ADHD & Time Management Blog - Pomodoro Technique

Have you considered organising your workday into 16 ‘tomato’ intervals? The Pomodoro Technique might suit you if:

• You often find yourself side-tracked by other responsibilities during work

• You tend to overload your daily schedule

• You routinely handle tasks with unpredictable time requirements

• You frequently work beyond your peak productivity hours

This time management strategy is simple to adopt and has been utilized across various sectors for years. This guide will delve into the Pomodoro Technique, its application in project management, and explore some popular alternatives.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a widely-used time management method for task completion. It involves alternating between focused work periods (Pomodoros) and scheduled breaks. Typically, work sessions last 25 minutes, followed by five-minute breaks.

In the late 1980s, Francesco Cirillo, a university student feeling overwhelmed by his coursework, decided to commit to just ten minutes of focused study. This experiment led to the development of the Pomodoro Technique, named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used ("pomodoro" means tomato in Italian).

By dividing larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, the technique makes them less daunting. It also promotes periods of uninterrupted concentration and flow, interspersed with breaks that allow mental relaxation and help maintain work quality.

While Cirillo now offers comprehensive Pomodoro time management courses, the basic concept remains straightforward. 

The Pomodoro Technique consists of six main steps:

1. Choose a task

Choose a task from your pre-planned pomodoro schedule. Planning your tasks in advance makes implementing the Pomodoro Technique much smoother (more on this later).

2. Start the timer

Set a timer, usually for 25 minutes. Cirillo suggests using a kitchen timer to avoid digital distractions. The physical action of winding the timer initiates your work session, its ticking keeps your mind on task, and the ring signals break time. However, a stopwatch or Pomodoro app can also suffice.

3. Focus on the task

Once the timer starts, concentrate solely on your chosen task until it rings. Minimize distractions and defer other tasks or messages until your break. If you finish early, use the remaining time to review your work, tackle a similar task, plan upcoming tasks, or study related material.

4. Take a short break

When the timer sounds, pause your work for a short break, typically 5-10 minutes. You may also use this time to briefly log your accomplishments.

5. Repeat the cycle

Repeat the work-break cycle three more times. You may continue with the same task or switch to a new one, based on your daily plan. If an unavoidable interruption occurs, take your break early and restart the pomodoro afterward. Note these disruptions to help prevent them in future sessions. After completing four pomodoros, move to step 6.

6. Enjoy a longer break

Having worked for about two hours and completed a "pomodoro set" (four pomodoros), take an extended break of 20-30 minutes to recharge. Once this break ends, return to step 2 (or step 1 if beginning a new task).

Here’s a visual example of how this would look in practice:

Why This is Great for Neurodivergent People

The Pomodoro Technique can be particularly beneficial for neurodivergent people as we may experience challenges around time perception, task initiation, and focus regulation. 

We've dug a bit deeper into why its beneficial for us:

• Using a physical timer, or one like this timer that changes colour as it ticks, removes the barrier of object permanence affecting our relationship with time passing us by. Externalising time with a physical timer means that we turn something abstract that we can't normally see into a concrete, tangible thing within our control. 

• The Pomodoro Technique, or time blocking, provides clear boundaries around work and rest, which can reduce overwhelm and anxiety around open-ended tasks or unstructured time for us 

• Time blocking reduces executive function load. For many of us, decision-making fatigue and mental effort can build up quickly. Breaking tasks into smaller, time-boxed sprints reduces the cognitive load of sustaining attention for long periods.

• Built-in movement and sensory breaks: The scheduled short and long breaks help to prevent burnout, encourage regular movement, and create space for sensory regulation—whether that’s a quick walk, a stretch, or a calming activity that helps reset your nervous system.

• Creates urgency without pressure: Many neurodivergent people benefit from external motivators or time-limited tasks, as these can help initiate action without feeling overly restrictive or anxiety-inducing.

• Minimises hyperfocus burnout: While hyperfocus can sometimes feel productive, it often leads to exhaustion or skipping meals and self-care. The Pomodoro system helps balance deep focus with built-in pauses to check in with your body and energy levels.

• Encourages self-awareness and pattern spotting: Tracking interruptions and noting how many pomodoros a task takes can help build useful insights into how your brain works best. Over time, you can tailor your schedule to match your natural energy patterns and capacity.

Our Tips for Adapting the Pomodoro to Work for YOUR Brain

The original Pomodoro Technique is a great starting point, but you don’t have to stick rigidly to 25/5 intervals! Try experimenting with different work and break lengths – perhaps 15/5, 40/10, or even 60/15 works better for you depending on your focus window. Our coaching team will work with clients to find their optimal focus window, and for some of us at Inclusive Change, our optimal focus window is 10 minute bursts!

You can also try using visual or sensory timers like hourglasses, visual countdowns, or tactile timers if auditory cues are distracting or overwhelming. We’ve included a link to a colour changing timer here: https://amzn.to/4bFvkxF

We've also found pairing Pomodoros with body-doubling incredibly effective. Body doubling is working alongside a colleague or virtually with someone for accountability and motivation, and this also increases both people's productivity. If you're someone who will hyperfocus, set an additional cue (like a vibrating watch or reminder) to encourage stepping away for breaks, and ask a colleague to come along and prompt you gently with a message or invitation to go for a walk.

Take regular short breaks to reset your nervous system, not just scroll your phone. Consider stretching, breathing exercises, or going outside for fresh air. 

If you’re sensitive to pressure, you could treat the timer as a “focus container” rather than a strict deadline; something gently nudging you into flow without creating time anxiety. We like to combine Pomodoros with task batching by grouping similar tasks into one focus block to reduce context switching for our autistic clients.

Would you like to know more about our coaching services? Book in a call with us here for a chat about how we can help: 

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