Pomodoro timer
Work in focused sessions with breaks between them. The defaults are 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break and a 15-minute long break after four sessions, and all of them can be changed.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Check the lengths of the focus session, short break and long break, or keep the defaults of 25, 5 and 15 minutes.
- Press Start. The timer counts down and the tab title shows the time left.
- When a phase ends you hear a beep and the next phase waits for you. Press Start again to begin the break or the next session.
- Skip jumps to the next phase, Reset goes back to the first session.
How the cycle works
Focus, short break, focus, short break, and so on. After the chosen number of focus sessions (four by default) the break is the long one, and a new set starts. The counter shows which session of the set you are on and how many you have completed.
Worked example
With the defaults, one set is 4 × 25 minutes of focus plus 3 short breaks of 5 minutes plus one long break of 15 minutes: 100 + 15 + 15 = 130 minutes.
Tips
Put the phone away and close other tabs during a focus session. If 25 minutes feels too long or too short, try 15 or 50; the method works with any length you can sustain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pomodoro technique?
It is a time management method by Francesco Cirillo. You work in short, fully focused sessions, traditionally 25 minutes, separated by short breaks, with a longer break after a few sessions. The name comes from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he first used.
Can I change the lengths of sessions and breaks?
Yes. Edit the focus, short break and long break minutes and the number of sessions before a long break. The changes apply to the next phase that starts, and the fields lock while the timer is running.
Does it keep time in a background tab?
Yes. It counts against the clock rather than ticks, so the time stays right when you switch tabs. The time left is shown in the tab title. Browsers may delay the sound in a hidden tab, so keep the page open.
Why is there no sound or notification?
Browsers play sound only after you have clicked on the page, so press Start first and check the volume. Notifications need your permission, which you give when you tick the option.