I Tried the Viral TikTok Productivity Hack – Did It Work?

It was 11:42 AM.

I had a to-do list the size of a bus and no motivation.

So, like any responsible adult, I opened TikTok.

And there it was:

“The Productivity Hack That Will Change Your Life”

The creator swore by it. She even had background music and pastel planners to prove it.

I thought, “Why not?”

I had nothing to lose—except maybe more time.

What Was the Hack?

It is called the Pomodoro Technique.

Here’s how it works:

Work for 25 minutes

Take a 5-minute break

Repeat

Simple, right?

You can do this with a timer or those cute little tomato-shaped clocks people post.

TikTok made it look easy. So I tried it.

Day One: The Struggle

I set my phone timer.

Sat at my desk.

Opened my work tab.

Typed two sentences.

And then… checked my phone.

TikTok again.

25 minutes felt like 2 hours.

When the timer finally rang, I was shocked.

Not by how much I got done…

But by how little I did.

Day Three: Getting Better

I tried again.

This time I put my phone across the room. I even told my sister to slap me if I touched it.

Guess what? It worked.

I finished two tasks I had been avoiding all week.

It was not magic. It was just structure.

And honestly, it felt kind of nice.

One Week Later…

Here is what I learned:

25 minutes is short enough to stop procrastinating

5 minutes is just long enough to grab a snack

I do better when I know there’s a break coming

It did not change my life.

But it changed how I handle my day.

Final Thoughts

This hack is not for everyone.

You still need discipline. You still need goals.

But if you struggle with focus like I do?

Try it.

Set a timer.

Do one thing.

Then rest.

Because sometimes, simple wins.