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One timer. One clear task.
This browser timer keeps counting while the tab is in the background. For app blocking, reminders, and session history, use the Deeply mobile app.
A simple cycle
How to use a Pomodoro timer
Name the finish line
Write a small, visible outcome: “outline the introduction” is easier to start than “work on report.”
Choose a workable interval
Use 10 or 15 minutes when starting feels hard, 25 for a balanced session, or 50 for deeper work you already understand.
Protect the session
Keep an interruption note nearby. Capture the thought, then return to the next visible action.
Actually take the break
Stand, stretch, drink water, or look away from the screen. Decide whether to continue only after the pause.
Make it fit
Choose a session you can begin
Lower the starting barrier
Useful for avoidance, admin, or a first pass through an unclear task.
Use the familiar default
Long enough to settle in, short enough to keep a clear boundary.
Protect deeper momentum
Best when the next steps are clear and switching away would cost more than continuing.
It is the shortest session that gives you enough room to make meaningful progress without turning the timer into another source of resistance.
Beyond the countdown
Build a rhythm you can repeat
The timer is a container, not a score. End a session early if the task is done. Extend the next one if you found a productive flow. After several sessions, take a longer break and reset your attention.
- Keep the task visible
A written finish line reduces the work of remembering what you meant to do.
- Notice interruptions
A quick tally can reveal whether notifications, unclear tasks, or fatigue are breaking the rhythm.
- Adjust tomorrow
Use completed sessions as feedback, not a productivity grade.
Method note
The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. Cirillo describes it as a broader system for planning, handling interruptions, and estimating effort—not only a 25-minute countdown.
Official Pomodoro Technique site ↗