# Pomodoro Technique and Vitamin-R

> Last updated: 2012-09-01

Like most people, I have days where I find it hard to concentrate and be
productive. A couple years ago someone introduced me to [Pomodoro
Technique](http://www.pomodorotechnique.com) and Vitamin-R as a way to combat distraction. 

The gist of Pomodoro is that you alterate 25 minutes of focused work
with 5 minute breaks. One 25/5 cycle is called a Pomodoro. After four
Pomodoros you take a longer 15 minute break. 

The idea of setting a timer and focusing on one thing while it ticks
isn't new. I've seen this idea all over the internet. The nice thing
about Pomodoro is that one cycle is 30 minutes. This fits nicely
around meetings and other scheduled commitments.  

I used a number of different methods for timing Pomodoros. Kitchen
timers and the time on my phone don't work at the office because they
make noises that distract others. I also tried several 'egg-timer'
applications on both mac and pc. They worked but it was annoying to
have to set the timer for 25 minutes, then 5 minutes, than 15 minutes
over and over.

Two or three years ago someone showed me [Vitamin-R](http://www.publicspace.net/Vitamin-R/index.html). At the basic level
its a timer app that has built in support for breaks. It has UI to set
a goal for each Pomodoro and you can drag goals in from apps like
Omnifocus and Things.

I only use a small set of the features in Vitamin-R. In addition to
the timer and goal setting I also use its UI for eliminating
distractions. This allows me to close or hide applications in bulk so
that only relevant applications are running while I work. I also use
the background noise generator when I'm having a very hard time
concentrating. Having the backgroun noise on in addition to the music
I normally listen to downs out even the loudest of my co-workers and
helps me stay on task. 

After several years I still don't Pomodoro every day but when I'm
distractable or tired it really helps me focus on what I need to get
done. I recommend that everyone try it at least a few times to see if
it will work for them.