How long should a focus session be?

There's no perfect number. The best focus session is the one long enough to make real progress and short enough that you'll actually start it. Here are the most common approaches and who they suit.

25 minutes: the Pomodoro Technique

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique uses 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break, with a longer break after four rounds.

Best for: getting started, tasks you're avoiding, and days when focus is hard. A short, defined block makes it easier to begin.

50 minutes: the 50/10 split

Fifty minutes of work and a ten-minute break, roughly once an hour.

Best for: writing, studying and coding once you're warmed up. Twenty-five minutes can end just as you get into the problem; fifty gives you room to go deeper.

90 minutes: long deep-work blocks

Some people work in blocks of around 90 minutes, then take a longer break.

Best for: demanding creative or technical work when you have a clear task and no meetings. Most people can only do one to three of these a day.

How to choose

• If you struggle to start, go shorter.
• If you get interrupted just as you get into flow, go longer.
• If you feel drained by the end, go shorter or take longer breaks.
• Whatever you choose, take real breaks. Stand up, move around and look away from screens.

Use sound as a start and stop signal

A consistent soundscape can mark the start of a session, so that pressing play means work begins. The focus timer plays a soundscape for the length you choose and lets you know when it's time for a break.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Pomodoro Technique scientifically proven?

It's a practical method rather than a scientific finding. Regular breaks and clear time limits help many people, but the exact numbers matter less than finding a rhythm you'll stick to.

How many focus sessions should I do a day?

It depends on the work. Many people find four to six hours of truly focused work is a lot for one day.

What should I do during breaks?

Something that isn't work: stretching, a short walk, water or looking out of a window. Scrolling your phone tends to make the next session harder to start.