Flow - Focus & Pomodoro Timer 4+

Can’t mute the notification sound

Edit: yay they fixed the issue, although still seems to lack to vibration as of now

I enjoy this timer on Mac but unfortunately it is unuseable for me on iOS as it does not appear that there is a way to turn off the notification ding without turning off all notifications. In app there is only a single notification on-off setting and putting my phone on silent and having sound off the in notification settings for flow still results in a ding playing when the timer finishes. The only way I have found to turn off the ding is to set my actual phone volume to zero, which is not a convenient workaround. There is also no vibration when the timer finishes which is also disappointing. Another minor slightly-annoying issue is that when the “start flows automatically” setting is on the first flow starts by itself when restarting or changing the length. It does not do this on Mac. I would love to still use this timer in the future and will try to update this review accordingly.

Developer Response ,

Hi, thank you very much for your constructive feedback! Adding a vibration to the notification as well as the option to disable the notification sound is already on our list and will be implemented soon. We'll also improve the the behavior of the "start flows automatically" setting with the next update. Thank you for your patience and your input on this!

If there's anything else, feel free to contact us at support@flowapp.info!

— Lea from the development team 💚

Issues with pomorodo in general?

I only just got this app, but I've shied away from pomorodo apps in genreal because they're so rigid. What if I start out thinking I want to work for 20 minutes, only to find out that I can, in fact, work 60? I don't want to be reminded to take a break at 20 because then I'll lose motivation. But, on the other hand, if there's a situation where I plan to work for 60 minutes and can only manage 20, how do I work around that? I just think pomorodo should be more flexible, that would really maximize everything. I don't know myself well enough to be able to plan that kind of thing, and theoretically this app would help me to figure that out, but in the meantime I've just got this mental block. I've got ADHD so it feels like every second counts and I need all the motivation I can get, but I also can't put too much pressure on myself and I don't know where the boundary is. It would be great if, at the end of each session, there would be two choices to click on: break, or continue working. You'd get a motivating message if you continue, and a comforting message if you have a break. After a while, with being able to view the completed sessions, you'll be able to see exactly what times work for you and what to expect.

Developer Response ,

Hi Laela, thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful feedback on this! I’ve added your suggestion to our list of possible changes and improvements in the future. If there's anything else you need, you can always contact us at support@flowapp.info! – Lea

Simple Pomodoro Tool

This app is perfect for those committed to the Pomodoro time management and productivity method. I mostly like that the user interface is simple, it doesnʻt try to turn Pomodoros into something they are not (like candy rewards or groceries. weird.) I still prefer to make a physical check mark when I finish a Pom but a great feature is that the app tracks how many pomodoros you do and compiles weekly statistics for you. I love how easy it is to skip my breaks, which I realize is counter to the foundation of the method, which encourages mental breathers to maintain productivity not only within the Pom, but over the duration of the work day and the work week. I tend to feel that the Pomodoro structure is not ideal for coding. But I love how the app can function both to remind me to take mental breaks when I am in a more compulsive work mode, or motivate me to "work for rest" when I am feeling less motivated/fatigued.