73 Super Productive Things To Do In A Pomodoro Break

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So you’ve decided to try the Pomodoro technique to improve your productivity but are scared of losing momentum during break time.

Don’t worry.

I’ve been there, and I’ve put together a list of productive things to do in a Pomodoro break that will help you stay energised and focused.

I’ve been there and I have put together a list of productive things to do in a Pomodoro break that will help you in your 5-minute and 15-30-minute breaks.

The ideas range from fun and energy-boosting to grounding and recharging activities. So there is something for whatever mood you are in.

You got this!

What is the Pomodoro technique?

It was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s to get more done in less time while studying at university.

The Pomodoro technique is the ultimate time management hack because it’s built into nearly every productivity app or tool, including my Windows laptop’s focus timer.

Each ‘pomodoro’ consists of an interval of focused work followed by a short 5-minute break. After 4 Pomodoro blocks, you can have a longer 15-30 minute break.

Here is the process:

25-minute focus work
5-minute break
25-minute focus work
5-minute break
25-minute focus work
5-minute break
25-minute focus work
15-30-minute break

It’s designed to help you keep momentum when working on your task without overwhelming you or triggering your perfectionism.

The 5-minute trap

I used to struggle with finding productive things to do in my 5-minute Pomodoro break because 5 minutes feels like such a short time.

So I’d fall into the trap of going on my phone.

It’s only 5 minutes, I’ll just check Instagram

It’s only 5 minutes, I’ll just reply to my emails

It’s only 5 minutes, I’ll just watch a quick YouTube video

WRONG!

It’s not only 5 minutes. 5 minutes is long enough to trigger your brain to relax and recharge before restarting your next Pomodoro block.

You want your mind to be clear and refreshed so you can slip back into focus mode with ease.

Doom-scrolling on social media is the last thing you should do.

Pick out your favourite productive break ideas from the list below.

5-minute break ideas

Quick physical activities

Doing a quick burst of physical activity is a fantastic way to burn off any anxious energy you have about your project and give you the energy you need to power through your next Pomodoro block.

A recent study showed that micro-walks (walking between 10 seconds and 4 minutes) can give you a bigger energy and health boost than longer walks.

However, I’m a big advocate for mini-solo dance parties. I like to throw on some soca or dancehall (a tribute to my Bajan and Jamaican heritage) and dance around my room like no one is watching. It’s fun and if I close my eyes, I can almost imagine myself at Carnival.

Here are some energising activities you can try:

Solo dance party
Short yoga flow
Micro walk
Chair cardio
25 squats
Skipping rope / Jump rope
Wall sit challenge (see how long you can last)
Balance challenge (try standing on one foot for as long as possible)

Fun and creative activities

Studies show that when you’re creative you activate parts of your brain associated with problem-solving, stress relief and happiness.

For many of us, as we go through adult life, we lose our creative spark and imagination. Life becomes monotonous and boring, especially when you’re working towards big goals.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

You can inject some short bursts of creativity while working on your projects in these 5-minute Pomodoro breaks.

For example, you can do a drawing challenge (like Draw A Box), create origami animals or practice a chord on an instrument.

Work hard, play hard, right?

For example, I went through a phase (AKA obsession) with learning how to draw a few years ago. Whenever I had a 5-minute break, I would draw a quick picture in fine liner pen.

I was honing my drawing skills, experimenting creatively and getting over my fear of failure all at once.

Here are some things you can do:

Draw a picture
Try origami
Update your bullet journal
Practice a chord on an instrument
Doodle
Learn calligraphy
Make clay or playdough sculptures
Take a photo of something interesting
Write a Haiku or short poem

Mindful activities

If you’ve been working on a challenging project, you might want to clear your mind and ground yourself before restarting.

I like to say out loud affirmations that remind me why I’m working on the task. For example, as much as I like writing blog posts, I sometimes hate it at the same time (it’s a complicated relationship). So in my 5-minute break, I remind myself of my God-given purpose and encourage myself to write helpful content for my readers.

I repeat these affirmations until I feel ready to write again.

Here are some other things you can do:

Meditate
Journal
Read affirmations
Nature or people watch
Deep breathing exercises
Write in your gratitude log
Visualisation

Practical tasks

You’re a busy person and you’ve got things to do. Use your 5-minute breaks to tick off the boring tasks on your to-do list.

You can do it in stages.

For example, during my first break, I put all my clothes in the laundry basket. On my 2nd break, I take it downstairs and load the washing machine.

