We all have something that needs our attention but never gets it.

A book you want to read.
A book you want to write.
A skill you want to learn.
A product you want to build.
A company you want to start.
A cause you want to support.

Ideally, we'd spend a lot of our time on these activities. In reality, other obligations always win.

What to do? 🤷‍♀️

Throw a tomato at it, every day.

Consistency creates momentum

One 🍅 represents 25 minutes of attention dedicated to one task without distractions. (As per The Pomodoro Technique.)

Any goal eventually yields to the force of a daily tomato’s consistency.

Consistency means doing something regularly, at a set frequency, or without exception. Meditate daily, never drink alcohol, read one book per week -- that consistency over time is where the real power comes from.

Writing half an hour per day might not sound like much, but if you do it every day, you end up with over a hundred thousand words written per year (in my case). As author Gretchen Rubin writes in her book The Happiness Project:

"What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while."

From “Consistency is the key to lasting behavior change.”

One tomato of focus spent daily on a goal gives incredible results.
Not after a day. Not after a week.

After some weeks, you'll notice a difference.
After a few months, you'll be amazed at what you've achieved.

The 🍅s add up, all spent working on your goal. But what happens outside of those 25-minute sessions is powerful too:

• Your project is constantly on your mind.

• You don't waste time figuring out where you left off last time.

• You make progress steadily, not in spurts.

• You miraculously find time for more than one tomato on some days.

How to unleash the power of a daily Pomodoro

Eight tips to get started and keep your momentum:

1. Set a timer. Don't just glance at the clock. Set a timer for 25 minutes, and start the session with intention, as if you’re beginning a race or meditation.

2. Have absolute focus. No distractions. No multitasking. No talking. No toilet breaks. No nothing. Just pure attention.

3. Get your 🍅 done early. Ideally, do it first thing in the morning before turning on your phone, email, and other messengers.

4. Schedule a fixed time. Create a recurring 🍅 event in your calendar, like every day at 8:30 am. Or, if time-based planning is too rigid for you, add the tomato as a daily task on your todo list.

5. Do it every day. I find it easier to do something seven days a week than six, five, or four. If your project brings you joy, working on it daily isn't a punishment and creates the most momentum.

6. Keep score. Mark every day you complete a tomato on a calendar. Doing so will feel rewarding and visualizes your progress.

7. Create accountability. Let your friends know about your goal. Post about it on social media. Make a bet with someone. Tell me about it.

8. Reward yourself. Celebrate with ice cream after your first full week of tomatoes. Treat yourself to dinner after a month. Take a vacation after a quarter. 🏝️

Try Lifeline, a Pomodoro timer built with these tips in mind

Our app Lifeline is the perfect companion to pursue your daily tomato with if you’re on Mac.

Lifeline’s progress bar visualizes your session duration and amplifies focus.

🍅s appear every time you complete a 25-minute cycle.

The history view makes it easy to see if and when you earned tomatoes.

Emojis and text labels let you indicate which sessions you spent working on your goal.

Lifeline also connects with your calendar, so you can plan your daily sessions there and start them in Lifeline.

Many of Lifeline's features are free, and you can try the Pro features for 14 days without paying. (Plus, we'll permanently lower the pricing of the Pro package later this week; keep an eye on the Saent blog for more info.)

Challenge yourself to a daily 🍅

What's the dream, ambition, project, or goal you've put off for too long?

Commit one daily tomato for the coming month, starting today.

Share your goal with the community, or tell me on Twitter. We can discuss how to overcome obstacles or give support when you've missed a day and need some motivation.

Give it a try, and experience the power of Pomodoro for yourself. 🚀

Ready to plan all your work with Pomodoros?

By tracking your 🍅 average for all your work, you get a more accurate picture of how much productive work you can do in a day or week. Check 👉️ Pomodoro planning: Step-by-step guide to track and finish work with 🍅s (incl. free template).