What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. He was a student looking for a way to study without distractions, and he used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. "Pomodoro" is Italian for tomato.

The basic method

1. Choose one task.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and work only on that task.
3. When the timer rings, take a 5-minute break.
4. After four sessions, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

Why people find it helpful

Starting is often the hardest part. "Work on this for 25 minutes" feels much smaller than "finish this report". The timer also gives you somewhere to put distractions: when a thought comes up, you can write it down and deal with it at the break. And the regular breaks encourage you to actually stop, rather than pushing on until you're exhausted.

It's not a scientific law, and it doesn't suit everyone. People deep in complex work may find a 25-minute alarm breaks their concentration.

Adapting it

• Longer sessions: 50 minutes of focus and 10 of rest suit writing and programming.
• Shorter sessions: 10 to 15 minutes can get you started on tasks you've been avoiding.
• Skip the break when you're in the flow, though do take one soon after.

Getting started

Our Pomodoro timer handles the switching and counts your sessions for you. If you just want a single block of time, set a 25-minute timer instead.