Ever caught yourself procrastinating in the morning, only to feel overwhelmed at the end of the day? These two fluctuating states trick you into thinking you can “make” more time for yourself. When at best, you can only organize it. This is exactly what the Pomodoro Technique intends to do: break work into manageable chunks to keep your mind sharp and ready.

• Setting Up Imac Computer

Let’s see what this productivity method is all about, along with the best Pomodoro apps to use to get you started.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was invented by Francisco Cirillo in the late ’80s as a means to study more efficiently. He used a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato (“pomodoro” in Italian), forced himself to study for exactly 25 minutes, then took a break of 5 minutes. And it worked!

Best Pomodoro Timer App For Android! PomoDoneApp (Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) PomoDoneApp supports the native action with popular task management tools like Trello. Focus Booster (Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) 3. Pomotodo (Web, Windows, macOS, Chrome, iOS, Android) 4. The Focus App is available for Mac and iOS. This Pomodoro timer looks IOS7 fresh, making it the best looking app out of these five. Not only can you can track your daily Pomodoro target in style, it comes with nice alarms and intergrates well with Mac Notification Center. Pomodoro Timer is available for both Mac and iOS. In a nutshell, the Pomodoro technique involves working for multiple, 25 minute Pomodoro sessions, split up by five-minute breaks. The original inventor of the Pomodoro technique, Francesco Cirillo, used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to keep track of these sessions. But since then, tons of Pomodoro apps and tools have popped up.

Cirillo discovered that to stay focused you have to work with time, not against it. To follow his advice, divide your projects and tasks into short sprints and reward yourself with regular breaks to recharge before the next sprint. This will boost your productivity and keep the creative juices flowing, without relying too much on your willpower.

Is this it? Frankly, yes. And that’s why the Pomodoro Technique is so attractive. You only need a timer and a paper to keep track of your pomodoros and focus single mindedly on a task.

So the best Pomodoro app for you challenges your current time management strategies. The learning curve may be steep, depending on the depth of your procrastination. A Pomodoro app is only one solution that you need in your productivity toolbox–great task management software like ClickUp offers more than what these apps do. 15 of 15 Best Free Pomodoro Apps. Flat Tomato is especially designed for iOS and macOS users to provide solutions in time tracking and task management. It helps in improving productivity and allows users to keep a track of all activities with the help of time-charts and productivity improvement.

• Top Best Pomodoro Timer Apps for Mac to Enhance Productivity There are always a large amount of output hacks out there but in regards to finding points performed, nothing is more powerful than sitting yourself down in your seat and really doing the work.
• Hazel is a powerful automation app that automatically organizes the files on your Mac’s hard drive. It provides deep support for OS X technologies, leveraging everything your system has to offer! Hazel watches the folders you tell it to and organizes the files according to a set of rules you create.

I’d argue that the length of a work session and break can vary since it takes approximately between 5 and 15 minutes to achieve a flow state.

But here’s how the basic process looks like:

1. Choose a task you want to work on.

2. Set the Pomodoro timer to 25 minutes, the standard pomodoro duration.

3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro timer rings, then put a checkmark on a paper.

4. Take a short break of 5 minutes to do something non-work-related like stretching or making a call.

5. Take a longer break of 20-30 minutes after every 4 pomodoros. This will help you regroup your thoughts and rest before the next batch of pomodoros.

How the Pomodoro Technique works

Notice a couple of things here. You need to approximate how many pomodoros it takes to finish a task. This information is not ready accessible, but through some trial and error you should get the hang of it.

You also need to set up a timetable. Block your most important pomodoros for when you’re most creative (for me it’s the afternoon) and leave the rest for when you tend to get distracted. The point is to have a clear limit and motivate yourself enough to push things forward, as well as a clear boundary between work and spare time.

