Strict Workflow

In the 1990s, a new method for working called the Pomodoro Technique had productivity enthusiasts the world over buying kitchen timers shaped like tomatoes (hence the name) to time 25-minute work sessions followed by short breaks. With so much of our work being done on computers, Strict Workflow is a much more convenient tool that comes with additional productivity enhancements. This free browser plug-in times your work sessions and breaks. Reminders ring and appear on screen when it's time to switch. During work phases, Strict Workflow even blocks distracting websites. It's rather simple, but it's the best Pomodoro-inspired plug-in you'll find and a great productivity app. It's also a PCMag Editors' Choice.

How to Set Up Strict Workflow
You can find Strict Workflow in the Chrome Web Store for free. Install it by following the prompts. It takes next to no time to set up. You don't need to create an account or even give Strict Workflow your email address. The only things you might want to customize are the work and break times, which are by default set to 25 and 5 minutes, respectively. The idea is to work diligently and with focus for no more than 25 minutes, and then take a short break before jumping back into your work.

You might also want to customize the websites that Strict Workflow blocks when you're in a work phase. Some known offenders, like Facebook and Reddit, are in the default list, but you might want to add others or remove any that might actually be useful to your work.

When the plug-in has installed, a red tomato icon appears in your browser's bar at the top right. To start a work session, you click the tomato, and it brightens in color and adds a countdown clock in minutes. During this time, you should be working.

When the timer runs out, the tomato turns a dull green. Click the tomato again, and it will turn fully green and show another countdown timer, this time for your short break. Whenever a work or break phase ends, you'll see a notification on screen and hear an audible ring. You can turn these off in the Options.

The Obvious Complaint
Strict Workflow is only available for Chrome, and that's its biggest drawback. You can easily defeat its website-blocking feature by opening a different browser. But you could say the same for most distraction-free browser plug-ins. In a multi-device and multi-browser world, it's not hard to get around a productivity plug-in by simply surfing on your phone or using a browser that's not supported by the tool (and there always is one).

I personally use Strict Workflow when I need to inject some self-discipline into my day and find it's as much of a psychological solution as a technical one. Have you heard about the financial management trick of freezing your credit cards into a block of ice? The ice doesn't make it impossible to use your card, but it's an obstacle you've put in your own way that takes a little effort to surmount. In the time it takes to go to the freezer, remove the block of ice, and thaw out your cards, you've had ample time to reflect on the person you want to be: the spender or the saver. Productivity plug-ins are similar. Yes, you can get around them, but seeing a red tomato in the corner of your screen telling you to just keep at it for six more minutes until you can take a break hopefully provides enough additional motivation to stay on course.

A Few Key Differences
Strict Workflow's approach differs from the classic Pomodoro Technique in a few ways. First, there's no ticking timer. In Pomodoro Technique author Francesco Cirillo's description, the sound of the kitchen timer ticking away is supposed to be a background reminder that time is passing. Strict Workflow just silently sits in your browser.

Second, the Pomodoro Technique never had any tools for blocking distracting websites like Strict Workflow has. Focusing on work during the work phase used to be simply a matter of discipline.

Third, in the Pomodoro Technique, you're supposed to take a longer break of about 30 minutes after four cycles. Strict Workflow only works on one cycle, and it doesn't keep track of how many work phases you complete in a day, which would be a nice inclusion. Productivity enthusiasts love to see their data charted over time to find their benchmark and try to exceed it.

If you're keen on graphs and charts of your productivity habits, RescueTime, also an Editors' Choice productivity tool, is really the app to use. In addition to being a time-tracking app, RescueTime also has tools for blocking distracting websites. The difference between it and Strict Workflow is that RescueTime blocks sites during large swaths of time that you set, like 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. So Strict Workflow is better for working in short bursts and taking more frequent breaks. I like to use them in combination, letting Strict Workflow block sites while RescueTime tracks whether I'm spending my time productively.

A small change I'd like to see is an option for the next break phase to start timing automatically. If you don't click the icon to start the break phase, it never starts. I want less clicking and more automation.

A New Way to Work
Even though it could use some more features and options, I love Strict Workflow. It's a simple and free tool that nudges you to stay productive and take those much-needed breaks. If you need to shake up your work routine in an effort to become more productive at work, I highly recommend it.