運作，因此未來再遇到相同的情形時，他們才會比較有利。

But in today's world, so many of us (have) just lost the ability to focus.

但如今，太多人失去專注的能力。

Yes, I did spend an hour a day on the guitar, but also I checked Facebook, watched three different covers of the same song on YouTube AND practiced in those 60 minutes , so my brain thought it was nothing important, and I got the mediocre results I had.

我的確在一天中花一小時彈吉他，但在這 60 分鐘裡，我不是只有練習，還同時滑臉書、在 YouTube 上看了翻唱同一首歌的三支不同影片，所以我的大腦認為這不是重要的事，因此我得到的成果十分普通。

When I implemented the concept to learn coding, my daily schedule was 12 Pomodoro sessions each 25 minutes long and 5 minutes of rest in between.

當我執行這項方式學習解碼時，我每天的時間表是 12 個番茄工作法區段——每個區段 25 分鐘，並在每段中間休息 5 分鐘。

After four Pomodoros, I would take longer break of 20 minutes.

經過 4 個區段後，我會休息長達 20 分鐘。

I was skeptical at first if this would even work, but after four weeks I was amazed (at) how much stuff I (had) learned.

我一開始懷疑這方法成功的可能性，但經過四週後，我很驚訝我學會了許多事物。

I've never been so productive in my entirely life, and It also helped me to overcome the (problem of) procrastination I was facing, because I didn't thought (think) about the number of hours I need to lock myself in and study.

我一生中從未如此有成效，番茄工作法也幫助我擊退了拖延症，因為我不會設想必須把自己關在房內好幾個小時學習。

Instead, I had to finish just one Pomodoro session at a time.

取而代之的是，我一次只需要完成番茄工作法的一個區段。

You can use the Pomodoro technique to (do) virtually anything, whether it be learning something new, practicing an instrument, studying for college, I literally use (am using) it at this moment while writing this script.

幾乎在所有事情上，你都可以利用番茄工作法，無論是學習新事物、練習樂器或是準備大學考試時，事實上，我正在利用這個方法寫這部影片的講稿。

Instead of spending six or seven hours of (on) diffused work, and spend (spending) my entire day writing a script, I just do four Pomodoro sessions and I get the same amount of work done.

與其花 6-7 個小時在分散的工作上，或是花一整天寫一篇講稿，我只運用了 4 個番茄工作法的區段，就完成了相同的工作量。

Don't be like the old me and spend three years for something that can be done in six months.

不要像我以前一樣，可以在半年內完成的事，卻花了三年的時間。

It's not about how much time you spend, but how effectively you spend your time that matters.

重點不在你花了多少時間，而在你是否有效地運用時間。

So now that you're familiar with the concept, it's up to you whether or not you will actually test it on yourself or just click away to the next video.

現在你了解了這項方法，由你決定是要親自測試一下這個時間法，還是繼續看下一部影片。

Anyway thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.

謝謝你的觀看，下次見。