Use these apps to be more productive using Pomodoro technique

I always try to be organised and have my day in schedule, with my routines. Then something changed, we all got isolated. It is not that I will complain, but when we talk about routines, this is a breakdown. I saw myself with four hour more a day, that I was saving from the commute, plus the rest of the day but instead to help me being more productive and get more of my day, it produced the opposite procrastination.

I heard before about Pomodoro technique, but never tried it before, at the end, it has been always easy for me to focus on my job, so I decided to give it a try. Good thing, I just needed a timer a Pomodoro timer!

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a pomodoro, from the Italian word for 'tomato', after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used as a university student.
-Wikipedia-

I didn't want to over complicated I wanted to test if Pomodoro Technique  was meant for me. So I googled it "pomodoro timer" and pick the first result.

Pomodoro Tracker

Web based application, The Pomodoro Tracker lets you use their timer without installing the app. Easy to use, start the time, stop and if you want to quantify your tasks a TODO editable list. The app allows you to customise your settings to change session lengths, notification settings, and integrate with other apps. Pomodoro Tracker has a free version and paid premium version.

Result: It was great, in half day I achieved everything I planned for the day. I saw it had a lot of potential not only for my work but my side projects, daily activities like reading, meditation or house tasks like cleaning where I found myself many times just procrastinating between the vacuum cleaner and the laundry. Now it was the moment to find the right app for me.

Pomodor-Tracker was great.

PROS:

• Easy to setup and use
• Relative clean interface
• Lots of integrations (Trello, TODOist, Telegram, Slack... )

CONST:

• No mobile App

Yes, no mobile app, it has a mac app, but all my possible uses of the pomodoro technique I needed as must have, mobile app and Apple Watch app, for those moments where I'm doing tasks away of my phone or computer, like cleaning, tidying up or you are in meetings i.e: scrum ceremonies and want to keep people focus by using pomodoro. The should have integrations and as nice to have, iPad app and Mac app.

Unfortunately I could not find and app with all those characteristics (Spoiler alert: This could be a micro SaaS idea).

I did a bit of researched and here a summary of the apps I tested and the winner.

PomoDoneApp

The PomoDoneApp is simple to use pomodoro timer with many integrations with other task management software like Trello, Asana, Todoist...

It has a free plan  that allows you manage up to five projects with two Third party integrations and Premium that starts at £1,88

PROS

• Clean design
• iOS  and Android (including iPad)
• Windows, Linux and Mac app
• Web App
• Third party Integrations
• Free plan

CONS

• No Apple Watch
  

Focus Keeper

Hyper customisable app for pomodoro technique, Focus Keeper is a time tracking tool with intuitive interface and productivity charts. You can customise the timer, sessions, goals, colours, sounds...

The app is free to use with in-app purchases.

PROS

• Clean interface
• iOS App (including iPad)
• Customisation
• Free to use

CONS

• No Apple Watch app
• No Mac or Windows app
• No Third party integrations

Be Focused

The almost winner, the Be Focused app has iOS and Apple Watch app, with task management  and several customisation like the ability to set break and work session durations, goal tracking, pie chart... You can add new tasks from your Apple Watch using dictation, and when you start the timer in your watch it starts and synchronises with the timer in your phone.

The app is free with basic features with a premium version Be Focused Pro for Mac

PROS

• iOS, iPad and Apple Watch app
• Customisation
• Synchronisation between Apple Watch and iPhone app
• Add tasks from your Apple Watch

CONS

• I found the design a bit messy and not as clearer as the other apps
• Mac app is not free
• No support for other platforms like Android or Windows and not support for web
• Project management is not intuitive.
• No third party integrations

Focus To-Do

The winner, as I spoiled at the beginning I could not find an app with all the features I was looking for, but Focus To-Do has convenient features I need for now, it can be used on mobile, tablet and desktop. Focus To-Do includes reports, synchronisation between multiple devices a whole TODO app features from projects, to lists, set up priorities, due dates or reminders. You can split projects into subtasks, add notes or repeats.

The design is clean and fresh and it is free to download and use. The "but" it has no third party integrations, but I do not need it thanks to its capabilities of TODOs managements features.

PROS

• iOS, Android, iPad and Apple Watch app
• MacOSX and Windows app
• Concise project management tools in form of TODO lists
• Customisations
• White noise for concentrations
• Different timers
• Synchronisation between devices (Premium feature)

CONS

• No third party integrations
• Synchronisation between devices (Premium feature, yeah for some people it might be a cons ;) )

From now, I moved from using Asana, Trello, Click Up to  Focus To-Do, as I'm using it to manage myself and not a whole project I do not need complex management settings but in my opinion third party integrations could be an easy feature to include that it would solve almost all uses cases.

As you can see there are plenty options in the market to be more productive and this is just a summary of a huge list of options.

What is your favourite tool? What is your secret sauce to be productive? Leave a comment ;)