Pomodoro Timer
Twenty-five minutes on, five off, a long break every fourth. Press start.
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Focus
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0 minutes of focus
Make it a daily habit
The floor is one pomodoro. The ceiling is four. A study buddy who sees the checkin is the rest.
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What is the Pomodoro technique?
The Pomodoro technique is a way to study or work in short, timed blocks. You focus for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break, and after four rounds take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Each 25 minute block is one pomodoro.
Francesco Cirillo came up with it as a university student in the late 1980s, using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato.
It works because a block is small enough to start. "Study for the exam" is hard to begin. "Study for 25 minutes, then stop" is easy, and the break is already on the clock.
How to use this Pomodoro timer
Type what you are working on and press Start, or press the space bar. When the focus block ends you hear a chime and the break starts on its own. After the fourth focus block you get a long break.
Pick Classic 25 / 5, Deep 50 / 10 for long stretches like writing or coding, or Quick 15 / 3 for days when starting is the hard part. Or set your own minutes.
The timer keeps exact time when you switch tabs, and on phones it can keep the screen on during focus. Turn on desktop alerts if you work in another window.
Turn focus into a daily habit
One great study day does less than a small one every day. Set a floor of one pomodoro, the version that still counts on a busy day, and a ceiling of four.
Then find a study buddy. Students who check in with each other daily keep going long after the motivation from a new semester fades. That is what Habit Huddle is for: a daily checkin your friends can cheer for.
Questions people ask
How long is a pomodoro?
A classic pomodoro is 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5 minute break. After four pomodoros, you take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Many people use 50 minutes of focus with a 10 minute break for deep work.
Why 25 minutes?
It is long enough to get real work done and short enough that starting feels easy. The fixed break also stops you from pushing through tiredness until you burn out. If 25 is too long to start, use 15. If you lose your flow at 25, try 50.
Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs or lock my phone?
It keeps running when you switch tabs or windows and checks the real time, so it never drifts. On phones, keep the page open; the timer can keep the screen on during focus. If you lock the phone, it catches up to the right time when you come back.
Is the Pomodoro technique good for ADHD?
Many people with ADHD find short, timed blocks helpful because starting is easier and the break is guaranteed. Try the Quick 15 / 3 setting first and adjust from there. What works best varies a lot from person to person.
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