As for the pomodoro, know that it is a non-negotiable time unit. This means that whenever an emergency or colleague bumps in with a request, you have to either end the pomodoro right then or protect it from outside distractions until completed. In most cases, you can get by with telling your colleagues to reach out in 10 minutes. Otherwise, use the “inform, negotiate, schedule, call back” approach proposed by Cirillo:

• Inform the other person that you’re in the middle of something important.
• Negotiate with them a time to address the issue.
• Schedule it.
• Call back or give them a nudge when the pomodoro is over.

For distractions that are internal by nature like a new idea or article to read, write it down on your paper and proceed with your work until the Pomodoro timer rings.

The benefits of using the Pomodoro Technique

To get a taste of how your life will look like after using the Pomodoro Technique, here are a few benefits to consider:

Improved concentration power

Not all of us can focus for extended periods of time. But everyone can make a little effort to put their heads down for 25 minutes, work, and take a break after.

In fact, a couple of researchers discovered that brief breaks actually improve the overall concentration power, or vigilance as they call it. They actually reset it, allowing you to start with a clean slate. Much like the bonus parts in most video games.

The Pomodoro Technique rests on the same principle. After each pomodoro, take full advantage of your break to recharge and keep your mind fresh for the next session of work. You’ll reduce the number of mistakes caused by a lack of concentration and avoid burnout in the long run.

Decreased back pain

Ever wondered why everyone is so obsessed with making 10,000 steps each day? As cliche as it may sound, sitting is the new smoking. I’m referring here to the health risks associated with excessive sitting, like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Which, according to this study, can’t be compensated by occasional leisure activities even if they exceed the minimum level of physical activity recommended.

In this context, the Pomodoro method becomes your greatest ally for slipping in more movement throughout the day. Use the five minute break to do a stretch, fill up your water bottle, or just chat with a coworker in the lobby area. Your back and shoulders will thank you later.

Get rid of the perfectionist mindset

This is the creator’s curse, also known as Parkinson’s Law, which I talked about in another article. According to it, work expands to fill the time available for its completion. To put it simply, if you have to complete a one hour task in two days, you’ll probably take the full two days. That’s because perfection sets in, making you fine-tune the task until the very end.

By all means, do what you need to do to create your best work. But don’t get stuck in endless revisions and ship it! Use the strict time limit of a pomodoro as a race to get things done and free up more time for other creative endeavors.

Best Pomodoro apps to try out

Enough with the benefits, time to get to the real work.

Again, because of the method’s simplicity, you only need a kitchen timer and a notebook or piece of paper to keep track of your pomodoros. That’s it. Nothing less, nothing more. This doesn’t give you enough insight into timesheets, the nature of your interruptions, or how did you progress on each of your tasks.

To automate the system and customize it to fit your workflow in terms of session lengths, ticking sounds, alerts, and so on, try out these Pomodoro apps:

1. PomoDone (Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android)

PomoDone Desktop App

Best for: using the Pomodoro Technique with a separate task or project management software

PomoDone connects with a wide variety of project management tools, allowing you to directly import tasks and time entries from the ones that already have a time tracking module – like Paymo.

If you are looking for modern and customizable all in one project tools that have already a time tracking module, here’s a list with software project management tools.

If you don’t use one, then you can add your own tasks directly into the app. Then clock in using their Pomodoro timer. A pretty robust one I have to say, since you can customize your own session lengths, set auto breaks, and add up an interruption note so you don’t have to rely on a notebook anymore.

PomoDone also comes with a great Chrome Extension that embeds the Pomodoro tracker in certain project management apps and blocks distracting websites if you know yourself to be a slippery procrastinator (I sure am from time to time).

Price:

• Lite plan ($2.29/month), with 3 integrations included
• Ultimate plan ($4.01/month), with unlimited integrations and unlimited log access

2. Focus Booster (Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android)

Focus Booster Mobile App

Best for: freelancers who do client-related work

Focus Booster seems to be a Pomodoro app that’s more oriented towards freelancers and agency owners since you can choose which client to track time for. All pomodoro sessions get automatically logged under a timesheets area, with the possibility to create manual entries on your own. The best part? You can actually export them into a CSV format so it’s much easier to invoice your client at the end of a month or project.

