How do I set my concentration time?

How to switch language?

IOS Settings > Search or find "Focus Tomato" > Preferred language

How long can I set?

The traditional usage of the Pomodoro Clock should be 25 minutes, 5 minutes of rest, if you focus for too long at a time, it will not be good for concentration , and your eyes and body should rest. In addition, it is recommended that you can set for example 30 minutes. When the time is up, you still want to continue. "Focus Tomato" will Keep timing .

Can I lock/close the screen during timing?

Yes, "Focus Tomato" can be timed in the background and will not stop.

How is white noise used?

Can I use other apps to play music or white noise?

Yes, it is recommended that you can use other apps to play music or white noise before jumping back to "Focus Tomato". Or don’t jump back to "Focus Tomato" and let it time in the background.

Don't know the time is up？

From the most to the less apparent settings as the followings:

1. App is in the foreground, ringing mode, increase the sound effects and vibration times.
   Up to seven sound effects and vibrations.
2. App is in the background, ringing mode, increase the sound effect and vibration times.
   Up to seven sound effects and one vibration.
3. If the environment must be mute : App is in the foreground, mute mode, increase the sound effects and vibration times, and wear headphones.
   Up to seven sound effects and seven vibrations.
4. If the environment must be silent : App is in the background, ring mode, adjust the sound effects and vibration times, and wear headphones.
   Up to seven sound effects and one vibration.
5. If you don't want to wear headphones and need to mute the environment : App is in the foreground, mute mode, increase the sound effects and vibration times.
   No sound effects, up to seven vibrations.
6. If you don't want the App in the foreground, silent mode, and don't want to wear headphones.
   No sound effects, only one vibration at most.

* Set for seven times: IOS setting > Focus Tomato > Notifications > Banner style > Persistent

Can I use Do Not Disturb mode?

Yes, if you put the App in the foreground, the Do Not Disturb mode will block the text notification, but there will still be sound effects and vibration.

How to add, modify, delete Timeline?

Statistics or TImeline are incorrect.

Please check the "region" of IOS, if it is not correct, after changing to the correct region, please restart "Focus Tomato".
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iphce20717a3/16.0/ios/16.0

Can the first day of the week be changed?

Go to IOS's "Settings" > "General" > "Language & Region" > "First Day of the Week".
After setting, close "Focus Tomato" and open it again.

Time is up but no reminder sound is on?

Time’s up sound effect depends on if "Ring Mode" is on or not; if the device is on the "Silent Mode", only vibration will be activated.
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT208353

Another reason is the "Focus Mode" is activated on the IOS and blocks the notifications from the "Focus Tomato". Please go to "Settings" > "Focus". After selecting the corresponding mode, add "Focus Tomato" to the allowed notifications.
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iphd6288a67f/ios

Why is there no automatic long rest after four breaks?

According to the original author of the Pomodoro Technique, he recommended a 15-30 minute break after four focus blocks according to your physical condition. Hence, we do not mandate a time, but make the left and right arrows that can be quickly adjusted, and let users adjust them each time they login.

In addition, since most users may have to accommodate the school or company's lunch break, class dismissal, get off work, etc., a long break after four blocks is sometimes hard to exercise. For example, if you go to lunch break after two focus blocks, a mandatory long break after four focus blocks will be difficult to use. So we designed it to be able to quickly adjust the long break time rather than a fixed long break.

Can I use the Focus mode on IOS?

Yes. Please go to "Settings" > "Focus", after selecting the corresponding mode, add "Focus Tomato" to the allowed notifications.
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iphd6288a67f/ios

How do I know if an in-app purchase is successful?

1. Click "STATS" at the bottom of the home page and the "STATS" page will appear. If it is not successful, the "Upgrade" page will appear.
2. The "SETTINGS" version information will appear with the version number and "Tomato King".

After purchasing "Tomato King", "STATS" is still not available?

Sorry for the trouble.
Please perform the following operations in a good network environment.

1. Please try restarting your device and try entering "STATS" again.
2. Please delete the app, reinstall it, and try to enter "STATS" again.
3. "SETTINGS" "Upgrade / Resume Purchase". When you see the "RESTORE" button, click it (don't keep clicking it, just click it once). Wait for a minute and a message should pop up. If the message is not "Thank you", please tell us what the message is.
4. "SETTINGS" "Upgrade / Resume Purchase", see the "UPGRADE" button, click it (don’t keep clicking, just click once), wait for a minute, there may be a pop-up message, please Tell us what the message is.
   ps. Tomato King is a non-expendable item, so the Apple system stipulates that the same Apple ID will not be bought twice. Please be assured that this action is done to collect error messages thrown back by the Apple API.
5. Please send the above two messages to us by clicking "SETTINGS""Contact Us" in the app. Thank you for your patience.

* If "Contact Us" does not work after clicking, please use your usual Email system to send it to support@claushuang.com, thank you

After purchasing "Tomato King", will you charge again if i click "Upgrade" again?

