What is the Pomodoro Method? A little History... 

If this is the first time you are hearing about the Pomodoro Method or perhaps you heard about it but never used this technique, then let me tell you friend, you are seriously missing out on massacring  🪓 procrastination and potentially reaching a place of concentration referred to as “deep work”. Deep work is a concept I learned about from Cal Newport (an Associate Professor in Computer Science and Published Author) but something I personally experienced before learning about the phrase from Cal. More on “deep work” in another post.

The Pomodoro Method is simply using a timer set at 25 minute intervals whereby you engage in whatever task (I am utilizing it to write this blog post) until the timer rings. 

Next, you take a 5 minute break to do whatever you like and repeat a timed session aka a Pomodoro according to the number of intervals you set daily. Typically, after 2-4 Pomodoros you can take a 20 - 30 minute break which considered is a long break. 

This technique is sure to keep you on point with your daily tasks especially when you don’t ‘feel’ like it. Pomodoros help kick emotions to the kerb and kill 🔪 procrastination 25 minutes at a time. 

This method of work was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It’s a tried and true method and works extremely well. 

The Pomodoro method works so well because it is a way of making yourself concentrate, 25 minutes at a time. Pomodoros eliminate the feeling of having unlimited time to perform tasks thus, you fully engage with your task, effectively eliminating multitasking which in turn sabotages effective deep work. 

My first Pomodoro Timer

I downloaded my first Pomodoro Timer on 13 July 2018, it’s called “Be Focused”. This was during my 4th year of medical school as I was looking for the way to stay motivated while learning an unfathomable 🤯 amount of material each semester. I downloaded and used the free version for sometime before purchasing the paid version. 

Be Focused (free version) - I tried many other Pomodoro timers after trying this free version but they were somehow too distracting or lacked some function that Be Focused provided. I actually gave the FREE version a 1/5 star ⭐️ rating in the Apple App Store. However, this was years ago so the free version will most likely be much better at the time of writing this post as the app does receive updates. 

My Current Situation...

Currently, I use the paid version of Be Focused because I get the benefit of it syncing over all my devices (which is pretty awesome for Apple users) and to remove the banners and ads! It also has other features but the two aforementioned are the two most useful to me.  You can try the free version to see if you enjoy this app. If you decided to upgrade to the paid version I recommend the Lifetime deal which is a one time payment. They also have the monthly and yearly subscriptions but why pay a monthly subscription when you can buy and own vs a monthly or yearly rental?!

Why I love it? 

1. All data - This tab shows your completed Pomodoros in a Bar Graph, Pie Chart and a list form. All the Pomodoros you have ever completed! 

 2. To do vs Done Tabs - these two tabs are located at the top of the app. Under the “To do” tab you can add any and all your desired tasks. Under the “Done” tab we find the extensive list of retired tasks. I love this so much because it reminds me of how hard I worked during medical school. It also shows how much effort I am currently putting in on other aspects of my  ongoing “To Do” tasks. 

Photo 3 - Courtesy Be Focused: To Do and Done Tabs

3. Dark mode - I don’t think I need say more. When studying/ working on a task at night this is essential for your eyes! My Mac OS system is set to automatically switch to dark mode and all apps supporting dark mode automatically switch, including Be Focused. 

4. Pause mode - This is the one feature I noticed that many other Pomodoros did not have. Pause mode is totally necessary for me in times when you are disturbed for example to take an urgent incoming phone call. Other Pomodoros would have you essentially loose the time you put into the Pomodoro if you do not complete it in one go. 

5. Simple interface - I like simple apps, gadget, devices that can handle advnaced/complex tasks. When an app, gadget or device is simple you can start using it from the get go versus haveing a steep learning curve.  Be Focused has a very simple interface with the ability to handle more advanced features like filters, tags etc. 

What can be improved? 

1. One colour user interface - I really dislike the red colour of the user interface. I’m not one of those persons that need a 1000 colours to choose from but I choice of 3 - 4 different colours would have been nice.

2. Dark mode - An annoying feature I noticed is that dark mode is only operational when the timer is actively running on your homescreen. However, if you need to access the Be Focused interface it converts to daytime mode. Now, when you’re in a dark room reading at night this harsh blast of light is totally repulsive to your eyes! 

3. Restarting a Pomodoro - After a paused pomodoro I don’t like the fact the you have to reopen the app to restart same. At night, this takes you out of dark mode and blasts your eyes with that blinding light! The ability for the app to restart from your homescreen would be awesome.

4. Siri integration - At the time of writing this post, there is no Siri integration. I just started develing into the use of Siri to assist me with my daily tasks. I use Siri to start the timer for my Zoho invoice timed tasks and it is fabulous to use because it is one less thing to physically do.

Conclusion: Despite the drawbacks, I enjoy the Be Focused Pomodoro Timer for its simple interface, its pause mode as well as the Tab features I didn’t see on any of the other apps I used prior to making my purchase. 

Now for forth and buy in confidence.

Until next time,

Josanne