It’s tough to know the best way to spend your Pomodoro breaks. Luckily, there’s no need to waste time twiddling your thumbs or tapping on your mousepad. Here are 26 things to do during Pomodoro breaks that will help boost your creativity, memory, mental health, and more.
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Short Pomodoro Break Ideas
Short breaks in the Pomodoro technique are 5 to 10 minutes long, and happen every 25 minutes as part of a Pomodoro cycle. As these breaks are brief, knowing exactly how to spend your time can be challenging – but here are some ideas to get started and maximize your breaks.
Hydrate or eat
One of the best ways to spend your short Pomodoro breaks is grabbing a glass of water, or making a cup of coffee. If you’re feeling a bit hungry, grab a healthy snack – like an apple or granola bar. Bonus: staying hydrated and eating a healthy snack will help boost your productivity!
Listen to music
Turn on one of your favorite playlists during your short Pomodoro break. Studies show that music elevates your mood, reduces anxiety, and increases mental alertness. It also improves your memory, which is perfect if you’re studying for an exam.
Check out our aesthetic Pomodoro timer with a built-in Gridfiti Radio widget to make picking your next track a breeze!
Hop into an ambient world
Tools like Flocus let you set up a custom dash complete with aesthetic backgrounds and built-in Pomodoro timers. You can toggle Focus Mode to set daily intentions and complete Pomodoro sequences.
When you’re ready to relax, swap to Ambient Mode to lose yourself in any of the many Flocus worlds — and listen to soothing playlists via the music widget that connects with your favorite streaming services. Whether you want to head to the streets of Tokyo or get lost in a lush forest, all-in-one dashboards like Flocus allow you to switch seamlessly between deep work and dreamy virtual worlds.
Stretch
You might not have time to complete a workout routine on a short break, so perform a few quick stretches to stay limber. Stretching can increase blood flow to your muscles and brain, improving your mood and cognitive function.
Breathe
A simple way to kill 5 minutes is doing some breathing exercises, which can also help reduce stress and anxiety! You can quickly meditate or perform simple breathing exercises, like alternate nostril breathing, box breathing, or 4-7-8 breathing.
Get some fresh air
Instead of just walking around your house, try stepping outside for a few minutes! Fresh air and a change of scenery will improve your mood, giving you energy and enhancing cognition. If you don’t have the time to get out, try opening a window!
Use the restroom
Using the Pomodoro method means you’ll get a 5-minute break once every 25 minutes, which is perfect for when nature calls. Just avoid scrolling on your phone while you do your business!
Do a quick tidy, or organize your workspace
Tidying often takes a backseat while studying or working – so use your 5-minute Pomodoro breaks to complete one house cleaning task and stay on top of your domestic duties. Or, organize your workspace for your upcoming work interval to streamline your next study session.
Check your emails or messages
A short Pomodoro break is a perfect time to get caught up on some of your pressing emails and messages. Knock out a couple of replies to stop your inbox from piling up. Leave checking your e-mails and messages if you have more replies than you can handle in 5 minutes.
Switch study spots
Studying in the same place for several hours is less productive than switching up your workspace. Moving from one location to another can help improve your memory and recall. Switching your location creates more memory prompts when trying to remember a piece of information.
Change your playlist
Music without lyrics can help you concentrate while working, but you might want to listen to something new while on your break. Change from your favorite lofi playlist to one of your favorite tunes and switch up the vibe.
Journal
A quick journaling session can help you stay on top of your work/life balance. Use your 5-minute break to do a mental health check-in or to track your productivity. Use this opportunity to capture any thoughts or tasks on your immediate to-do list.
Plan out your day/ create a to-do list
Planning your day or creating a to-do list is a quick and helpful activity for your short breaks. Planning your day will help you decide which tasks are a priority and what you can put off for a later date. A to-do list helps you declutter your mind, improving productivity.
Long Pomodoro Break Ideas
With the Pomodoro technique, you’ll take a longer break after four 25-minute on/5-minute off cycles. Longer breaks give you extra time to decompress and escape your computer screen. A long Pomodoro break is usually between 15 and 30 minutes.
Go for a short walk
Take a short walk if you prefer to avoid short home workout routines. Going for a short walk helps you exercise and get some much-needed fresh air. Go to a local park if possible. Studies show that people who go on nature walks have higher levels of creativity and improved memories.
If you live in a city, no sweat! Walking around a buzzy area is sure to give you a spark of energy and motivation.
Eat a full meal
Five minutes isn’t long enough to eat anything substantial, so use your longer breaks to eat a proper meal. While 15 to 30 minutes isn’t long enough to cook anything too involved, you’ll have enough time to reheat and eat a pre-prepared meal.
Socialize
Try to socialize if you’ve been studying alone for a few hours. Give one of your friends a quick call for a mental health boost. Just don’t get too lost in conversation, as you could easily go over your break timer!
Having trouble managing your Pomodoro breaks? Track your every Pomodoro interval with the minimalist Pomodoro timer.
Read a book
Keep the creative juices flowing by reading a few pages of a book. Reading improves your memory and your vocabulary. It’s also a great way to keep your brain active without staring at your computer or phone screen.
Work out
Exercise improves cognitive function, helping you think, learn, and problem-solve. Perform a quick workout routine with a few press-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. If you don’t want to work out, consider getting up and walking around instead to stretch your legs.
Power nap
Recharge your brain and body with a quick power nap. Short naps can improve cognitive function and memory. Just make sure you set an alarm; otherwise, you could easily oversleep and miss your next study session.
Get creative
Practice an artistic hobby during your long Pomodoro breaks. Work on a new drawing, practice your singing, make some origami — anything you enjoy that keeps your brain active. Doing something artistic might even help you be creative if you have writer’s block.
Perform a guided meditation
Take part in a guided meditation to help you unwind on your longer breaks. Similar to breathing exercises, guided meditation can help relieve stress and anxiety. You’ll find dozens of guided meditations on Youtube, some specifically for studying.
Watch anime
Animedoro, a popular spin on Pomodoro, revolves around watching a 20-minute episode of your favorite anime (or TV show) as a reward between work intervals. You won’t get a break from screens when watching anime, but you might find it good motivation.
Check out our aesthetically pleasing Animedoro timer to keep track of your custom Animedoro intervals! If you’re new to the Animedoro method and want to learn more, don’t miss our complete guide on the Animedoro method.
Take a cold shower
Feeling the midday slump? Take a cold shower on your long break. Cold showers provide a jolt to your system, increasing your alertness and giving you an energy boost. Plus, cold showers release endorphins, improving your mood.
Play an instrument
Escape your computer screen with a constructive hobby like playing an instrument. Studies show making music improves communication between the two sides of your brain, enhancing learning, memory, verbal reasoning, and fine motor skills.
Do a quick tidy
Quickly tidy your workspace and home rather than doing the odd cleaning task on your shorter breaks. Emptying the dishwasher, taking out the trash, and decluttering a small space are all achievable tasks on a long Pomodoro break.
Create a planner and schedule out the rest of your week
Get a head start on your week with a planning session. You can create a simple planner on Notion, or if you want to avoid screen, go old school with a paper planner. Carefully planning your week means you’ll can maximize productivity and avoid unnecessary tasks.
Pomodoro breaks help you find the right balance in your workload. Taking breaks helps you stay active, eat properly, and keep your brain engaged. Mix up what you do during your Pomodoro breaks to help you make the most of your work or study sessions.
What do you plan to do on your breaks between Pomodoro sessions? Any other Pomodoro break ideas to share? Let us know in the comments below!
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