Flight

Pomodoro timer

Work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break, and every four rounds take a longer one. Press start and put everything else away.

25:00Focus

Space starts and pauses.

Timer settings
Start the next session by itself
Chime when time's up
Notification when time's up

How the Pomodoro Technique works

  1. Pick one task.
  2. Focus on it, and only it, until the timer goes off.
  3. Take a short break: stand up, look away from the screen.
  4. After four rounds, take a long break.

The timer does two jobs. It makes starting easy, since anyone can do 25 minutes, and it makes stopping easy, so you rest before you're worn out and come back sharp.

Making it stick

  • Write distractions down as they come, and deal with them in the break.
  • Take the break even when you're on a roll. It's what keeps the next round good.
  • Fit the length to the work: 25 minutes suits email and admin; writing and code often go better in 50.

Questions

How long is a Pomodoro?

Traditionally 25 minutes of focus and then a 5-minute break, with a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes after every four. Plenty of people stretch the focus to 50 minutes for deeper work.

Can I change the timer lengths?

Yes: open Timer settings to pick the focus, short break and long break lengths, and how many sessions come before a long break. Your choices are saved in this browser.

Does the timer keep running in a background tab?

Yes. It counts down to a fixed end time instead of counting ticks, so it stays accurate while the tab is hidden, and the chime plays when the time is up.

Who invented the Pomodoro Technique?

Francesco Cirillo, as a university student in the late 1980s. He timed his study sessions with a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato, and pomodoro is Italian for tomato.

Is it free?

Completely: no sign-up, no ads, nothing to install.

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