The Pomodoro Technique with music

The Pomodoro Technique is one of the simplest ways to get started on work you've been putting off: focus for 25 minutes, take a short break, repeat. Pair it with an album and the music becomes part of the routine. Here's how to set it up.

What the Pomodoro Technique is

The technique was created by Francesco Cirillo while he was a university student in the 1980s. He couldn't focus on his studies, so he challenged himself to study for just a few minutes without distraction, using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. That experiment grew into a full time-management method, which you can learn about on the official Pomodoro® Technique site.

The core loop most people use looks like this:

1. Choose one task.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and work only on that task.
3. When the timer rings, take a short break of 3 to 5 minutes.
4. After four focus blocks, take a longer break of about 15 to 30 minutes.

The full method goes further, with planning, tracking and handling interruptions. But even the basic loop is useful, because it turns "study all evening" into "just do the next 25 minutes."

Why short breaks help

Breaks aren't wasted time. In a lab study, Ariga & Lleras (2011), Cognition gave people a 40-minute task that demanded constant attention. Most groups got steadily worse over time, but the group that briefly switched to a different task a couple of times didn't decline. One lab task doesn't prove a specific schedule is best, but it supports the idea that stepping away for a moment can help you come back sharper.

Adding music to your focus blocks

Music works well with focus blocks because it gives each block a clear start and a consistent feel.

• Start the album when you start the timer. Over time, the music becomes a cue that it's time to work.
• Choose instrumental music. Lyrics compete with reading and writing. All Purrple Cat albums are instrumental.
• Use album length as a backup timer. Signs of Life runs 25:25 on YouTube, about one classic block. Most other Purrple Cat albums run 28 to 37 minutes, and the music ending is a good reminder to check your timer.
• Change the music for breaks. Pause it, or switch to something brighter like Happy Place. A different sound helps your break feel like a break.

A sample two-hour session

Here's one way to structure an evening using the timer on our home page and the playlists by task:

1. Focus 1 (25 min): start Mellow Skies and read the chapter.
2. Break (5 min): stand up, refill your water.
3. Focus 2 (25 min): keep going with the album, now taking notes.
4. Break (5 min).
5. Focus 3 (25 min): switch to Above the Clouds for practice problems.
6. Break (5 min).
7. Focus 4 (25 min): finish the problems and mark what to review.
8. Long break (15 to 30 min): step away from the screen.

Common problems and fixes

• "I get interrupted." Write the interruption down and get back to the task. Deal with it during the break.
• "25 minutes is too short for deep work." Try 50/10. The timer has a preset for it.
• "25 minutes feels impossible." Start with 10 or 15 minutes using the custom option. Cirillo's first bet with himself was only a few minutes.
• "I skip breaks when I'm on a roll." Short breaks are part of the method. Take them anyway, and keep them short.
• "The music distracts me." Turn it down, switch to a calmer album, or work in silence for that block.

Pomodoro® and Pomodoro Technique® are registered trademarks of Francesco Cirillo. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by him. Our timer is a simple, general-purpose focus timer.