Tim Cheadle

Tadam - Simple Mac menubar app for Pomodoro

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Radek Pietruszewski
Hi, this is Radek -- I'm the creator of Tadam. I've been using the Pomodoro technique for years, but I never quite liked any of the tools for doing my pomodoros. You could, of course, use anything, even a simple kitchen timer, but there were always these little design issues that made it annoying for me. For example, I often had this situation that the 25 minute cycle was up, but I was in the middle of doing a small task. What I needed was just a minute or two to finish that little thing, and _then_ take a break. So I would ignore the timer, and 2 minutes later, I would forget I was supposed to take a break. Ugh. I designed Tadam to solve these problems for myself. For example, a few minutes before the time runs out, a gentle notification pops up in the corner to remind me I need to hurry up. And when the time is up, a big window pops up prompting me to take a break. If I need just a few seconds, I can move it to the side, but I won't forget about the break, because it will snap back into place after 30 seconds. At the same time, I didn't want a tool that's super complex, with many features I don't need. Or a big "productivity system", that requires me to be a religious about Pomodoro. All I needed was a simple tool that helps me remember to take breaks, but without being too annoying. Tadam solved it for me. And I hope it helps others, too :)
Ryan Hoover
I used to use the pomodoro technique before it fell out of habit. I like the simplicity of this:
Radek Pietruszewski
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Tim Cheadle
I've been using this app for years. It is simple and fairly unobtrusive. The first time you see the "time to take a break" screen can be slightly jarring, but interrupting your work is kind of the point.
Rinat Khanov
I've been interested in the pomodoro technique since the first time I've ever heard about it – a few years ago. You work for a set period of time (usually for 25 minutes), then step away for a few minutes. The regular, controlled rest allows you to stay focused and motivated for a longer periods of time. What could be simpler? As others noted here, time feels different when you're in the flow of work, especially when you're solving a hard problem or doing something creative (just ask any writer or designer or software developer). Tadam solves this problem better than any other timer software I've tried. The app is not perfect, but it gets better and better with every update – for example, I like to get notified when the time is about to run out so I can hurry up. Personally, I've been struggling to stick to the pomodoro technique for a long time – and honestly, I still do. It may not be for everyone, but it is definitely worth giving a shot.
Radek Pietruszewski
@rinatkhanov Nice hearing from you, Rinat! 😀 Fun fact: a looooooong time ago, back in early 2013, Rinat wrote a review of Tadam on a Russian blog he was writing for at the time: http://macradar.ru/software/tadam/ Oh man, things have changed since then!
Radek Pietruszewski
This is awesome, Tim. Glad you like it. Many people ask me about the "break screen" because it is quite an interruption. But as you said -- reminding you to take a break (preferably not in front of the computer) is the whole point.
James Simpson
Very cool, seems like most of the pomodoro apps out there try to do too many things. I've been wanting to make a super simple menu bar app like this for ages, just never seem to have the time. Now I don't have to!
Praval Singh
It's good. But why spend 5 bucks on something when you can get it for free? Focuslist is very similar and works just fine! http://focuslist.co/
Greg Benner
Praval Singh
@gregbenner Sorry, it's called Pomodoro One. By the same dev. Is free, you can pay $2 to get the adds off (they aren't intrusive).
Radek Pietruszewski
@praval Why make tool choices based on a $5 price difference? If Focuslist works well for you, then that's *awesome*. But if a Pomodoro timer is something you use literally all day long, all year long, then the $5 doesn't matter — better to choose based on what fits *you* best :)
Praval Singh
@radexp Yeah, to each his own. I was only saying that I don't see this a big value add over the free options.