The Pomodoro Technique — Respect the Tomato!

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was invented by Italian-born Francesco Cirillo, and it’s a method where you break down larger tasks into 25-minute intervals. Francesco named the technique after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used while studying (Pomodoro means tomato in Italian).

The Pomodoro Technique is an excellent weapon against procrastination as it forces you to focus on the task, and only the task, for 25 uninterrupted minutes. HIIT for work, if you will.

The Pomodoro Technique Rules

1. Choose a task to be accomplished.

Make sure to not drift off course by setting a task that is both specific and measurable, preferably a SMART goal.

2. Set the Pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes.

Work on the task, and nothing else, until the Pomodoro chimes, then put a checkmark on your sheet of paper or document.

Not only will the practice of checking off finished Pomodoro’s make it easier to know how much time a task takes, but it also works as a motivational boost.

3. Take a short break.

Preferably 5 minutes, no longer than 10. Make a cup of coffee, do some stretching. You can even use the time for a short meditation session. Just remember to set the timer to avoid neverending breaks.

I advise against going to places that can rile you up (like Twitter). Some internet troll raising your pulse to 159 makes it really difficult to focus during the next Pomodoro.

4. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break.

This break can be up to 30 minutes. Give your brain some well-deserved rest and re-ignite yourself for another Pomodoro session. According to James Webb Young, taking your mind off the task is essential in coming up with new ideas. Let your subconscious do the work while you relax.

What happens if my Pomodoro gets interrupted?

Canceling a Pomodoro before it’s finished makes it invalid and can not be checked off as completed. This is to discourage cheating and to train your brain to focus the entire 25 minutes.

Our brains loves to sidetrack. To battle this I always have a notepad where I quickly scribble down the things my brain tries to convince me are more important. Just writing my thoughts down is a surprisingly effective way of getting them out of my head.

Okay, that’s fine. But what when someone else is interrupting? Cirillo suggests the Inform, Negotiate, Call back strategy.

• Inform the person that you are in the middle of something.

• Negotiate to get back to the person after the Pomodoro ends.

• Call back, or get back to the person who interrupted you as agreed when the Pomodoro ends.

This strategy needs to be put in motion quickly to not waste precious Pomodoro time.

Which timer to use as a Pomodoro?

Apps/Smartphone

“Hey Siri/Google. Countdown 25 minutes” is by far the easiest solution. But maybe you want something a little fancier. Apps like BeFocused Pro automatically check off completed Pomodoro’s and let you see statistics, create charts, and export the data. That’s all good, but using a smartphone as a Pomodoro Timer has one major problem, it’s a smartphone! So you need to be disciplined.

Kitchen Timers

The Pomodoro Technique was initially intended with a kitchen timer in mind, so why not? Well, constant ticking drives me crazy, at least. But for many the sound is a reminder that you’re “on the clock” and therefore strengthens focus.

There are silent alternatives. My favorite so far is this kid’s timer from Amazon (not an affiliate link). It does have a soft tick, but it’s only audible if it’s right next to you. I like to have the timer within eyesight so I can monitor how much time is left.

Alarm sound too loud? Nothing a bit of gaffe tape can’t fix.

Integrated/Embedded Pomodoro Timers

Many work hours have been lost to minimizing and alt-tab. Embedding the Pomodoro timer inside the software you are working in is a way of combating that and keeps your focus inside the work area.

Roam Research has a built-in Pomodoro Timer, and pomofocus.io can be embedded into software like Notion.

Notion Template with embedded Pomodoro

The Pomodoro Technique is not an exact science, so feel free to experiment. But one thing shouldn’t be changed. When the Pomodoro is ticking, the task should be the only focus.

Want to know more. Read the book by the inventor himself.