The rules of a Pomodoro

Francesco Cirillo’s technique, in his own rules. Source: The Pomodoro Technique (2007), free PDF.

1. A Pomodoro is 25 minutes of uninterrupted work, always followed by a break.
2. Short break: 5 minutes. At least 3, up to 10 when you are very tired.
3. After every four Pomodoros: a longer break, 15 to 30 minutes.
4. The Pomodoro is indivisible. There are no half or quarter Pomodoros.
5. If a Pomodoro begins, it has to ring. No stopping early, no restarting half-way.
6. An interrupted Pomodoro is void, as if it had never been set. Start a fresh one.
7. Finished early? Keep reviewing what you did until it rings.
8. Someone interrupts you: inform, negotiate, call back. Protect the Pomodoro.
9. When it rings, mark an X next to the activity you were working on.
10. A task longer than 5 to 7 Pomodoros gets broken down; one shorter than a Pomodoro gets batched with others.
11. Use a timer you wind up, that ticks while it runs and rings when time is up. The ticking is part of the method.
12. The technique is for work and study, never for your free time.

How the Action Game differs: Aktions vs Pomodoros