Hi, I'm Shingo Suzuki, also known as Suzushin.
This time, I've made a small tool called PomoLab. Put simply, it's a Pomodoro timer that records the time you spend working so you can look back on it later. A Pomodoro timer alternates periods of focused work and rest. I built this one because I wanted to use it myself.
In this article, I'd like to introduce PomoLab, explain why I made it, and show you how to use it.
I made PomoLab to record work time
I felt like making an app I'd want to use myself, and a Pomodoro timer was the idea I settled on. In a typical Pomodoro cycle, you work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, and take a longer break after four work sessions. Then you repeat.
PomoLab is a web tool in the Studio section of Suzushin Lab, this blog. You don't need an account: just open the PomoLab page to use it.
By default, it divides time into 25-minute work sessions and five-minute breaks, recording your work time. Charts help you look back on that time visually. I'll explain the controls below.
Why add history and charts to a timer?
If you only want to follow the Pomodoro cycle, a timer is enough. But I also gave PomoLab features for recording and charting work time.
Looking back at your recorded time lets you compare it with what you actually accomplished and consider whether you're working more efficiently. Charts also make it easier to see when you did or didn't work.
Repeating 25 minutes of work and five minutes of rest is called the Pomodoro Technique. Alternating focus and breaks regularly is intended to help you maintain concentration.
Pomodoro® Technique - Time Management Method
I'd heard of the Pomodoro Technique but hadn't actually been using it. I thought I might as well build my own timer and try it while working. I also wanted to find out whether it really improved my efficiency.
Using PomoLab: choose a task, then alternate focus and breaks
PomoLab is very simple to use. First, open its page.
PomoLab | A Pomodoro timer with work history and charts
Start by entering a task name. For this example, let's use “Blogging.” You can also leave the name blank.
Once you've entered a name, click the Focus button to set the timer, then press Start. The timer will begin counting down.
After 25 minutes, an alarm sounds. It's time for a five-minute break, so take a rest.
Another alarm sounds when the five-minute break ends. With the default settings, the next focus session starts automatically, so return to your task.
Continue alternating focus and breaks in the same way. After four focus sessions, you get a longer break.
The defaults are 25 minutes of focus, five minutes for a short break, and 15 minutes for a long break. You can change these in the settings below the timer.
Looking back at where your time went with history and charts
History and charts are a big part of PomoLab. You can check today's focus time, completed focus sessions, daily charts for the past seven or 30 days, and a chart by task. The history records the task name, date and time, focus duration, and whether you completed or ended the session early.
In this example, I measured the time I spent writing this article. I completed one focus session, so it shows 25 minutes. Since I named the task “Blogging,” you can see 25 minutes recorded for blogging.
History stays in this browser, and you can back it up
PomoLab doesn't save your work history in an external database. Task names and work history aren't sent to the app's server, and there's no synchronization between different devices or browsers. Instead, the data is saved in your browser's local storage.
Because it uses local storage, clearing the site's data in your browser also deletes these records. If you want to keep your history before clearing site data, make a backup first. The settings let you create a JSON backup: save it with “Export JSON,” and restore it with “Add history from JSON.”
The timer state is restored when you reload the page. However, I can't guarantee notifications at the scheduled time while the page is closed or your device is asleep.
How it felt to use it
I tried PomoLab right away while writing this article. Having an alarm sound as I work makes it easy to tell when to take a break.
Now that I'm alternating focus and rest more regularly, I feel as though it may be easier to keep concentrating. Still, I've only just started using it. I'll keep trying it for a while and see how effective it is.
Trying a rhythm of work and rest with PomoLab
I developed PomoLab because I wanted a Pomodoro timer for myself. Along with the timer, its recording and charting features help you look back on what you worked on and how long you spent.
I haven't used the Pomodoro Technique until now, but I'd like to put it into practice with PomoLab. Does it really improve work efficiency? That's what I'm curious to find out.
PomoLab is available as a free tool, so please feel free to give it a try. If you have any thoughts or feedback, I'd be grateful if you'd share them through the contact page.