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🍅 Pomodoro Timer

Mind Your Time is our advanced Pomodoro timer feature that helps you maintain focus, track productivity, and work more efficiently. This guide covers everything you need to know about using the timer effectively.

Overview​

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that uses a timer to break work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Mind Your Time enhances this classic technique with modern features like task integration, analytics, and household collaboration.

Getting Started​

Accessing the Timer​

  1. Click on the Timer icon in the main navigation menu
  2. Or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + T to quickly open the timer

Basic Timer Operation​

  1. Start a Session: Click the play button to begin a 25-minute work session
  2. Pause/Resume: Click pause to temporarily stop the timer, and play to resume
  3. Stop Session: Click the stop button to end the current session early
  4. Skip to Break: Use the skip forward button to move directly to your break

Timer Settings​

Customizing Your Experience​

Access settings by clicking the gear icon in the timer interface:

  • Work Duration: Default 25 minutes (adjustable from 1-60 minutes)
  • Short Break: Default 5 minutes (adjustable from 1-15 minutes)
  • Long Break: Default 15 minutes (adjustable from 5-30 minutes)
  • Sessions Until Long Break: Default 4 sessions
  • Auto-Start Breaks: Automatically begin break timers
  • Auto-Start Work: Automatically start next work session after break
  • Notifications: Enable/disable sound notifications
  • Notification Sound: Choose from different alert sounds

Saving Settings​

Your settings are automatically saved and synced across all your devices.

Task Integration​

Linking Tasks to Sessions​

  1. Click on "Select a task" before starting your timer
  2. Search or browse your existing tasks
  3. Select the task you'll be working on
  4. All time spent will be automatically tracked against this task

Working Without a Task​

You can also use the timer without selecting a specific task. This is perfect for:

  • General focus time
  • Reading or learning
  • Administrative work
  • Planning sessions

Analytics Dashboard​

Accessing Your Stats​

Click the Analytics button to view your productivity insights:

Overview Tab​

  • Total Sessions: Complete count of all your Pomodoro sessions
  • Focus Time: Total minutes spent in focused work
  • Completion Rate: Percentage of sessions completed vs started
  • Daily Average: Average number of sessions per day

Charts Tab​

  • Daily Focus Time: Bar chart showing productivity trends
  • Focus Categories: Pie chart breaking down time by task type

Productivity Tab​

  • Heatmap: Visual representation of your most productive hours
  • Shows intensity of focus across each hour of the day
  • Helps identify your peak performance times

Streaks Tab​

  • Current Streak: Consecutive days with completed sessions
  • Longest Streak: Your best run of productive days
  • Calendar View: Visual streak tracking by day

Date Range Selection​

  • Last 7 Days: Quick view of your recent week
  • Last 30 Days: Monthly productivity overview

Kid Mode​

Activating Kid Mode​

Kid Mode transforms the timer into a fun, engaging experience for children:

  1. Click the Baby icon in the timer interface
  2. The interface switches to a colorful, animated display

Kid Mode Features​

  • Animated Tomato Character: Friendly companion that fills up as time progresses
  • Encouraging Messages: Positive reinforcement throughout the session
  • Celebration Animations: Fun confetti and sounds when completing sessions
  • Simplified Controls: Large, easy-to-understand buttons
  • Shorter Default Times: More appropriate session lengths for children

Customizing Kid Mode​

Parents can adjust:

  • Timer duration (default 15 minutes)
  • Break length (default 3 minutes)
  • Sound effects volume
  • Celebration intensity

Real-Time Collaboration​

Household Timer Sync​

When multiple household members are using timers:

  • See who's currently in a focus session
  • Get notifications when family members complete sessions
  • View shared household productivity stats

WebSocket Integration​

All timer updates happen in real-time:

  • Instant synchronization across devices
  • No refresh needed to see updates
  • Low latency for smooth experience

Keyboard Shortcuts​

Make your workflow even faster with these shortcuts:

  • Space: Start/Pause timer
  • S: Stop current session
  • N: Skip to next session (break or work)
  • T: Open task selector
  • A: Open analytics
  • Esc: Close any open dialog

Tips for Success​

Best Practices​

  1. Start Small: If 25 minutes feels too long, start with 15-minute sessions
  2. Honor Your Breaks: Always take breaks to maintain long-term productivity
  3. Remove Distractions: Close unnecessary tabs and silence notifications
  4. Track Everything: Link tasks to build accurate time tracking data
  5. Review Weekly: Check analytics every week to understand your patterns

Common Workflows​

Deep Work Sessions​

  1. Select your most important task
  2. Set timer to 45-50 minutes for deep work
  3. Take a 10-minute break
  4. Review what you accomplished

Study Sessions​

  1. Break material into chunks
  2. Use 25-minute sessions for active learning
  3. Use 5-minute breaks for quick review
  4. Long break every 4 sessions for consolidation

Creative Work​

  1. Use shorter 15-minute sessions for brainstorming
  2. Longer 45-minute sessions for execution
  3. Walking breaks to boost creativity

Troubleshooting​

Timer Not Starting​

  • Check your internet connection
  • Ensure you're logged in
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Clear browser cache if issues persist

Notifications Not Working​

  • Check browser notification permissions
  • Ensure notifications are enabled in settings
  • Test with a short 1-minute timer
  • Try a different notification sound

Sessions Not Saving​

  • Check that you're online
  • Don't close the browser during active sessions
  • Ensure cookies are enabled
  • Contact support if data is consistently missing

Premium Features​

Premium subscribers enjoy:

  • Unlimited Analytics History: View data beyond 30 days
  • Advanced Filtering: Filter stats by task, project, or tag
  • Detailed Reports: Export session data for external analysis
  • Custom Notification Sounds: Upload your own audio alerts
  • Priority Support: Get help faster when you need it

Privacy & Data​

  • All timer data is private to you and your household
  • Sessions are encrypted in transit and at rest
  • You can delete your timer history at any time
  • No timer data is shared with third parties

Future Enhancements​

We're constantly improving Mind Your Time. Coming soon:

  • AI-powered optimal session length recommendations
  • Integration with calendar for automatic time blocking
  • Collaborative timers for shared tasks
  • Advanced goals and milestone tracking
  • Spotify integration for focus playlists

Get Started Today​

Ready to boost your productivity? Start your first Pomodoro session now and discover how Mind Your Time can help you achieve more while feeling less stressed.

Need help? Contact our support team or check out our video tutorials.