PomodoroHow the Pomodoro method works
One task, one timer, one short break. The method is simple on purpose, and the simple rules are what make it work.
The six steps
- Choose one task. Not a subject, not a project: one piece of work you can start now. "Maths" is a subject. "Exercise 7.2, questions 1 to 10" is a task.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes. This one stretch of timed work is called a pomodoro.
- Work on that task only until the timer rings. No messages, no other tab, no second task "for a minute".
- When it rings, stop and put a mark on paper. Stop even if you are in the middle of a line. The mark is your record of one finished pomodoro.
- Take a short break of about 5 minutes. Stand up, drink water, look out of a window. Then start the next pomodoro.
- After four pomodoros, take a long break of 15 to 30 minutes. Then begin a new set of four.
The timer on the home page follows exactly this order and counts the rounds for you.
The two rules that matter most
A pomodoro cannot be divided. There is no half pomodoro. If you leave the task to answer a call or check a score, that pomodoro is cancelled and does not get a mark. You start a fresh one. This sounds strict, and it is meant to be. The rule gives you a reason to say "in ten minutes" to an interruption, because giving in costs you the whole round.
The break is part of the method, not a reward. You take it even when the work is going well. People who skip breaks usually manage three good rounds and then lose the rest of the day. People who keep them can often work steadily for many hours.
If you finish early
When the task is done and minutes remain, do not start the break early. Use the time to check what you did: read the answer again, tidy your notes, write the next step for tomorrow. This habit of review is where a lot of learning happens. If a task finishes in the first five minutes, it was too small to deserve a pomodoro by itself. Next time, group it with other small jobs. The page on splitting and grouping tasks shows how.
If something interrupts you
There are two kinds of interruption. One comes from inside: you suddenly remember a bill, an idea, a message you forgot to send. Write it on a sheet of paper in three words and go back to work. The other comes from outside: a person, a call, a knock. Tell them when you will be free, note it, and return to the task. Both are covered in detail on the interruptions page.
Where the name comes from
The method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, when he was a university student. He timed his study with a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato, and "pomodoro" is the Italian word for tomato. He later described the method in a book. Pomodoro Technique is his registered trademark. This site is independent and is not connected with him or his company; it explains the idea in our own words and offers a free timer that follows the same rhythm.
What you need to start
A timer, a sheet of paper and a pen. That is all. Write today's tasks on the paper, start the timer, and put a mark next to the task each time the timer rings. At the end of the day you can count the marks. Within a week you will know how many pomodoros a chapter, a report or an assignment really takes you, and that knowledge is the method's quiet benefit: you stop guessing and start planning.
Questions people ask
Can I change 25 minutes to another length?
Yes. Twenty-five minutes is the classic length and a good place to begin. After a week or two you can try longer or shorter rounds. Keep the length the same through a day, so that your count of pomodoros means something.
What if I am interrupted for a long time?
Cancel the pomodoro, deal with the matter, and start a new one afterwards. A cancelled round is not a failure; it is an honest record.
Do I have to use paper?
No. The task list under the timer on this site does the same job. Many people still prefer paper because writing and crossing out by hand keeps the screen out of the break.
More guides
An independent site. The method described here was created by Francesco Cirillo, and Pomodoro Technique is his registered trademark. This site is not connected with him or his company. The timer is free, needs no login and keeps your settings and counts only in your own browser.