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minute·timer

25 on, 5 off, repeat

Pomodoro timer

Press start and the whole cycle runs itself: four focus blocks of 25 minutes, a five minute break between each, and a long break at the end. You never have to reset anything mid-session.

25:00

Shortcuts: space start or pause · R reset · F fullscreen. The alarm rings even if you switch tabs.

In short

The Pomodoro Technique breaks work into 25-minute focus intervals separated by 5-minute breaks, with a longer 15 to 30 minute break after four cycles. It was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. This page runs the full cycle automatically.

Focus interval
25 minutes
Short break
5 minutes
Cycles before a long break
4
Long break
15 to 30 minutes
Core rule
Stop when the alarm rings, even mid-sentence

How the technique works

Francesco Cirillo built the method in the late 1980s around a tomato-shaped kitchen timer — pomodoro is Italian for tomato. The rules are short:

  1. Pick one task and write it down.
  2. Work on it for 25 minutes with no switching — no inbox, no phone.
  3. When the alarm rings, stop, even mid-sentence, and take five minutes away from the screen.
  4. After four cycles take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The interesting part is the enforced stop. Ending on the alarm rather than on exhaustion is what makes the next block cheap to start, and it is the rule people drop first when they improvise.

Adjust the cycle to your work

The boxes above change focus length, break length and how many cycles run before the long break. Common variations: 50/10 for writing and code, where reloading context is expensive; 15/5 for revision or anything you are resisting; 90 minutes for people who work in long waves and want one break in the middle of the morning.

Whatever you choose, keep it fixed for a week before judging it. The value comes from the rhythm being predictable, not from the exact numbers.

What to do with the break

Stand up. The break is meant to reset attention, and scrolling does not do that — you finish the five minutes with the same tired eyes and a new set of open loops. Water, a window, a stretch, a walk to another room. Come back before the alarm, not after.

Questions about the Pomodoro timer

What happens when a Pomodoro is interrupted?

Cirillo's rule is blunt: an interrupted Pomodoro does not count. Note what interrupted you, deal with it if you must, then restart the block. Keeping that record for a week usually shows the interruptions are more predictable than they feel.

Can I change 25 minutes to something else?

Yes, the focus, break and cycle boxes are all editable. The timer will chain whatever numbers you give it and still play a different tone when it switches from focus to break.

What happens if I close the tab by mistake?

The countdown stops, since it lives in the page. Reopening the page starts fresh at the full length — if you need something that survives a closed tab, use your phone's built-in alarm instead.

Are there ads over the timer?

No. No advertising is placed over or around the clock, and there are no tracking scripts on the page.