Exploring The Pomodoro Technique For Focus
ZEN-it Team
03 Dec 2023

What seemed like a no-brainer before the Internet is now one of mankind’s biggest challenges. We’re talking about our ability to focus on a task. Every post on social media aims to be clickbait - with controversial titles, tantalising visuals, addictive music and content meant to engage you for eternity. Ah yes, we don’t engage with the same content for eternity though, instead we exercise our doom scrolling power to move to the next tantalising post, and that too, within a few seconds!
Should we blame the explosion of the Internet and communication media and continue what we have been doing all this while or should we truly start addressing the elephant in the room? Here is a scary thought - humans became the dominant species on this planet due to their ability to adapt, evolve and make intelligent decisions. As we stray further from being focused and being present, we run the risk of losing the intellectual advantage in the evolution cycle.
Being distracted at all times will affect our ability to complete tasks on time, remember key things, meet expectations at work, and worse, will alienate us from making enriching connections with people.
What Are The Different Techniques Out There?
There are different Focus techniques, time management strategies and work efficiency methods out there. The choice to use any of these techniques depends on one’s needs, working style and the type of work itself. Some of the popular techniques are Pomodoro, Getting Things Done (GTD), Time Blocking, Eat The Frog and so on.
The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro (meaning Tomato in Italian) technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, using a kitchen timer that looked like a tomato. In a nutshell, the Pomodoro technique requires us to do focused work for 25 minutes, with a 5 minute break, before starting the next cycle of 25 minutes of work. This should ideally be timed accurately, to build the sense of urgency when working, and to ensure that we step away from the tasks during the break.

The Pomodoro technique is popular for many reasons:
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There’s a low time commitment from our end. We just need to go distraction free for 25 minutes. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we pick our phone and start looking at cute kitten videos online at the start of our 5 minute break.
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The timer builds a countdown urgency, making us focus on the task at hand more intently.
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At the end of 25 minutes, we get a sense of accomplishment, especially if we have abstained from all kinds of distraction. This further spur us on to repeat the focus time cycle, reducing our stress levels as we tackle our tasks on time.
Some Challenges In Using Pomodoro Technique
While there are advantages to using the Pomodoro technique to stay focussed on a task, the biggest challenge might be in stopping at the 25 minute mark, especially when we are in the right zone and motivated to complete the task. Additionally, if the task involves discussions with team members or other stakeholders, we really cannot adhere to the 25 minute mark and dash out for a mid-morning walk. So, this technique would work when we have shorter tasks that require our attention, or repetitive tasks (think grading assessments, proof-reading etc.) and where it is a single person task.
There are modifications of the Pomodoro technique which address some of these issues such as the 52-17 (52 minutes of focused work and 17 minutes of break), Flow time (that accounts for uninterrupted work as long as we are in the flow) etc.
It’s important that we remember to try the technique first, as this would help us become more aware of what we spend our time on. Once we start training our brain to focus on tasks, it should be a cakewalk to modify the technique to suit our needs.
ZEN-it's Focus Time Feature

ZEN-it offers a suite of productivity tools, including a Focus Time feature. ZEN-it’s Focus Time feature supports you in overcoming distractions, improving concentration at work (or for personal projects) and customising the Pomodoro technique to your needs. Open the Focus Time feature, add the time that you want to stay focused, and stay away from your phone. At the end of the scheduled time, ZEN-it will buzz to let you know that you have completed the Focus time successfully! Need to make an urgent call? ZEN-it doesn’t stop you from using your phone, but gently urges you to stay on the task for a few more minutes! Complete your Focus time, check off tasks, earn achievement badges and share your win with others!
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FAQs
How can the Pomodoro Technique be adapted for tasks that require deep, uninterrupted focus beyond the standard 25-minute sessions?
For tasks requiring deep focus beyond 25 minutes, the Pomodoro Technique can be adapted by extending the work intervals. For instance, working for 50 minutes followed by a 10-minute break might be more suitable for deep focus tasks.
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What are the recommended modifications of the Pomodoro Technique for different types of work or personal preferences, such as the 52-17 or Flow time variations mentioned?
Modifications of the Pomodoro Technique, like the 52-17 method (working for 52 minutes, then breaking for 17), cater to different work styles or tasks. Personal preferences and the nature of the work dictate the best variation to use.
How does the ZEN-it app's Focus Time feature specifically support customization of the Pomodoro technique, and what additional functionalities does it offer to enhance productivity?
The ZEN-it app allows you to set your focus time duration, rather than making it mandatory to fix 25 minute intervals. It also tracks the time you spend as Focus Time, which in turn will help you analyse your work trends. Apart from this, ZEN-it also helps boost productivity by prioritizing your tasks for you, through the Prioritization Wizard, and helps you bucket all your tasks into categories - Home, Work, Self and Other. In summary, ZEN-it is an easy-to-use Productivity app that also addresses Self-Care and Mindfulness.
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