🎮 How to Use
- Click ▶ Start. Focus for 25 minutes, then 5-minute break.
- Customize work/break duration. Browser notification + chime when each phase ends.
- Tracks pomodoros completed today.
About this tool
The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo (1980s). Work in focused 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks. Every 4th break is longer (15-30 min). Boosts concentration and reduces burnout. Default: 25/5.
About the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s while he was a university student. He used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to break study sessions into focused intervals, and "pomodoro" is simply the Italian word for tomato. The core idea is to work in short, uninterrupted sprints separated by deliberate breaks, which keeps mental energy high and turns a vague task into a countable series of manageable blocks.
Each focused interval is one pomodoro, traditionally 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After four pomodoros you take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. The method works because it fights two enemies of productivity at once: the resistance to starting (a 25-minute commitment feels easy) and the drift of attention (a ticking deadline keeps you on task). This timer automates the cycle and counts how many pomodoros you complete.
How it works: the cycle
The technique follows a fixed rhythm. The numbers below are the classic defaults, all of which you can change in the Focus and Break fields.
1 pomodoro = 25 minutes of focused, single-tasked work
Short break = 5 minutes after each pomodoro
Long break = 15 to 30 minutes after every 4 pomodoros
One full set = (4 x 25 focus) + (3 x 5 short) + (1 long break)
= 100 + 15 + ~20 = about 135 minutes per cycle
Daily output = pomodoros completed x 25 minutes of deep work
The rule that makes it work is indivisibility: if a pomodoro is interrupted, it does not count and you start the next one fresh. That single constraint is what trains sustained attention.
Worked example: planning an afternoon
Say you have a four-hour afternoon and want to know how much focused work you can realistically schedule using the default 25/5 cycle.
- Available time: 4 hours = 240 minutes.
- One pomodoro plus its short break: 25 + 5 = 30 minutes.
- Pomodoros that fit: 240 / 30 = 8 pomodoros.
- Insert a long break: after the fourth pomodoro, swap a 5-minute break for a 20-minute one, costing 15 extra minutes.
- Adjusted fit: 240 minus 15 leaves room for about 7 to 8 pomodoros.
Focus and break presets
Different kinds of work suit different interval lengths. Use these as starting points and tune the Focus and Break fields.
| Style | Focus | Break | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Pomodoro | 25 min | 5 min | General study, admin, mixed tasks |
| Deep work | 50 min | 10 min | Writing, coding, analysis |
| Short sprint | 15 min | 3 min | Low energy, dread tasks, warm-up |
| Ultradian | 90 min | 20 min | Flow-state creative sessions |
Common pitfalls
- Treating breaks as optional. Skipping the 5-minute break to "keep momentum" defeats the method. The break is what lets the next pomodoro start sharp.
- Letting interruptions slide. Answering one quick message mid-pomodoro breaks the interval. Note the task, finish the pomodoro, then deal with it.
- Choosing tasks that are too big. "Write the report" is not a pomodoro task. Break it into "draft the intro" so each interval has a clear, finishable goal.
- Working through the long break. The 15 to 30 minute break every four pomodoros is where real recovery happens. Cutting it leads to a slump later.
- Counting half-pomodoros. An interrupted interval does not count. Honest tracking is what makes the completed-pomodoro number meaningful.
- Using it for reactive work. Pomodoros suit focused, plannable tasks. Pure interrupt-driven work like live support does not fit the fixed-block model.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Pomodoro interval 25 minutes?
Francesco Cirillo settled on 25 minutes because it is long enough to make real progress on a task yet short enough to hold full attention without fatigue. It also feels achievable, which lowers the urge to procrastinate. The interval is a convention, not a hard rule, so adjusting the focus field to 30 or 50 minutes is perfectly valid if that suits your work.
What is the four-pomodoro long break rule?
After every four completed pomodoros you take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes instead of the usual 5. The short breaks clear mental clutter between sprints, while the long break lets attention genuinely recover before the next block of four. This timer counts your completed pomodoros so you know when a long break is due.
What counts as a valid pomodoro?
A pomodoro is indivisible: if you check messages, switch tasks, or get pulled away before the timer ends, the interval does not count and you restart it. The discipline of protecting the full 25 minutes is the whole point, because it trains single-tasking and makes interruptions visible.
Will the timer keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes. The countdown runs in JavaScript on your device and continues while the tab is in the background. When a phase ends it plays a chime and, if you granted permission, shows a browser notification so you do not need to keep the tab visible.
Can I change the focus and break lengths?
Yes. Use the Focus and Break fields to set any duration you like, for example a 50/10 split for deep work or a shorter 15/3 for light tasks. The change applies the next time that phase starts, and the completed-pomodoro counter keeps tracking your sessions.