# Pomodoro technique, explained

URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/pomodoro-technique/

The Pomodoro technique is working in focused 25-minute intervals, each followed by a 5-minute break, with a longer break after four. Francesco Cirillo developed it in the late 1980s, named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer.

## What it means
Each 25-minute interval is one "pomodoro". During it you do one task and nothing else; if something comes up, you write it down and return to the task. The short breaks keep attention fresh and make starting easier, because 25 minutes feels small.

## How to do it in a calendar
- Put the task in a time block (say 90 minutes), then work inside it in pomodoros.
- Three pomodoros with breaks fill a 90-minute block.
- Tick the block off when the pomodoros are done.

## An example
A student books "Statistics revision" from 14:00 to 15:30 and runs three pomodoros inside it, with the phone on the other side of the room.

## Common mistakes
- **Breaking flow.** If you are deep in a task, skipping a break is fine.
- **Pomodoros without a plan.** The technique decides how to work, not what to work on.

## Where it comes from
Francesco Cirillo, The Pomodoro Technique (first developed in the late 1980s; book 2006, revised 2018).

## Questions

**Does it have to be 25 minutes?**
No. Many people use 50/10 for deeper work. The point is a fixed sprint and a real break.

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Facts: https://gocutline.com/facts/ · Updated 2026-10-24