TasklingThe Pomodoro Technique: a beginner's guide
The Pomodoro Technique is simple: pick one task, work for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break, and take a longer break after four rounds. The 25 minutes is a starting point, not a rule. Shorten it on hard days and lengthen it when you are in flow.
- One task per round, no switching.
- 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off, then a longer break after four rounds.
- Adjust the length to the task and your energy.
Where it comes from
Francesco Cirillo created the method in the late 1980s as a university student. He used a tomato shaped kitchen timer, and pomodoro is Italian for tomato.
How to do one round
- Choose one task and write it down.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Work on that task only. If a thought pops up, jot it down and return.
- When the timer rings, take a 5 minute break away from the screen.
- After four rounds, take a break of 15 to 30 minutes.
Make it fit you
- Hard to start? Try 10 minutes. Starting is the hardest part.
- Deep in flow? Let it run to 45 or 50 minutes.
- Breaks that drag on? Set a timer for the break too.
- Lots of small tasks? Batch several into one round.
Pick a task, drag the focus ring to 25 minutes, or any length you like, and settle into a cozy scene with sound. When it ends, Taskling celebrates the round and suggests a break.
Quick answers
Is 25 minutes backed by science?
Not specifically. Cirillo chose it from experience. What research supports is focusing on one task at a time and taking regular breaks.
Does Pomodoro work for ADHD?
Many people with ADHD like it because the end is always in sight. Shorter rounds often work better at first.
Guides and research
Guides and research
Guides and research