Timers and Practicing

I've been trying out some timers to keep track of how long I'm practicing. I've tried several free downloadable programs and have to say they all work. I've also used a basic kitchen timer.

At first, I didn't like the programs because most of them don't let you stop the timer and continue it when you're ready. If you stop it, it resets. I sometimes have to interrupt a session if someone calls, or there's a dog "emergency" or something boils over on the stove. My kitchen timer worked great for that issue.

But now I'm back to using the first timer I tried, the Focus Booster. I've found that sometimes if I don't have an hour free, I won't practice at all. Focus Booster was recommended for working in smaller chunks. I read that working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5 minute break, called the Pomodoro Technique,  is actually more productive than trying to crank out work for an hour. Focus Booster can be set up for a work session and a break too.

I do seem to get more focused practice in when I only do 25 minutes at a time. When I tried to practice in hour chunks, I spent more time in mindless noodling instead of focused practice. I quit beating myself up if I don't get in all the practicing that I think I should. If I learn one thing a day, I'm making progress.