How this Pomodoro Planner calculates your schedule

Pomodoro looks simple on paper — work a little, break a little — but most people lose momentum because they keep re-deciding the rules. This planner helps by converting your settings into a predictable loop: Focus Sprint → Break → Focus Sprint → Break, with an occasional longer break to reset your attention. In other words: you pick the rules once, then you follow the timeline.

Under the hood, the schedule is built from a few inputs: (1) focus sprint length, (2) short break length, (3) long break length, (4) long break frequency, and (5) your start time. From there, we generate blocks in order, and each block has: a start timestamp, an end timestamp, a label, and a tag (focus vs short break vs long break). Everything is computed locally in your browser.

You can plan by Pomodoros (e.g., “I’ll do 8 Pomodoros today”) or by total focus minutes (e.g., “I just need 120 focused minutes”). If you choose “total focus minutes,” we estimate the number of Pomodoros using: Pomodoros Needed = ceil(total focus minutes ÷ focus sprint minutes). Example: 120 minutes of focus with 25-minute sprints becomes ceil(120 ÷ 25) = ceil(4.8) = 5 Pomodoros.

Starting at your chosen start time, we create the first focus block. After each focus block, we add a break. Most breaks are short breaks, but every N Pomodoros (your “long break every” setting), we insert a long break instead. The simple rule is: after Pomodoro #N, #2N, #3N… → long break; otherwise → short break. We do not add a break after the final Pomodoro (because you’re done — that’s your real reward).

Many people struggle to start because the first 2–10 minutes feel “messy.” That’s normal: you’re switching contexts. Warm-up gives you a small, official buffer to set up: open the doc, gather notes, write the first tiny sentence, or list the next three actions. Wrap-up does the same at the end: save work, write a quick “next step” note, and shut down cleanly. If you enable warm-up + wrap-up, we add those blocks before the first focus sprint and after the last sprint.

The Focus Score is designed to be shareable and motivating — not a scientific measure. It is based on how “work-heavy” your plan is. We compute: Work Ratio = total focus minutes ÷ (total focus minutes + total break minutes). Then we convert it into a score: Base Score = round(Work Ratio × 100). Finally, we apply a small “fatigue balance” bonus if your long breaks are reasonable (not zero and not huge): if long breaks are between 10 and 30 minutes, we add +3; otherwise we add 0. The final score is capped at 100. High scores usually mean fewer, shorter breaks relative to work — but you should still protect your breaks, because breaks are what keep your later Pomodoros high-quality.

Suppose you start at 9:00 AM and plan 8 Pomodoros. Your timeline looks like: Focus 25 → break 5 (repeat 3 times), then focus 25 → long break 15, then repeat again. That’s 8 focus blocks total, with 6 short breaks and 1 long break (no break after the last Pomodoro). Your end time is automatically computed by summing every block’s minutes.

The most important thing is consistency. If your settings are “perfect” but you don’t follow them, they are not perfect. If your settings are slightly imperfect but repeatable, they win. That’s the whole point of a planner.

Real-life ways to use this

You need 3 hours of focused study. Set goal type = “focus minutes,” total focus minutes = 180, and use 25/5 with a 15-minute long break every 4. The planner will generate 8 Pomodoros (because ceil(180 ÷ 25) = 8). Screenshot the timeline and highlight the start time — that single image is often enough to remove procrastination.

Writing gets easier once you start. Use 15-minute focus blocks with 3-minute breaks and a 10-minute long break every 4. Add a 5-minute warm-up. Your first block becomes: “Warm-up: open doc, write 3 bullet points.” After that, the timer carries you.

You have 50 minutes before a call. Set total focus minutes = 40, focus sprint = 20, short break = 5. The timeline becomes: Focus 20 → Break 5 → Focus 20 (done). That’s a tidy plan that fits real schedules.

For tasks like cleaning, use shorter focus (10–15 minutes) and slightly longer breaks (3–5 minutes). Your breaks become “switch rooms” and “reset energy.” The planner helps you stop when the plan ends, instead of letting chores take your whole day.

If you post productivity content, use the classic 25/5 settings, generate a 4-Pomodoro plan, and share a screenshot. Add a caption like “25 minutes with me — start now.” People love low-friction group challenges, and the timeline is the perfect visual anchor.

How to use your Pomodoro plan (without overthinking it)

A Pomodoro plan is only useful if it survives real life. The biggest mistake people make is treating the timer like a judge. It’s not. It’s a gentle boundary: “For the next 25 minutes, I will only do the next small action.” That’s it. The goal is not to be perfect — the goal is to keep starting.

• Pick the next action, not the whole project. “Write the intro sentence” beats “write the essay.”
• Close tabs that create choices. Choices are attention leaks. Reduce them.
• If you get distracted, write it down. Make a tiny note (“check email later”) and return to the task.
• Don’t negotiate the timer mid-sprint. Your brain will offer “just five minutes of scrolling.” Smile and ignore it.

• Stand up. A break is not just “switch to a different screen.”
• Let your mind wander a little. That’s where insights show up.
• Avoid “sticky” activities. Social media is famous for stealing your next sprint.
• Return when the break ends. Your future self will thank you.

If you miss a block, you didn’t “fail.” You just got information. Adjust your settings next time: shorten focus blocks, increase break length slightly, or add warm-up/wrap-up. The best plan is the one you can repeat tomorrow. Even 2 Pomodoros per day is a win if it becomes a habit.

Finally: your timeline is not a prison. If you hit flow, it’s okay to finish the paragraph or solve the problem before you stand up. Just try to protect the rhythm overall, because the rhythm is what makes Pomodoro work.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Pomodoro technique?

  Pomodoro is a time-management method that breaks work into short focus sprints (often 25 minutes) separated by short breaks, with a longer break every few sprints. It’s designed to reduce procrastination, improve attention, and make big tasks feel manageable.

• Is 25/5 the only “correct” setting?

  No. 25/5 is a popular default because it fits many attention spans, but lots of people prefer 15/3 for getting started or 50/10 for deep work. The best setting is the one you can follow consistently.

• How many Pomodoros should I do per day?

  For many people, 6–10 Pomodoros is a strong day of focused work. But even 2–4 Pomodoros can be life-changing if you do it consistently. Use this planner to match your available time and energy.

• What should I do on breaks?

  Do something that refreshes you and is easy to stop: stand up, stretch, drink water, look outside, or walk for a minute. Avoid activities that “trap” you, like endless scrolling or starting a new show.

• Why does the planner not add a break after the final Pomodoro?

  Because the plan is finished. In real life, your next step is either to stop working or transition to something else. If you want a “cool down,” enable wrap-up — it’s a cleaner end-of-session ritual.

• Does the Focus Score mean higher is always better?

  Not always. A higher score usually means more work per break, which can be great for short sprints, but breaks protect your performance across a full day. Treat Focus Score like a dial: turn it up for short deadlines, turn it down when you’re tired.

• Do you store my task or schedule?

  No. The planner runs in your browser. If you choose “Save Plan,” it stores it only in your device’s local storage so you can quickly re-load past plans.