The use of a physical timer for the pomodoro method is important.
However as any rule there are exceptions. For example now I am sitting in a Starbucks in Bangkok and I use the https://tomato-timer.com/ app. I brought my physical kitchen timer, but I dont like to use it in public, because I dont want to annoy all the people around me when it rings after 25 minutes are over.
Actually I am looking for a kitchen timer with a variable sound level. It would be awesome if that could be found somewhere haha.
Anyway the importance of a physical kitchen timer that you do actually change into a different state of mind when seeing a physical timer on the desk thats ticking away the time.
Its so important, for my most productive and important projects I only use a physical timer.
Francesco Cirillo who invented the Pomodoro Method does indeed advice that only a physical timer can be used.
However he has now published his own Pomodoro timer app: https://pomodoro.francescocirillo.com/
I am going to read his instructions again and let you know about more information about this curious technique for productivity 🙂