Data nerds, you’re in for a treat. In terms of analytics, you have complete visibility into how you’ve spent your time over a certain period thanks to the Reports Dashboard. This one also includes stats regarding your profitability and percentage of tracked time per each client, so you know which client brings in more cash.

I also like how you can save incomplete sessions and resume them when ready, a feature that will serve well first time Pomodoro users and hybrid fans.

Price:

• Free, but limited to 20 sessions
• Individual plan ($2.99/month), with 200 sessions and extended settings
• Unlimited plan ($4.99/month), with unlimited sessions and invoicing

3. Focus Keeper (iOS)

Focus Keeper tracker and chart views

Best for: iOS users

By far, the Focus Keeper Pomodoro app is the closest one to the authentic Pomodoro experience. It features a red background that lets you change the length of the pomodoro through a simple swipe (breaks have a blue one). And a ticking sound to know it’s focus time.

You can also set a goal in terms of the number of sessions you wish to accomplish each day, which I find very helpful. Too bad you can’t name them to know what you’re working on. The app has a notification centre though to remind about your session if you browse other apps on your phone.

There are many ways of customizing this app, from different themes to sounds and alarm levels for each session, short, and long break. Charts over the past 14 and 30 are days are there to help you monitor your productivity, limited to only the past 3 days with the free version.

The Pro one brings 10 premium ticking sounds to get more productive or relaxed, depending on the moment of the Pomodoro cycle, and a full view over your stats.

Price:

• Free, limited charts for the past 3 days
• Pro ($1.99/month), unlimited charts plus 10 ticking sounds

4. Focus To-Do: Pomodoro Timer & To Do List (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android)

Focus To-Do Mobile App

Best for: Android users

As the name states, Focus To-Do is an all-in-one Pomodoro timer and to-do list. Quite practical, as you can create projects to better categorize sessions, as well as set task priorities for a clear picture on what to work on first. It’s a bit unclear how many projects I’m allowed to create, since the app introduces you in a free trial of the premium version.

Other than that, I like the “Forest” feature which gamifies the whole user experience and let’s you contribute with your actions at growing a plant. If you don’t complete the daily challenges, you guessed it, the plant dies. An interesting way to build up motivation and stick with the Pomodoro Technique.

This Pomodoro timer also comes with a trend chart of all your completed to-dos and statistics over how you’ve spent your time for each project.

Price:

• Free
• Premium (£2.99/3 months), with unlimited projects, app whitelist, daily/weekly/monthly report, repeating tasks,reminder tasks

5. Marinara Timer (Web)

Shareable links in the Marinara Timer

Best for: teams who want to share their online Pomodoro timers

If you’re looking for a simple Pomodoro app that doesn’t require any setup whatsoever, not even a signup, then Marinara Timer is the way to go. Just open it in a separate web browser tab and pin it there.

In terms of options, you’re lucky enough. The team behind this app thinks the Pomodoro method is a bit too rigid, that’s why they made three timers available:

• A traditional pomodoro with the 25-5 minutes cycles
• Custom one, where you can change the length of each work session and rename them
• Kitchen one, where you set a time limit and let it run backwards

What sets it apart though is the ability to share your timer through a URL. In case you wish to synchronize work with your team and take a break together, or just share your pomodoro clock with a manager. There are two links, an admin one and a viewer link, to avoid stepping on each other’s feet and make sure no timer is stopped by accident. A cautious feature indeed!

Price: FreeWii remote mac app. What do app developers for mac make starting out.

Are Pomodoro apps for everyone?

No, not really. The method is best suited for creatives, those who need to ship work and have deadlines in place for them: designers, developers, copywriters, and so on. For them, the boxed sprints might catalyze productivity while also making sure they don’t waste too much time and effort on trivial things.

But what about if you’re a customer support rep or someone who has to do continuous work as it comes in? You can still hack the method and run a few pomodoros back-to-back until you finish the self-imposed target: 50 tickets in one hour, 30 emails in under 30 minutes, you name it. Do a break, then pick up work from where you left it.

