The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method developed by the Italian Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, while he was a university student. It is named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used, pomodoro being Italian for tomato. In its classic form, work is divided into 25-minute blocks, each followed by a short break of about five minutes, with a longer pause of 20 to 30 minutes after four blocks.
Research on the method is still limited but encouraging. In a 2023 study of Dutch university students, those who took fixed breaks, including a Pomodoro-style group studying for 24 minutes and resting for six, reported less fatigue and better concentration and motivation than students who chose their own breaks, and they got through similar work in less time.
Music fits the rhythm naturally. A long jazz lo-fi mix or a live stream can carry the work blocks, while the breaks are a good moment to stand up, stretch and look away from the screen.