In my longer break, I unload the washing machine and put the clothes in the tumble dryer or hang them out to dry.

Super productive!

Here are some other practical activities you can do:

Load the washing machine
Go to the bathroom
Make a cup of tea (for yourself or others)
Empty your bins
Tidy your desk
Sort your mail
Review your productivity backlog
Change your printer ink
Empty the dishwasher
Change your water filter

Learning and mental activities

Get your brain engaged and warmed up in your break.

Learning doesn’t have to be a chore or work/school related. I encourage you to put aside your study books and learn something for fun.

For example, I’m currently learning how to play chess via Chess.com. In my short break, I’ll do a quick challenge or learn a chess move.

Or sometimes I do an easy sudoku puzzle

Try Duolingo
Read interesting magazines
Read a book
Complete a short brain training game (e.g sudoku, wordle)
Complete a jigsaw puzzle
Play chess
Learn general knowledge answers or fun facts
Learn how to tie different knots
Practice mental maths
Learn a new word

Longer 15-30 minute break ideas

Relaxation and self-care

The longer breaks are great for showing yourself some love and affection. You’ve completed not one, not two but FOUR Pomodoro blocks!

So why not treat yourself to a nice hot bath or a restorative yoga flow?

Power naps are great too but please be careful! Don’t overdo it because oversleeping will actually decrease your productivity. Studies show that the perfect power nap is between 10-20 minutes and anything longer will just make you feel groggy.

Yoga
Have a power nap (but set an alarm to avoid oversleeping)
Have a bath
Have a healthy meal
Work on a mindful painting project

Social activities

You can remove your ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign from your door and see your family again (for 30 minutes).

Use the time to share your wins and celebrate what you’ve achieved.

I know this sounds cheesy but studies show that sharing your successes with others sharing your successes with others helps reinforce positive behaviour and increases motivation.

I always make an effort to tell one person about what I’ve completed in my study sesh so that it reinforces it in my mind and encourages me to move forward.

Here are some things you can do:

Call a friend
Walk and talk with a friend/family member
Have a quick virtual coffee break
Reply to your text messages
Have lunch with your family

Physical activities

It’s time to get your heart pumping and completely disconnect from your project. Exercise is the perfect way to do that.

The NHS recommends that the average adult complete 150 hours of moderate-intensity exercise a week which works out to be 30 minutes a day during the working week.

Why not build exercise into your Pomodoro routine so you can tick off two things at once?

Here are some exercise ideas:

Go for a walk outside
Jog or run 3km
Cycle
Complete a workout video
Learn a calisthenics or yoga move
Strength training
Zumba workout
Rollerblading

Practical and organisation tasks

You’ve got more time to get the mini-home projects started now. You can use your longer break to tidy your room or declutter a small section.

I like to lump all my small errands together and complete them quickly. I challenge myself to complete as many as possible within 30 minutes.

If I didn’t gamify the boring tasks, I would probably procrastinate until the last minute. This method makes sure I get the work done without dragging my feet.

Here are some errands you can complete:

Tidy your room
Declutter a cupboard
Do a mini-food shop
Make a doctor/dentist appointment
Plan your week
Drop off your parcels
Sort your paperwork
Meal plan
Meal prep
Organise your wardrobe
Plan out your week

What not to do in your breaks

There are some activities that you should NOT do during your break if you want to be productive.

These activities will drain your mental and physical energy making it harder for you to start the next Pomodoro block.

So please don’t:

Use social media: you’ll end up doom-scrolling, wasting your whole break and getting brain fog
Watch YouTube: I know it’s tempting but just don’t do it (even the educational ones)
Eat junk food: the sugar crash is not worth it
Read or watch the news: You just don’t need that negativity in your life (find out why)

So what will you do in your next Pomodoro break?

The Pomodoro technique is a great time management tool to help you complete your projects without burning out.

However, as James Clear famously said “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems”.

Simply put, you will find it hard to be consistent throughout your work sessions if your break times are filled with energy-draining activities.

That’s why you need productive things to do in your Pomodoro break.

Choose activities from this list to help you recharge during your Pomodoro blocks. You can even bookmark this page or save it on Pinterest whenever you need inspiration.

Let me know in the comments, which productive activity you’re going to do in your break!

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73 Super Productive Things To Do In A Pomodoro Break

What is the Pomodoro technique?

The 5-minute trap