What this timer does
The Pomodoro timer implements the Pomodoro Technique: you work in focused intervals (traditionally 25 minutes), take a short break (5 minutes), and after four focus sessions take a longer break (15 to 30 minutes). The timer counts down the current phase, plays a chime when a phase ends, and tracks how many focus sessions you have completed.
Why it works
Fixed intervals make starting easier, because committing to 25 minutes feels small, and they make stopping easier too, because a break is always near. The technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. Research on attention supports the underlying idea: brief, regular breaks help sustain concentration better than long unbroken stretches.
Accurate in background tabs
Browsers slow down timers in background tabs to save battery, which makes naive countdown timers drift. This timer instead records the exact clock time when each phase should end and recomputes the remaining time from the system clock on every tick, so switching tabs or minimizing the browser does not lose time.
Tips for good sessions
- Pick one task before starting the timer and put your phone face down.
- If a distraction pops up, jot it on paper and return to the task instead of switching.
- Use breaks to stand, stretch, and look away from the screen. Avoid starting a new task during a 5-minute break.
- After four sessions, take the full long break. Skipping it leads to the same fatigue the method prevents.
Customizing
The defaults are 25 minutes of focus, 5-minute short breaks, a 15-minute long break every 4 sessions. Longer creative work often suits 50/10, and some people prefer 90-minute deep-work blocks. Change the numbers above and press Reset to apply them.