It’s not advisable to use a Pomodoro timer when you are engaged in fast-paced projects where changes can occur at any minute. Or when you’re someone who requires a lot of input from the others, like a team leader or sales ops manager.

How does the Pomodoro Technique work with other productivity methods

In essence, a pomodoro focuses more on doing tasks in a timely manner as opposed to planning them. That’s why it’s better to combine it with other productivity methods.

Like the Getting Things Done (GTD) method. Use it to process and organize work, then rely on the Pomodoro Technique to actually get things done. It also works well with the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to prioritize tasks before actually doing them, as well as the Kanban method which relies on continuous delivery and improvement of your workflow. A practice that is also encouraged by Cirillo who insists on spending the first and last 5 minutes of a pomodoro session to recap and review work. For improvement purposes, again.

Note

Don’t overdo this part or else you’ll ruin the simplicity provided by the Pomodoro method.

Final thoughts

With the existing theory and best Pomodoro apps at hand, you should already be able to use the method on your own. Yes, it will take some time to get the hang of it, but you can only reap its benefits if you try it first hand.

Before we part away, remember that the Pomodoro method is just that – a way for you to get into the zone and recharge your energy with regular breaks. If you happen to be half way through your work and the Pomodoro timer has ringed, stop it, continue with your task, and take a break only after you’ve finished it.

Under all conditions, don’t try to push it if it doesn’t work for you. To put it Ryan Holiday’s words:

What we need is something sustainable. Something balanced. Something deliberate without being forced. Purposeful without being obsessed with productivity.

Jump to Section

Pomodoro Technique definition
The benefits of using the Pomodoro Technique
Best Pomodoro apps to try out
Are Pomodoro apps for everyone?
How the Pomodoro Technique works with other productivity methods

Ever caught yourself overwhelmed by work and trying to take a break for 10 minutes-or-so that ends in 2 hours of descending into the abyss of memes, cat videos and nearly absurd listicles of 10 moderately interesting things?

All the while experiencing terrible guilt and anxiety, you conclude that work is simply killing you, and you get back to another two hours of paperwork that turn out not as productive, but draining enough to leave you begging for another 10 minutes of rest, that ends in… oh, you know the story.

Poor work management is what undermines productivity, and, if you feel like you struggle to concentrate on stretched amounts of time, it’s likely you’ll benefit from the Pomodoro technique, which, in a nutshell, divides your workflow into chunks of 25 minutes of uninterrupted work and 5 minutes of rest.

1. Choose a task you want to work on.
2. Set the timer to 25 minutes, the standard Pomodoro duration.
3. Work on the task until the timer rings, then check off your task in your to-do list.
4. Take a short break of 5 minutes to do something not related to work like stretching, doodling, or making a call.
5. After every 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes. This will help you clear your head, recollect your thoughts and rest before the next batch of Pomodoro-style work.

When you want to get things done with Pomodoro, try PomoDone. PomoDone is the Pomodoro time tracking app that probably ranks number one across many listicles. Time tracking on this app is very easy, plus it really encourages you to take five, nudging you to enjoy your break. But the main reason why it is so favored by everyone is its plurality of integrations.

If you manage your to-do list yourself, you can integrate it with all the major task management apps like Todoist, Wunderist, Evernote, and then directly import your tasks on PomoDone. If you’re working in a company that makes use of a project management service, like Asana, Basecamp, Trello or any other, PomoDone is super useful to provide an overview of the time spent by each team member.

PomoDone is loved by: professionals; leaders or members of a team
Supported by: Web/Mac/Windows/Linux/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE (premium monthly plans from $2.29 – $4.01)

Right now, as this article is being written, the time on the Focus Booster is counting 15 minutes and 40 seconds to the next break that will be signaled by a bell. The interface is simple and user-friendly, both for web and app versions, so with Focus Booster it’s pretty easy to start using the Pomodoro technique now.

What’s awesome is that upon registration you can watch their super helpful tutorials that explain how you can benefit from the technique and the timer. Probably the best feature of it is adding tags and client labels. If you’re a freelancer or an employee working on client-related tasks, you can even add your pricing rate, which makes your invoicing at the end of a month or project way easier.

