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Pomodoro, 52/17 or longer blocks? Choosing your focus timer lengths

Where the 25-minute Pomodoro came from, what the 52/17 study actually found, when longer blocks work better, and how to run whichever rhythm suits you in a Chrome focus timer with sounds and a site blocker.

Updated · 3 min read

Every focus timer starts at 25 minutes, but that number isn’t a law of nature. It’s a convention from the Pomodoro Technique, and there are good reasons to change it. Here is where the common rhythms come from, and how to pick one for the work in front of you.

In short

  • 25/5 for tasks you’re avoiding: short enough to start.
  • 45–60 minutes for writing, coding and design, where getting into the work takes time.
  • Whatever the length, take the break away from the screen.

Where 25 minutes came from

Francesco Cirillo developed the Pomodoro Technique as a university student in the late 1980s, timing study sessions with a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for tomato). The method is simple: choose a task, work for 25 minutes, rest for 5, and take a longer break after four rounds. Its strength is psychological. Committing to 25 minutes is easy, and starting is often the hardest part.

What “52 and 17” really found

In 2014 the time-tracking company DeskTime looked at its most productive 10% of users and found they averaged about 52 minutes of work followed by a 17-minute break, spent away from the computer. When DeskTime repeated the analysis in 2021, the average had become 112 minutes of work and 26 of rest. Both are averages of many irregular days, not a rhythm anyone was told to follow. The useful lesson is the second one: people who rest properly between long stretches get more done.

Pick a rhythm for the task

WorkTryWhy
Admin, email, a task you’re dreading25 / 5Low commitment, quick wins
Studying or reading30–45 / 5–10Long enough to absorb, short enough to stay sharp
Writing, coding, design50–60 / 10–15Getting into the work takes a while; short sessions can cut it off just as it starts
Calls and meetingsNo timerYour calendar is the timer

Run a rhythm for a week before you judge it. Then compare: on which days did you finish what you planned?

Set it up in Pax

  1. Open a new tab, type today’s focus, and start the timer. It also lives in the toolbar popup on any page.
  2. In Settings › Focus, set the focus, short break and long break lengths, and long break after how many sessions.
  3. Turn on Start breaks automatically and Chime when a session ends if you want the timer to run itself.
  4. Pick a sound: rain, ocean, stream, fireplace, or brown, pink or white noise, generated live so they never loop. It keeps playing after you close the tab.
  5. Optionally block distracting sites only during focus sessions.

Your focus history stays on your device and shows up in the weekly review on Fridays.

Questions people ask

Is 25 minutes the best length for focus?

There is no single best length. 25 minutes is the Pomodoro Technique’s convention and suits tasks you’re avoiding. Deep work such as writing or coding often goes better in 45 to 90 minute blocks.

Is the 52/17 rule proven?

No. It comes from DeskTime’s 2014 look at its most productive users, who averaged 52 minutes of work and 17 of rest. When DeskTime repeated it in 2021, the average was 112 minutes and 26. It’s an observation, not a law.

Should I take my break away from the screen?

Yes. DeskTime noted its most productive users spent breaks away from the computer, and the eye-care advice to look into the distance points the same way.

Can I set my own lengths in Pax?

Yes. Set the focus, short break and long break lengths and how many sessions come before a long break. 25/5/15 with a long break every four sessions is the default.

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