Will not charge again.
"Tomato King" is a non-consumptive item, So won’t buy twice.

What "Focus Tomato" is? How to use it? What are the benefits?

Focus Tomato is a serious tomato helping you stay focused. Cheer you up when you succeed.

Recommended consuming order

Step 1: Goal setting

If the goal is too big, break it down.

Step 2: only focus for 25 minutes

• Only focus on one thing
• Avoid distraction; make efforts to keep the Tomato running (ex. if someone hits you up, tell him/her getting back to you shortly!)
• Better to watch the timer counting

Step 3: Log your progression

If necessary, log it in the Note box in the Focus Tomato.

Step 4: Rest for 5 minutes

• Not suitable for mental consuming tasks
• Light activities that are good for your mind and body
• Pause your work momentarily can help you view things from another perspective and avoid couldn't see the forests for the trees

Step 5: Repeat 4 times, then take a more extended rest for 15 to 30 minutes

Repeat the previous two steps for 4 times, and take a 15 to 30 minutes long rest

After taking it, you can gain the following benefits on top of straight As:

• Prevent distracting and stay focused more easily: counting down timer brings good stress
• Reduce interruptions: postpone other tasks; most things can wait for 25 minutes
• Avoid procrastinating: when the timer is running, it means the declaration of a focused time frame
• Endure longer: with adequate rest, you can run further

Good tomato, why not eat it?

How does everyone use "Focus Tomato"?

Serious studying high school students

Studying every day at home with the Focus Tomato. With the mobile phone screen turned on, ring enabled, and plugged in sometimes.
Use the classical 25 and 5 minutes Pomodoro work/rest rhythm to study.

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Serious studying college students

Arrange every study and life tasks by using Reminders on iOS and study with Focus Tomato.
While at home, with the mobile phone screen turned on, ring enabled, running the Focus Tomato with white noise background, or playing focus music playlist on Apple Music.
Study at a library or a coffee shop at times, with the mobile phone in silent mode. If the battery is running low, turn off the screen and let the Focus Tomato running in the background. Sometimes the headset on.

ps. You can use other apps to play music then switch back to the Focus Tomato.

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Serious studying grad school students

Use physical notebooks to plan study tasks and study with Focus Tomato.
Study at home most of the time. It is easy to get disturbed due to lots of activities. User Focus Tomato with the phone screen turned on and ring enabled; also activate the Do Not Disturb mode.
Use the classical 25 and 5 minutes Pomodoro work/rest rhythm to study.
And use the classical Pomodoro table to log all work status.

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Serious learning freelancers

Use the Trello Kanban method to plan tasks and then work with Focus Tomato.
Work at the home office most of the time. Using Focus Tomato with the phone screen turned on, ring enabled, and plugged in.
Usually, follow the classical 25 and 5 minutes work/rest Pomodoro rhythm to do the works.
But sometimes, when the mind does not want to be interrupted, ignore the 25 minutes rhythm and the time-up ring from Focus Tomato; let it keep running until your work progress reaches the end.

How to avoid distractions?

From internal: couldn't stay calm

Want to eat, drink, check emails, or make a popped up emergency call.
Firstly, you need to figure out what makes you distracted. Maybe you want to put aside what needs to be done. It's a fear in disguise. For self-protection, the mind will think of other easy things.
The solution is, if the task is very emergent and cannot wait for 25 minutes, you have to deal with it asap, and this is the last option.
In most situations, please note the task in your To-Do-List tool and arrange to do it later. You have to protect your running Tomato clock.

From external: disturb by others

Mobile phone: mute apps(ex. Line) with too many notifications or even better activate the Do Not Disturb or Flight mode.
Mobile phone: mute apps(ex. Line) with too many notifications or even be more extreme to activate the Do Not Disturb or Flight mode.
When someone hits you up, politely respond saying that you are in the middle of something and will get back to him/her in 25 minutes or 2 hours.
If someone asks you to do some tasks, jot it down on your preferred To-Do-List tool and tell him/her you will deal with them later.

The point is to protect the running Tomato clock, mitigate the apparent urgency, and take control of your own time and progress.

Features of "Focus Tomato"

Based on the Pomodoro method with new spice-ups and improvements.

Do not force stop; keep the flow

Classical Pomodoro clock asks you to stop working asap when time is up; Focus Tomato only notifies you with sound and does not force you to stop. You can keep staying in the zone and running the timer.

Fractional time is allowed

Classical Pomodoro clock requires to maintain 25 minutes duration. Focus Tomato freely lets you count the fractional time as long as it starts running.

Modifiable Timeline

It is usual to forget to stop the timer. Focus Tomato allows you to modify the Timeline and make adjustments afterward.

Do Not Disturb mode is available

Distracted by too many notifications? Do Not Disturb mode can be enabled when Focus Tomato is running.

Integrate smoothly with other work methods and/or apps

Because the app only applies the timing part of the Pomodoro technique, in addition to the original Pomodoro method, you can also use the Reminder, Trello, or physical notebooks along with it.