What you need to know
- Tomato 2 lets you set a 25-minute timer and then get on with your work.
The humble Pomodoro technique is one that has been around for a long, long time but having an app on your Mac makes it all the better. Tomato 2 is one such app and it might be the one you've been looking for.
The idea is simple. You work for 25 minutes and when the timer goes off, you take a five-minute break. Then you do it all over again. It's designed to prevent fatigue and, by all accounts, it works.
As for the app, Tomato 2 can live in your menu bar and be invoked via a keyboard shortcut. Then, you can restart a timer and more without moving your hands from the keyboard – all helping with focus.
Recent additions to Tomato 2 include:
- Silent mode: Go to silent mode and don't be interrupted when your session ends. Slip right into the zone.
- 5 more minutes: In the middle of something important? Don't take the break right now, but also get a reminder soon.
- Always-visible break timer: Don't get lost on the Internet.
- Setting a goal: Write down the goal of your current session inside the app. Constant reminder to help you stay focused on the task.
You can download Tomato 2, for free, from the Mac App Store. An optional in-app purchase allows you to block websites for even better focus. It unlocks a cool stats view as well.
