Your new

Pomo

Focus timer
Model P-25 · Operating instructions
The Pomo timer: a split-flap display showing 24:36, four lamps with three lit, and a glowing red button
Owner's Manual

Pomo is a Pomodoro and study timer built like an appliance from another decade: a split-flap countdown, four lamps that come on as your cycle fills, and one red button. For Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Free, with no account and no ads.

Get it for MacmacOS 15 or later
Get it for iPhone & iPadiOS 17 or later · includes Apple Watch
Pomo · Owner's manualPage 2

How it works

Pomo follows the Pomodoro Technique, a popular method for keeping your attention on one thing at a time. In its standard form it has four simple steps.

  1. 1
    Choose a taskPick one thing from your list that you want to give your full attention.
  2. 2
    Start the timerPress the button. 25 minutes is long enough to get somewhere and short enough to stay sharp.
  3. 3
    Work on the taskCommit to it until the lamp comes on. Distractions can wait 25 minutes.
  4. 4
    Take a short breakEnjoy 5 minutes off. Stand up, stretch, drink some water.

↻ Repeat four times, then…

Take a long break. Every fourth break is a longer, more restoring one of 15 minutes. All four durations can be adjusted on the faders behind the little door marked Durations.

Pomo · Owner's manualPage 3

The appliance

One timer on every device, built from the same parts.

  • The display. A split-flap countdown that flips one digit at a time.
  • The lamps. One comes on for each session you complete. The one in progress breathes. They turn green while you rest.
  • The button. A latching push button in a chrome ring. Press it and the lamp inside warms up like a filament.
  • The door. Behind it, four faders for the focus, short break, long break and cycle length.
  • On the Mac, the countdown also lives in the menu bar. Out of the box Pomo runs menu bar only, with no Dock icon.
  • On iPhone, the countdown stays on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, with a pause button.
  • On Apple Watch, start, pause and skip from your wrist, with a tap when an interval ends.
Pomo on an iPhone, a session running
Fig. 2 — iPhone, a session under way
Pomo on an iPad
Fig. 3 — iPad
Pomo on an Apple Watch
Fig. 4 — Apple Watch
Pomo during a short break, the button and lamps green
Fig. 5 — A short break
Pomo · Owner's manualPage 4

Record of use

Every finished session is entered in the record for you. Read it by day, week, month or year, with the hours by task, and the change against the period before.

  • Daily use stamp. One pomodoro every three days keeps your streak alive. Rest days count; the stamp only grows on days you show up.
  • iCloud. The record syncs across your Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. There is no account to make.
  • To calendar. Transfer sessions to Apple Calendar by hand or automatically, or save the record as text and CSV.
  • A word each morning. A Home Screen widget with a daily quote and your streak, and a reminder at the hour you choose.
The record of use window on the Mac: tabs for day, week, month, year, a bar graph and time by task
Fig. 6 — A week's record on the Mac
Pomo · Owner's manualPage 5

Distractions kept out

The distractions window on the Mac, listing blocked websites
Fig. 7 — The distractions list, websites and apps

On the Mac, while a session runs, the apps on your list are hidden and the websites are turned away at the door. Off again the moment you rest.

  • Any app on your Mac
  • Any website, in Safari, Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi and Opera
  • Commitment mode locks pause and reset until the session is done
  • A fullscreen break, if you like, so you actually step away
Pomo · Owner's manualPage 6

Specifications