Another good option is for Windows, which adds the ability to set a custom time period.

There are also some good Pomodoro timers for smartphones. On the iPhone, I like , which features an image of the iconic tomato timer sold on the Pomodoro Technique Web site. On Android, the less visually pleasing but equally effective is a good choice.

Allot Time for Tasks

To get the most out of the Pomodoro Technique, it helps to know up front how long a given task might take, so I like to include estimates when I add a task to my to-do list. Some apps, like Remember the Milk, include built-in support for task durations, but if your preferred app doesn't, it's no big deal. All you really need to do is put an estimate in parenthesis after the task description (45 minutes), and you'll see it at a glance on your to-do list. This helps you pick which tasks you want to tackle first, based on how much energy you have and how long your list is. (Personally, I prefer to tackle the short tasks first, because I'm hooked on the high of checking things off my list.)