Have you ever experienced burnout – that exhausting feeling you get when too much work piles up and your brain just can’t process everything all at once? All those pressuring deadlines will eventually get the best of you one way or another. True enough, we have all been there – and it is definitely something you want to avoid at all costs.
What if there was a way to solve your current problems with time management – maybe a technique that you can use to make your schedules lighter and less stressful? Fortunately for you, there exists a famous technique to make you more productive with your time called the Pomodoro Technique.
Basically, to practice the Pomodoro Technique, you can divide your entire work period into 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks in between the intervals. Through this effective time management technique, not only would it keep your mind alert and focused, but it would also make you more productive in general and less prone to mental burnouts.
Now, this may all seem like a hard thing to manage right? Well, there’s even greater news for you – you can create a Pomodoro-style schedule of your own with the swipe of a finger! Below is a list of the seven most recommended Pomodoro apps to get you started on the road to a stress-free and productive lifestyle.
7. Focus-To-Do
Available for iOS, Android, Mac OS, Windows, and Google Chrome, Focus-To-Do is an all-around Pomodoro app. With its smooth synchronization across multiple devices and consistently updated progress reports, Focus-To-Do is the practical application for you.
Through its multiple features such as being able to create subtasks and a combined feature of a Pomodoro Timer and a To-Do list all in one, you can get more work organized and finished in less time. The app itself is free, however, you can avail of the $10 Premium version, which is a one-time payment for lifetime access to special features such as cloud backup capabilities and more detailed statistics on your current progress.
6. Tomatoes
A free web-based Pomodoro timer, Tomatoes is a straight-to-the-point Pomodoro time tracker. The overall look of the website is rather plain and simple but if you’re the type of person who prefers a basic Pomodoro timer without all of the complex features that other apps offer, then Tomatoes is the Pomodoro tracker for you. And if you’re the competitive type, Tomatoes also has a leaderboard system in place to motivate its logged users to continuously improve their productivity levels.
5. Flora
Flora provides a rather unique take on the Pomodoro timer. This mobile app allows its users to plant “trees” when logging in for a work session. Whenever you exit the app and log on to another one that probably is not work-related such as *cough* Twitter *cough*.
The tree you have planted for the session will begin to die. You can also invite your friends to group sessions, and of course, the same rule applies – once someone switches to another app, all the trees of the entire group will also begin to wither away. This fun take on the Pomodoro app is available for free on iOS.
4. Focus Keeper
Focus Keeper is the closest thing you will get to the original concept for the first Pomodoro timer a.k.a. the “Tomato Timer” created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. This tomato-colored app also has a built-in ticking sound to remind the user whenever a work-interval begins. Once the download finishes, you can immediately start a Pomodoro session with ease. The basic version of Focus Keeper is free however it is only available on iOS.
3. Pomodoro Tracker
Pomodoro Tracker is a free web-application available for both Mac OS X and Windows. Like the previously mentioned Tomatoes app, Pomodoro Tracker provides one of the simplest experiences for a Pomodoro timer online with its minimalist and basic design. This app cuts to the chase and is best for beginners who are just getting used to how the Pomodoro Technique works.
2. Focus Booster
Focus Booster is mainly a free desktop app that allows interested users to create an account through their website if they want to check out their Pomodoro progress reports. This time tracker application also has features seen previously in other Pomodoro apps in this list such as more detailed reports on your current progress through the Premium version and adjustable work interval times if you’re just getting started with Pomodoro.
1. Pomodone
One of the better known apps in the list, Pomodone is a flexible and efficient Pomodoro application which is loved by many due to its simple yet effective features such as an adjustable work interval timer (for those who prefer a shorter interval than 25 minutes), progress reports, and synchronization with productivity apps such as Google Calendar and Trello to name a few. The basic version of Pomodone is available for free on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Wrapping Up
The choice is yours to make in choosing the pomodoro app which best fits your work style. However, a personal suggestion is that you start out with the free versions of the applications in the list above and try to explore which app is for you. When you have the hang of the Pomodoro Technique and you can apply it onto your regular schedule with ease, you can then start to consider upgrading to paid premium versions for more features.
Whether you’re the type of person who likes a little fun and games to come along with the pomodoro app or the type who prefers it quick and simple, always remember that these apps are virtual assistants in your journey to become a more productive person.
At the end of the day, you will have the final say if you decide to manage your time better or not. Now it might be tempting to add a couple of minutes to that 5-minute rest interval and it’s okay to fail every now and then, but try to make the effort to discipline yourself by sticking to your pomodoro schedule as much as possible. Practice makes perfect.
