I burned out.

It crept up slowly, too many context switches, heavy sessions late in the day, said yes to everything. During recovery, I felt I needed a way to work way more balanced.

Something that promotes short breaks and personal distance.

I had tried Pomodoro before but didn’t practice it as frequently.

Now though, I use it daily. The idea is simple:

1. Work in focused 25-minute blocks
2. Take short breaks in between
3. A longer break after every third block.

That’s it. But the simplicity is deceptive, it fundamentally changes how you relate to your workday.

I think it works great because it kills multi-tasking and focuses on single-tasking.

Well how do you do it then?!

1. Eliminate distractions before you start

Phone on silent. Close your email. Close your browser tabs that aren’t relevant. Block your calendar.

You’re setting the stage for focus, this step matters more than it sounds.

2. Singletask for 25 minutes

One window. One task. Zero email checking.

Don’t react, be proactive. The inbox can wait 25 minutes.

3. Take a 5-minute break

Step away from the screen. Stretch, walk around, get some water or coffee.

This isn’t wasted time, it’s what makes the next block possible.

4. Another 25 minutes

Continue the same task or move to the next one. Same rules: one thing, full focus.

5. Another 5-minute break

Stretch again. Breathe. Dance if you feel like it, close the door if that feels weird.

6. Third and final block, 25 minutes

One more round of singletasking.

7. Take a proper 10–15 minute break

After three blocks, step away properly. Go for a short walk, make coffee, cook something. Do something that has nothing to do with work, and something that gets you moving.

This longer break is what resets you for the next cycle.

Why it works for me

The small breaks are a reminder for me to loosen up, take a deep breath and create some distance between me and the importance of the current working project.

Pomodoro forces you to work differently. You commit to one thing for 25 minutes, nothing more. The timer removes the mental overhead of deciding when to switch. The breaks are scheduled, so you don’t feel guilty taking them.

It also gives me structure when my energy is unpredictable. Some days I can do 4 rounds. Some days I manage two. Both are fine because it’s a more balanced working style, in my opinion.

Tools

You don’t need much. A simple timer works. I bought one on Amazon (not sponsored). If the link is broken just search for “Rotating Pomodoro Timer 5, 25”, it’s a black cube basically.

The tool matters less than the habit.

Good luck!