How to Use the Pomodoro Timer

Setup Guide · Open the Tool →

What It Does

The Pomodoro Timer gives you 25 minutes of focused work followed by 5 minutes of break. An SVG progress ring shows your remaining time visually — no numbers to stare at. When a session ends, a Web Audio beep sounds and your focus total ticks up.

How to Use It

1. Open the Pomodoro Timer — it loads instantly, nothing to install.
2. Press Space or click Start to begin your first 25-minute focus block.
3. Work until the ring completes and you hear the beep. Press Space to acknowledge the beep.
4. Take a 5-minute break. The timer automatically switches to break mode.
5. Repeat. Every 4 sessions, take a longer 15-20 minute break.

Your session counter and progress persist in your browser — close the tab and come back later; your streak is preserved.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Tips for Best Results

• Remove distractions before starting. Put your phone in another room. Close social media tabs. Those 25 minutes mean nothing if you're checking notifications.
• Use the break. Stand up. Stretch. Don't check email — that's not a break, that's deferred stress.
• Pair with the Focus Dashboard if you need a scratchpad for mid-focus thoughts. The Pomodoro keeps you on time; the Dashboard keeps you on track.
• One session minimum. If you only do one Pomodoro in a day, that's more than zero. Progress, not perfection.

What Problem It Solves

Task initiation is the hardest part of any work session. A timer externalises the decision — you don't decide "I will work now," you decide "I will start the timer." The structure carries you through the resistance. After the first session, momentum often carries you through a second and third.

Related Tools

• Focus Dashboard — Pomodoro + scratchpad + Eisenhower matrix in one view
• Habit Tracker — Track your focus consistency over weeks
• Decision Matrix — Choose what to work on when everything feels urgent