# How to study with a Pomodoro timer on a Mac > Run focused study blocks with the NotchStar Pomodoro: pick 25 and 5, 50 and 10 or 15 and 3, track four sessions, and know what the timer does not do. Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/study-with-a-pomodoro-timer-on-a-mac/ Last updated: 2026-11-04 Published 2026-11-04. To study with a Pomodoro timer on a Mac, open NotchStar's Timers tab, choose Pomodoro, pick a block length and press play. A ring fills during each focus block, a label says Focus or Break, and four dots track the sessions in a round. The timer keeps counting when the notch is closed. ## Steps 1. Decide on one thing to do in the first block, such as a chapter section or ten practice problems. A task with an end works better than "study". 2. Open the notch, choose **Timers**, then the **Pomodoro** mode in the segmented control. 3. Use the preset menu to choose **25 and 5**, **50 and 10** or **15 and 3**. These three pairs are the only presets. 4. Check the finish sound in the sound menu. Pick one you will hear over music, or choose No Sound. 5. Press play and close the notch by moving away. The timer keeps counting while the notch is closed, and the sound tells you when the block ends. 6. When the block ends, the sound plays and the timer moves to the break phase by itself. The ring turns green for a break. 7. Press the skip button (the forward arrow) to move to the next phase early. Reset puts the current phase back to its full length. After four focus sessions the dots show the round is done, and it starts again at session one. The text under the dots counts the focus sessions you have finished since the app started. ## Using it for real study Keep a plain list of what you want to cover on paper or in a [Quick Note](https://www.notchstar.com/features/quick-notes/), and write the next action at the end of each block. A finished block does not prove you finished the task, so treat the dots as a rough guide only. If an interruption eats a block, press Reset rather than counting it. The [Pomodoro guide](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/pomodoro-timer-on-mac/) covers the method itself, and no interval is proven to be best for everyone. ## What the timer does not do - **Timers reset when NotchStar quits.** The session count goes with them. - **The alert is a sound.** There is no banner or notification, so with the volume off you will not be told. - **The presets are fixed.** You cannot enter 40 and 8. - **It does not block distractions,** log subjects, or keep a history across days. For practice papers with a hard limit, use the plain countdown instead, as described in [timing an exam practice session](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/time-an-exam-practice-session-on-a-mac/). The [Timers page](https://www.notchstar.com/features/timers/) lists all three modes. ## Quick answers. ### Which Pomodoro length should I pick for studying? NotchStar offers 25 and 5, 50 and 10, or 15 and 3 minutes. Shorter blocks help when starting is hard. Longer ones suit reading or problem sets. ### Does the timer keep running if I close the notch? Yes. It follows the clock and plays your chosen sound when the phase ends. ## Keep reading. - [Timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro in the notch](https://www.notchstar.com/features/timers/): A timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro with session tracking, always one hover away in the Mac notch. It keeps counting while the notch is closed. - [How to run a Pomodoro timer on your Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/pomodoro-timer-on-mac/): The Pomodoro technique in practice: block lengths, breaks, what to do when you get interrupted, and how to run it from the Mac notch. - [How to take quick notes during a lecture on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/take-quick-notes-during-a-lecture-on-a-mac/): Jot a name, a date or a question during a lecture with the NotchStar Quick Note. It saves as you type, holds one plain text note and is not a full notes app. - [How to time an exam practice session on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/time-an-exam-practice-session-on-a-mac/): Set a NotchStar countdown for a practice exam, hear a sound at the end. Includes what the timer cannot do. ## More in Study and focus. - [How to take quick notes during a lecture on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/take-quick-notes-during-a-lecture-on-a-mac/): Jot a name, a date or a question during a lecture with the NotchStar Quick Note. It saves as you type, holds one plain text note and is not a full notes app. - [How to collect citations and quotes with clipboard history on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/copy-citations-with-clipboard-history-on-a-mac/): Copy several quotes, links and citations while researching, then paste them one by one from the NotchStar Clipboard tab. Holds 50 items, clears on quit. - [How to time an exam practice session on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/time-an-exam-practice-session-on-a-mac/): Set a NotchStar countdown for a practice exam, hear a sound at the end. Includes what the timer cannot do. - [How to track how long a task takes with a stopwatch on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/track-how-long-a-task-takes-with-a-stopwatch-on-a-mac/): Use the NotchStar stopwatch to see how long homework or a chore really takes. It counts up until you stop it. It does not save a history or log laps. - [How to see today's events and due reminders without opening Calendar on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/use-cases/see-assignment-deadlines-without-opening-calendar-on-a-mac/): The NotchStar Calendar tab lists upcoming events and open reminders from your Mac accounts, and ticks reminders off. It looks to tomorrow only.