OnSumoTools

Pomodoro Timer

Run focus blocks with short and long breaks, session logging, and tab title countdown.

Settings

Ready

25:00

Session 0 of 4 · Today: 0 sessions · 0 min focus

Timer and session log stay in your browser for this visit. Only settings are saved locally.

How does the Pomodoro Timer work step by step?

Click Start. The timer counts down from 25 minutes (or your custom duration). When focus time ends, an audio notification plays and the timer switches to a 5-minute short break. After 4 focus sessions, the timer switches to a 15-minute long break. You can adjust all durations, set how many sessions trigger the long break, and toggle auto-start for breaks.

What does a typical Pomodoro Timer result look like?

Settings: 25-minute focus, 5-minute short break, 15-minute long break, long break after 4 sessions. Task: "Write quarterly report." Session 1: 09:00-09:25. Short break: 09:25-09:30. Session 2: 09:30-09:55. Short break: 09:55-10:00. Session 3: 10:00-10:25. Short break: 10:25-10:30. Session 4: 10:30-10:55. Long break: 10:55-11:10. Total focus time: 1 hour 40 minutes. 4 sessions logged.

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Frequently asked questions

  • What is the Pomodoro Technique?

    Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique involves working in focused intervals (originally 25 minutes, named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer) separated by short breaks. After four intervals, a longer break follows. The structure is designed to maintain focus while preventing cognitive fatigue. Review this figure each week to see whether your actual usage matches your plan.

  • Can I customize the timer intervals?

    Yes. The classic 25/5/15 setup works for most tasks, but longer intervals suit deeper work. Many people prefer 50-minute focus periods with 10-minute breaks for writing, coding, or analysis. Shorter intervals (15 minutes) work well for tasks that require frequent context switching. Adjust all three durations to match your workflow.

  • Why does the browser tab title change?

    When the timer is running, the page title updates to \\\"[MM:SS] Pomodoro | OnSumo\\\" every second. This lets you see the remaining time at a glance from any other tab without switching back. When the session ends, the title returns to normal and the audio notification fires.

  • Does it track sessions across days?

    The session log covers your current browser session. Closing the browser clears the log. Your timer settings (durations, long break interval, auto-start) are saved in browser storage and persist between sessions. If you want to track daily Pomodoro counts over time, note your total at the end of each day.

  • What is the auto-start breaks option?

    When enabled, the break timer starts automatically when a focus session ends, and the next focus session starts automatically when the break ends. This removes the friction of clicking Start repeatedly and keeps the rhythm continuous. Useful for high-output work blocks where you do not want any interruption to the cycle.

  • Can I pause the timer?

    Yes. Pause stops the countdown at its current value. Resume continues from where it left off. The Pomodoro purist view is that pausing breaks the session's integrity, if you are interrupted enough to need a pause, it may be more productive to reset and start fresh. That is your call to make.

Work in short bursts

Sitting down for four hours on one task sounds noble and rarely works. Attention fades, phones get picked up, and the afternoon vanishes. The Pomodoro Technique fixes that with a simple trick: work for a set block, then rest.

The classic setup is 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5 minute break. After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Francesco Cirillo came up with it in the late 1980s using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato.

How to use this timer

Pick one task. Start the timer. Work on only that task until it rings. If a distraction pops up, jot it on paper and get back to work. When the bell sounds, stop, even if you're mid-sentence, and take the break.

You can change the focus and break lengths. Some people prefer 50 minutes on and 10 off, others 15 on and 3 off. Try a few and keep what suits you. There's an option to start breaks automatically, a pause button and sounds you can turn off.

  • The tab title shows the countdown, so you can see it from another tab
  • A progress ring shows how much of the block is left
  • A session log keeps track of the rounds you finish today

Why short blocks help

A deadline, even a small one, makes starting easier. It's simpler to say you'll work for 25 minutes than to face a whole project. The break gives your mind a rest so the next round starts fresh.

Use breaks properly. Stand up, stretch, get water and look away from the screen. Scrolling your phone isn't a rest for your brain.

A few tips

Estimate how many rounds a task will take, then compare it with how many it actually took. You'll plan better over time. Protect the block from interruptions by closing chat and email.

The log is stored only in your browser, and it is not synced across devices. Clearing site data resets it.

Setting up your first session

Pick one task. Not a project, a task you can finish or advance in 25 minutes. 'Draft the intro paragraph' works. 'Work on the report' doesn't. Start the timer, put the phone face down and keep a sheet of paper nearby.

If a stray thought pops up, jot it on the paper and carry on. You can deal with it in the break. This one habit does more than the timer itself, since it stops every idea from hijacking you.

When the bell rings, stop even if you're mid-sentence. It feels odd at first, but leaving a task half done makes it easier to start again.

Breaks that actually rest you

Stand up, stretch, drink some water, look out of a window. Avoid social media in short breaks. It fills your head with new input just when you wanted to clear it.

After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Walk, eat something, step outside if you can.

If your work needs deep focus, try 50 minutes on and 10 off. The classic 25 isn't a law. Change the lengths in the timer until it suits your brain.

When it doesn't work

Meetings and calls don't fit neatly into blocks. On those days, use the timer only for the gaps. Shallow tasks like email also work better batched into one or two sessions, instead of spread across the whole day.

If you keep getting interrupted, tell people you're in a focus block and when you'll be free. A closed door or a headset signal helps in shared offices.

Count your rounds before you shut the laptop. After a week you'll know how many you really get done, and that's a better planning number than any guess.