You can also add manual entries to the work you haven’t tracked. After a good while of time tracking with or without Pomodoro technique, the stats are grouped into beautiful charts.

Focus Booster is loved by: data nerds; freelancers or employees who do hour-rate work for their clients.

Supported by: Web/Mac/Windows/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE (premium monthly plans from $2.99 – $4.99)

Another twist on the same subject is brought by Pomodairo, an Adobe Air app, which provides the full experience of working with the Pomodoro technique. Pomodairo can serve as a simple Pomodoro timer, but it also helps you sort your tasks the most productive way.

Not only it tracks your tasks and how much time you spend on them, but it also tracks your interruptions, and your productive (but unplanned) work. If you’re interrupted, hit the interruption button, after which you will have to reset the timer for another 25 minutes to work on the task at hand.

Pomodairo is cross-platform and can be synchronized between your computers – it works wherever Adobe Air does. The best feature about it is that it also keeps a searchable log of your work and statistics, allowing you to analyse your work patterns and use of time.

Pomodairo is loved by: professionals working with Adobe, and those who are frequently interrupted.

Supported by: Mac/Windows/Linux
Pricing: FREE

If you’re craving for a super simple way of tracking time the Pomodoro way, or you just want to test out if the method suits your style of work, then go for Tomato Timer.

Coming only in the form of a browser app, it’s as simple as it gets – you can start, stop and reset the online timer, and you can tweak the settings to alter the lengths of each time period. It works on all major browser platforms, mobile versions included, but Chrome users have the added benefit of desktop notifications and an alarm.

Unlike Pomodairo, the app does not account for your task list or log, so if you want to keep a task list or a log of your work, you will have to use a separate app. However, it’s sufficient enough if you have only a few tasks on your plate, prefer to do your to-do list by hand, or just simply want to try this technique conceptually.

Tomato Timer is loved by: those who are new to Pomodoro technique.

Supported by: Web
Pricing: FREE

Another super easy free Pomodoro tracking app is Pomodoro Tracker. The interface is fairly similar to Tomato Timer, but the app is more superior in terms of functionality.

Pomodoro Tracker allows you to create an account, write a to-do list, categorize the tasks you’re tracking (work/personal), set a daily goal, and even compete with other productive people around the world, if you wish. This month, the record to this day is 226 hours that measures in 333 Pomodoro intervals. Can you beat the record?

Pomodoro Tracker is loved by: beginners or advanced users of Pomodoro technique, who seek simplicity.

Supported by: Web
Pricing: FREE

Back to more complex all-inclusive free time tracking apps, Focus To-Do is a free Pomodoro timer and a to-do list organizer all in one! It syncs over all your devices, making it easy to manage your to-do the Pomodoro way from anywhere, even from your smartwatch!

Create projects to categorize your sessions and set task priorities to organize which task you should execute first. Even though it offers you quite a lot even for the free plan, it’s a super easy-to-use task management app. This free Pomodoro time tracking app also comes with a trend chart of all your completed to-dos, so that you can look into your statistics on the time spent for each project.

Focus To-Do is loved by: those who need an advanced project management and time tracking app based on Pomodoro technique.

Supported by: Mac/Windows/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE (premium plan $2.99/3 months)

If you thought time tracking and ticking off boxes in your to-do list isn’t fun, you’re wrong. Although there are some of us who get their daily thrills crossing off major and minor tasks (it does release a load of dopamine in our brain, in fact), there are some creative ways to make this process a bit more interesting.

Forest is a free time tracking app that features a twist on productivity – gamification. The concept is simple – it makes you plant a tree each time you want to focus on something. The tree will grow while you pay attention to it (read: the thing you have to do), and, once you leave the app, signaling a distraction, the tree will die.

Every day you can keep building your forest, with every single tree representing your time focused on a task or a project. Plus, a share of the virtual coins spent in the app is donated to their partner to order planting real trees on the Earth.

