I've just started using mytomatoes.com today. I was sceptical to begin with but I think it's super - clocking up tomatoes is strangely satisfying. Now I'm only on 4 so far today (It's Saturday so I don't think that's too terrible plus I intend to put in another couple of hours!) but I bet some of you out there have scaled the heights of tomato accumulation ?!

I'm with you here - I read about others using it and scoffed at them thinking it was a load of rubbish and nothing could motivate me, and yes the first few times I lied to myself and told myself I did do the whole tomato haha!

BUT, I have started using it last week (6 in one morning is my all time high so far) I think its great. The only down side is when I get a task that lasts longer, and I don't want a break in the middle because its just got to be done - e.g. I have 60 interviews to analyse, so I would rather do 1 interview and then a break, rather than 25 mins if that makes sense. Apart from that, just wish it wasn't tomatoes cos I hate having 5 a day!

Yep Eska - I've had the same issue with longer tasks making me squish two tomatoes together but the 10 minute break at the end allowed me enough time to make a cup of tea, run to the vending machine for some chocolate and read a couple of Cosmo's online articles :$
7 tomatoes are my limit for the day- off home now to relax a bit then hopefully will beat my record tomorrow (up)

Another thing I like about mytomatoes.com is that it shows you exactly how long you've been productive for, if you use it honestly. I used to think that I studied 10 hours a day - but once meal breaks, little breaks to do the odd domestic thing etc have been taken away, I can see that I'm really productive for much less time.

I average about 10-12 tomatoes a day - less on week-ends. My best is 19 - and by the end of that day my eyes were bloodshot, I had a headache and I could barely think straight I was so tired. I'm going into hermit mode in a couple of weeks and am planning to do 20 a day - I'll only have 4 months to submission! I don't mean to brag or put people off - this is more a pact with myself. Work at your own pace and be pleased with every tomato you do.

I have never seen this site before, thanks for bringing it up. I'm going to have a crack at it tomorrow.

how do you squash two tomatoes together?

Sneaks, if I want to work for longer than the 25 minutes, I either just close the website when it says 'break' and then start it up again straightaway, which means you don't have to have a five minute break it just starts a new tomato.

OR when it says break just ignore it, don't click it to write what you've done just leave it....then once you've had enough click it to write what you've done and the time will have carried on. Usually when I do it like that and I've worked for say 50 minutes, I write 'worth 2 tomotoes' in the box where you write what you've done, then I know at the end of the day that I've actually done more than the amount that it says!

I hope that makes sense!

======= Date Modified 24 Jan 2010 14:17:41 =======
What Button said Sneaks - don't stop working and click the 'start tomato' buttom as soon as it lets you. My target for this afternoon is 8 then I'm going out for some tapas and music :-x

I've just started using it today after reading this, and having a horribly emotional morning. I've done 5 so far and the time seems to have gone so quickly, but I'm really pleased with what I've done, managed 1200 words and I don't think they're too bad. Thanks for recommending it!

Well, I've given the tomatoes a try and I like them. Five today, so far, going to try for another one now. Thanks for sharing this.

I'm completely evangelical about this website :-x I told a friend about it and he told all his fellow PhDers in his dept and now they're all addicted. He's been attending lectures for the class he teaches and he said he caught another TA with mytomatoes on her iphone, counting the lecture as 2 tomatoes!
You're all counting tomatoes as in one per 25 minutes right? If so, I do about 10 on average every day. My aim is to get to 16 which would mean 8 hours work every day; I'd be very happy with that. But as others have said, even if you only do a few a day at least you know they are mounting up. I used to do something like 10 minutes work and 20 minutes staring at websites and then think 'great, half an hour's work done!'

I've done 7 now and thats since 3pm - I'm quite pleased with that as I've been feeling really down at the moment. Love it, did feel a bit silly at first if I'm being honest but I've been more productive and my concentration has improved. I've even found myself getting a bit competitive with it and trying to fit as much into one as I possibly can - is this normal?! Its made me feel a bit happier though, and I needed that today.

Forgive me all, I'm going to be a complete wanker and brag. I've been working so hard lately, am going to let myself indulge in a bit of back-patting. Yesterday I did 22 tomatoes!! My all time high! And I had lunch and dinner breaks and took the dog out. So, a good day, and I was very focused. No-one else apart from forum users would understand my pride in this, so am being terribly self-indulgent and posting here.

Am writing up, determined to do 20 a day.

http://mytomatoes.com/ for those of you unfamiliar. It really does concentrate the mind. Now to start another day of tomatoing...

======= Date Modified 10 Feb 2010 21:45:40 =======
How have I not come across this before? I'm looking at an all-nighter ce soir and this is one of the best things thats ever happened to me. Tomato high=0 so far.

Well done Sue! Wow! Every right to be dead proud. Hopefully I'll get there someday!