Pomodoro Timer
Study with the Pomodoro technique: focused work sessions broken up by short breaks, with a long break every few rounds. Press Start and the timer handles the rest — including sound alerts and the countdown in your tab title.
Focus
25:00
Session 1 · long break every 4 sessions
Settings (minutes)
0
Sessions completed
Focus
Current phase
4
Sessions until long break
How the Pomodoro Technique Works
The Pomodoro technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, breaks work into fixed intervals — traditionally 25 minutes of fully focused effort followed by a 5-minute break. Each interval is called a "pomodoro", after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a student.
The cycle is simple: pick one task, work on it with zero distractions until the timer rings, then step away for a short break. After four pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes to properly recharge. The short, protected sprints make it easier to start on intimidating assignments, and the regular breaks prevent the slow fade in concentration that comes from marathon study sessions.
It pairs especially well with writing and revision: draft a section during one pomodoro, check your citations during the next, and use breaks to stretch rather than scroll. If a distraction pops into your head mid-session, jot it down and get back to it during the break.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Pomodoro technique?
- The Pomodoro technique is a time-management method: work with full focus for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four work sessions, take a longer 15-30 minute break. The fixed intervals make big tasks feel manageable and keep your concentration fresh.
- Can I change the work and break lengths?
- Yes. The defaults are 25 minutes of work, 5-minute short breaks, and 15-minute long breaks, but you can set any lengths that suit you. You can also change how many work sessions come before each long break.
- Does the timer keep running in another tab?
- Yes. The countdown is based on your device's clock rather than counting ticks, so it stays accurate even when the tab is in the background. The remaining time also shows in the tab title so you can see it at a glance.
- Will I hear an alert when a session ends?
- Yes. A short beep plays when each work session or break finishes, and the timer automatically moves on to the next phase. Keep the tab open (it can be in the background) for the sound to play.
- Why is it called the Pomodoro technique?
- Francesco Cirillo developed the method in the late 1980s using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer — pomodoro is Italian for tomato. Each 25-minute work interval is called a "pomodoro".
- Is this Pomodoro timer free?
- Yes. It is completely free, needs no account, and runs entirely in your browser — nothing about your study sessions is sent to a server.