Focus’s Journey

From the Original Pomodoro Technique to a Streamlined Management App

The Pomodoro Technique is a cyclical system which allows you to work focused in short bursts of time without distractions, taking short breaks to revive and renew your energy in between. 

This is exactly what we were looking for when we were university students. We did not yet have good time management skills for approaching a large project. It was easy for us to get distracted and lose motivation over time. 

We tried several Pomodoro apps, they were all interesting, but none were as effective as we expected.

We saw the great potential of the Pomodoro Technique and wanted to tweak it for like-minded people like us: people who were searching for a tool that would facilitate the use of the Technique and make it more convenient.

So What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

Francesco Cirillo was an entrepreneur and author who invented a new time management technique he called the Pomodoro Technique in the early nineties. His idea was to create a time management technique which would allow people get more done in less time.

The core of the technique is simple. When faced with a large task or a series of tasks, break them down into short, timed intervals. These intervals are then separated by short breaks. This helps your brain to stay focus for short periods of time.

There are 4 cycles of 25 minutes, separated by a 5 minute break. 

This technique is very low-tech, using only a timer, a pencil and a sheet of paper where you write the tasks down and the amount of cycles accomplished. 

How Did We Work on This Technique?

We did not want to use paper and pencil, but rather a tool which would include what we needed in one place. As no existing app worked as we expected, we decided to create Focus, which streamlines all the features of the technique on all Apple devices.

We added several features to the app, building on the technique and enhancing it to suit our and your needs.  

It is more flexible. The original Pomodoro Technique is pretty set on always having 4 sessions of 25 minutes, separated by 5 minute breaks. Studying and routine tasks work great with this original work frame. For work, we found it better with a longer session, usually 50 minutes with 10 minute breaks. So with our app, you can adapt the session length, break duration, and number of sessions to fit your needs. This means you can finish your thought before starting your break by extending your session. 

You have everything to need in one app: a task manager to plan your workday, a timer to structure your work and break time and an activity area to keep you motivated and evaluate your progress.

It’s always up-to-date and where you need it: You can use it on all your Apple devices. Tasks, timer and activity will sync.

The Pomodoro Technique exposed us to interval work, inspiring us to improve on time management techniques.

We created Focus so that it is not just a simple timer, but a real time manager for you and me to become and stay productive. We care for this app and intend on enhancing and improving it in the future.

Like-minded people like us have used it and they have been more productive with their time. We and they are content with the results. Care to join us?