The Pomodoro technique in your browser

The Pomodoro technique is a simple way to focus: pick one task, work on it for 25 minutes without switching, take a 5-minute break, and after four rounds take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. In a browser, the hard part isn't the timer; it's the tabs. So the browser version adds one step: put your distracting tabs away when the timer starts, and let them back when it ends.

The classic method

Francesco Cirillo created the technique in the late 1980s and named it after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. The steps:

1. Choose one task.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
3. Work only on that task until it rings.
4. Take a 5-minute break.
5. After four rounds, take a longer break.

That's it. The power is in the limits: 25 minutes is short enough to start without dread, and the timer gives you permission to ignore everything else until it ends.

Why it struggles in a browser

On paper, the Pomodoro method assumes your distractions are outside the work. In a browser they're inside it: your feed is one tab away from your document. The urge to "just check" doesn't respect the timer, and every quick look breaks the round.

The browser version

Before the round

• Write the one task you're working on.
• Close or park every tab that isn't needed for it.
• Mute notifications.

During the round

• If you think of something else, write it on a list and keep going.
• If you must look something up, do it in the task's own tab group and come back.

During the break

• Stand up and look away from the screen. A break spent scrolling feels like a break but leaves your attention just as scattered.

After four rounds

• Take the long break, then review: did the task move forward? What will the next round be for?

Choosing the length

25 minutes is the classic, but not a rule. If you keep wanting to continue when the timer rings, try 50 minutes with a 10-minute break. For deep creative or technical work, 90 minutes followed by a proper rest suits some people.

How TabHue fits in

TabHue already handles the "put your tabs away" step: Focus mode parks your distracting categories (Social by default) and brings them back exactly as they were. Toggle it with Alt+Shift+F.

In TabHue 2.0, arriving in December, this becomes a real Pomodoro timer. Pick 25, 50 or 90 minutes and click Start: your distracting categories park, your pet keeps watch, and when the time is up everything comes back and your pet earns a treat. You can also start a session from a task, and its name shows while the session runs. Read more in Focus sessions, Focus mode and parking.

For more ways to protect a session, see how to focus in Chrome.

Frequently asked questions

Is 25 minutes the best length?

It's a good starting point, not a law. Many people settle on 50 minutes of work and 10 of rest once the habit is in place. Choose the longest block you can usually finish without drifting.

What should I do during a Pomodoro break?

Something away from the screen: stretch, get water, look out of a window. Avoid feeds and messages, which tend to stretch a 5-minute break into 20.

What if I'm interrupted in the middle of a round?

If it can wait, write it down and finish the round. If it can't, stop the round, deal with it, and start a fresh one afterwards rather than trying to resume.