It’s a beautiful concept with practical application – the focus timer can be adjusted to Pomodoro technique, and detailed statistics give you an overview of your focus distribution according to a tag.

Forest is loved by: students and beginners, who need visual representation of their achievements.

Supported by: Web/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE (additional in-app purchases)

For aesthetes that seek to improve their focus and mental wellbeing, this free Pomodoro time tracker app – Tide – will be a perfect fit. Those who are easily distracted by noise will also benefit greatly from Tide’s calming sound effects.

The app combines Pomodoro timer with white noise of natural sounds that will help you enter that flow state effortlessly. Plus, if you’re looking for an efficient way to declutter your mind on your break, try meditating with Tide.

The natural sounds will lull you into a meditative state (or a nap, if you’re a freelancer, you lucky bastard) and gently wake you up to help you continue being your most productive self. The app even cheers you up with daily inspiring quotes, and the selection of natural backgrounds is quite charming as well.

Tide is loved by: those who are seeking to improve productivity and mindfulness.

Supported by: Web/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE

Now if something is a trend, you bet, it’s going to be on YouTube. If you just want to try out Pomodoro, a super budget-friendly option is going on YouTube and putting this simple timer in the background while you work. There are also music compilations of 25-30 minutes for you to keep the Pomodoro-suggested flow state while listening to relaxing beats or classical music.

A good tip is to add several of your favorite 25-minute mixtapes to your personal playlist, and rock on. The downside, however, to trying Pomodoro on YouTube is that it’s a dangerous zone that may even undermine your productivity, as the suggested videos may tempt you into procrastination.

The good side to it is that YouTube is accessible from everywhere, so you can even open the video from your smart TV, if you wish, plus you don’t have to download anything. If you’re looking for a company, you can let this YouTuber inspire you, as she studies for her finals while using the Pomodoro technique with or without background musicfor a total of 2 hours.

YouTube playlists are loved by: those who want to try out the Pomodoro technique.

Supported by: any devices that can open YouTube
Pricing: FREE

If you feel that music aids your productivity, it’s likely that you’ve already discovered Spotify, and perhaps you even have your favorite work playlist that helps you smash through your to-do list in a better mood. But what if you combined your daily habit of listening to Spotify with the principles of the Pomodoro technique to gain the most out of your day?

Depending on your taste, there are hundreds of ready-made playlists built on 25-minute intervals of instrumental music and dope beats of approximately 5 minutes to celebrate your break, like this or this. The fun part is that if you’re a melomaniac and a playlist freak, you can simply create your own personalized productivity playlist, now that you know how the Pomodoro technique works.

Spotify playlists are loved by: music lovers who want to hack their productivity with their favorite jams.

Supported by: Web/Windows/Mac/Linux/iOS/Android
Pricing: FREE (premium from $9.99)

You thought we would go without mentioning our own software?! Sorry (not sorry), but in all seriousness, this is something we are super excited about so it can’t be left unsaid – Luxafor offers Pomodoro time tracking feature in the software!

Luxafor surely integrates with PomoDone, but you’re going to benefit from it the most if you’re a premium plan user of PomoDone app. However, the ingenious Pomodoro time tracking feature in Luxafor is completely free for use!

If you don’t know it already, most Luxafor products, like Luxafor Flag, feature bright LED indicators that help you eliminate distractions and improve your focus in your workplace. Besides showing whether you’re available or not, the Pomodoro feature allows you to set your best office buddy to work as a coach for your Pomodoro technique!

Set up the time intervals for your focused work and break intervals, customize which pattern you’d like to show the start and end of Pomodoros, and you’ll be reminded when you need to take five, so that you feel well-rested and focused throughout the whole day!

Setting Up Imac Computer

We hope this article was useful and that you’ll try applying Pomodoro technique to your work. Who knows, maybe it’s the missing piece you always needed to make your office day more productive! Remember – success is not a big step in the future, success is a small step taken right now.
If you’d like to read more on how to improve productivity, take a look at this article on top 45 best productivity apps of 2020!