I found that taking one afternoon a week (usually Tuesdays for some reason), removing all distractions and simply thinking about my big picture goals and what I need to do to get there solves a number of issues - including maintaining focus on multiple projects.
This gives me time to step back and think about the big picture. I don't often get caught up in the small stuff anymore and giving myself time to step out of the day-to-day race lets me see things a little more clearly.
Usually, what happens is that I find myself pushing back the "multiple projects" that don't contribute to my larger goals. At the same time, I've noticed that I can see where smaller projects should combine and will eventually work alongside my big lofty plans to take over the world.
It's a simple thing, but stepping back regularly for an afternoon once a week is one of the most productive things I do and one of the best ways I have to maintain focus in my own personal flurry of activity.
I love the Pomodoro Technique. I've been using it for a few months to improve my work and getting amazing results.
I like it so much, I'm building Pomodoro Planner (http://www.pomodoroplanner.com), a task-management tool based on the Pomodoro Technique. It's still in a limited beta phase, but it's become a tool I personally use every day.
Really cool app. I've been trying it out today. (I had been using the Keep Focused utility previously.)
The difficulty I'm having with your app is after my pomodoro finishes, you have the clock ticking upward and it doesn't stop. I need it to either stop counting up after 5 minutes and/or turn red, otherwise I totally forget to start another pomodoro, since I'm not always that good at taking breaks or I want to finish up one line of code before going on break and am liable to forget. But maybe I'm just a Pomodoro noob. =)
Would you prefer a sound effect for when the 5-minute count is done?
The reasoning right now is that some people might want longer than a 5 minute break, but still want to keep their eye on how long a break they've taken. We could add a sound effect at the 5 minute mark but keep the count going.
In any case, thanks for your feedback and thanks for trying the app out! I'm glad you found it of value!
A simple color change or font change on the browser tab would do it, though I'm not sure if that's technically possible. Maybe another idea could be a popup when it's done where you can choose how long you want your break?
Can somebody passionate explain what Pomodoro is? When I Google it all I get are sauce recipes; I'd love if an enthusiast for the system could explain to me what makes it so effective and nice.
I have three side projects I'm working on, so it takes about 90 mins with 5-min breaks between each. Some days I work on a particular project longer if I'm in the mood; 25 mins is the minimum.
I found that taking one afternoon a week (usually Tuesdays for some reason), removing all distractions and simply thinking about my big picture goals and what I need to do to get there solves a number of issues - including maintaining focus on multiple projects.
This gives me time to step back and think about the big picture. I don't often get caught up in the small stuff anymore and giving myself time to step out of the day-to-day race lets me see things a little more clearly.
Usually, what happens is that I find myself pushing back the "multiple projects" that don't contribute to my larger goals. At the same time, I've noticed that I can see where smaller projects should combine and will eventually work alongside my big lofty plans to take over the world.
It's a simple thing, but stepping back regularly for an afternoon once a week is one of the most productive things I do and one of the best ways I have to maintain focus in my own personal flurry of activity.