I really like that the author describes work as fitting into two categories: the really focused stuff he uses the Pomodoro technique for, and all the peripheral stuff. I think it's a very important distinction and I'm keenly aware of it in my daily work.

I've found there are two advantages of Pomodoro that are under-appreciated:

1. At the end of your day you have an integer number of "Pomodoros" done. An integer number is very easy to grasp and compare with other days. So you have a very strong sense for how well you did with your day, or how well you are doing so far in the day. It's a powerful thing and it keeps you honest.

2. After you have used the technique for a while, the timer you use not only serves as a timer, but its start mechanism/button/gesture/whatever actually serves as some sort of psychological "switch" that puts your mind in work mode. On mornings when I am lacking a little motivation, I can just start the timer and I'll get into gear. It's not magic, but when I need a little extra kick the timer does it very well.