Pomodoros are a great way to get things done. Opal allows you to automatically block apps that distract you during your pomodoro, so you can sustain your concentration better.

What is a Pomodoro?

The Pomodoro technique is a popular time management method to alternate focused work sessions (called 'pomodoro') with short breaks to rest. This technique is meant to help sustained concentration and help with energy. By the way, Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅

How can I set a Pomodoro with Opal?

There is one preliminary step that takes two minutes to set up, and then you can launch a Pomodoro in seconds. To get that set up, take the following steps:

• Sync Opal with your Work Focus: Learn how to do this here.‍
• Install the Pomodoro Shortcut: To do so, navigate to the "Gallery" tab in the Shortcuts app and install the "Start Pomodoro" shortcut under the "Get Stuff Done" section. Alternatively, tap on this link on your phone to install.
• Open the Shortcuts Tab, and tap "Start Pomodoro": The Shortcuts app is installed by default on your iPhone or iPad, you can search for it on your home screen or in spotlight search. By default, you can also use Siri to start it, just ask Siri to "Start Pomodoro". You can also customize the shortcut to change the default settings, such as the length of the Pomodoro, of the breaks or the number of times it will repeat.
• Set the number of minutes you want for your Pomodoro.

That's it!