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How to Stay Productive When It’s Too Darn Hot

Posted on: June 23rd, 2025 by Julie Bestry | 8 Comments

The meteorologists tell us that we’re experiencing a heat dome. All I know is that my air conditioner is struggling and my brain is melting. I’ve debated with myself as to whether I really need to write this blog post or if I should just sit in a cool bubble bath.

Meanwhile, I can’t stop humming Cole Porter’s “It’s Too Darn Hot” from Kiss Me, Kate. The musical is a play-within-a-play; actors, backstage, lament that the environmental heat is keeping them from endeavoring toward romantic heat. (Nudge, nudge; wink, wink.)

Sweat Golden Girls GIF from Tenor

WHY IT’S HARD TO STAY PRODUCTIVE WHEN IT’S HOT

It’s no surprise that when we’re uncomfortably warm, we get cranky. We perspire and our clothes stick to us. Our skin chafes and our hair sticks to our necks. We stick to our leather or vinyl car seats or desk chairs. Our mouths get dry, and those sharing our space (be they work peers or life partners) annoy us more.

But it’s not just mere crankiness and discomfort.

Hot weather is linked to everything icky from mild irritability to aggression, headaches and reduced motivation to decreased memory, focus, and cognition. It seems like productivity doesn’t stand a chance.

The Science Behind “It’s Too Darn Hot”

According to a 2018 study conducted at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, students in dorms without air conditioning during a heat wave performed significantly worse on cognitive tests than their peers who were able to (literally) chill out, and their reaction times were slower. Elementary school students (and their teachers) in hot classrooms suffer similarly.

Other studies, such as by Soloman Hsiang and Jesse Anttila-Hughes (who study economics and public policy), Joshua Graff Zivin and Matthew Neidell (in global policy and economic research), and Shin-ichi Tanabe, a professor of architecture at Waseda University in Tokyo (studying “thermal comfort”) found that for ever 1° degree rise in temperature beyond 77° degrees Fahrenheit (~25° Celsius), productivity dropped approximately 2%. Each used different measures and models, and the percentages ranged from 1.8% to 2.4″ celsius, but going with an average 2% seems pretty sound.

Over the course of the typical workday, this works out to thirty minutes less work completed — for ever single degree rise in temperature. (If you’re a peri-menopausal or menopausal woman, I suspect you, like I, think that productivity drop starts much lower than 77°; if you’re one of those people who is always complaining that it’s too cold with the air conditioning on in your office, I respectfully submit that today’s blog post may not be for you. As noted, heat makes one cranky!)

A study published in PLOS Medicine in 2018 found a correlation between high indoor temperatures and impaired working memory and decision-making, particularly for tasks that required focus or logic.

Long story short, being hot isn’t cool if you hope to get anything done.

In fact, researchers at the Helsinki University of Technology and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that the performance of people who work in offices (or what is now generally called “knowledge work”) peaks at around 71.6°F (22°C). So, being able to maintain a fairly cool (or at least tepid) and comfortable office temperature is key to our productivity.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature is on a warpath and doesn’t seem to care whether we get our work done.

Why Productivity Declines When We’re Having a Cruel Summer

We humans are like Goldilocks, built for the middle ground, and we prefer our porridge neither too hot nor too cold. Our bodies go into survival mode when we get hot. Our body’s integumentary system diverts resources from elsewhere and toward cooling ourselves such that:

perspiration increases — Glands in our skin get stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system to produce sweat. (Yes, I know. “Horses sweat, men perspire, ladies glow.” But when it’s 94° outside, I’m glowing like a nuclear reactor. Feh.) As our perspiration evaporates, it carries heat away, effectively cooling us and lowering our body temperature.
vasodilation occurs — This is a fancy way of saying that blood vessels in the middle layer of skin, the dermis, widen. It increases blood flow to the skin’s surface, so excess heat gets released (through radiation and convection, which makes it sound like our bodies are built out of spare microwave ovens).

Meanwhile, as this is going on, the hypothalamus serves as a bodily thermostat, controlling thermo-regulation. Thermoreceptors in the body send signals and triggers our systems to either dissipate heat (to keep us cool) or generate it (for those office dwellers who truly do find the A/C too strong) to keep our internal temperatures stable.

The problem? When it’s hot, all those resources used to cool us down leave our organs (including our brains) with less energy to keep things running. Uh, oh.

So it’s not surprising that when we’re hot, our executive function capabilities drop. That means less mental acuity and power for attention, working memory, planning and organization, task initiation, problem solving, metacognition (thinking about our thinking), time management, and so on.

To keep our bodies from feeling like burnt toast, our cognition departs. Next window, please!

Additionally, when we’re dehydrated, our ability to focus is severely limited.

Even a mild case of dehydration (defined as 1-2% loss in body weight from water) can cause headaches, impair our concentration, reduce our short-term memory, and crash our math skills.

Just in case the heat had already worn you out, I’d like to point out that productivity and organizing skills are dependent upon concentration, short-term memory, and (argh, sometimes even) math skills so that we can focus on what to do, prioritize tasks, recognize patterns, make qualitative decisions, and figure out what goes where.

When it’s too darn hot, our bodies do what they have to, and sometimes that means shutting down our means of production (that is, cognition and productivity). That doesn’t mean we can’t take our own actions to keep our goals from running off the rails, but we’re going to have to take some extra precautions to keep us from losing control during a cruel summer.

MODIFY YOUR SCHEDULE ON HOT DAYS

Be patient with yourself (and your colleagues and anyone you supervise) with regard to pace of productivity. If the heat is wearing you down and you’re not on an unrelenting deadline, move non-essential tasks to when Heat Miser isn’t trying to make you miserable.

(I dare you to not listen. Just don’t get up and dance. It’s too hot.)

Reorganize your workload so you tackle your highest priorities and deliverables but give yourself permission to let low-priority tasks wait a few days until the A/C (and your brain) is at full blast.

Time-shift your productivity. Embrace the Mediterranean and South American models and take a siesta. If possible, get your deep work done early in the morning and schedule light, less brain-intensive tasks during those hot midday hours. To get a handle on this international approach to dealing with steamy workdays, embrace the advice in my post Take a Break for Productivity — The International Perspective.

If you, like Paper Doll, are a night owl, see if you can schedule follow-up tasks (particularly those where you don’t have to interact with others) in the cooler evening hours. Save your admin, reading, email-checking, and light decluttering (avoiding the attic or garage) for after twilight.

Remember other breaks, too. The productivity strategies we’ve discussed at length at Paper Doll HQ over the years, like the Pomodoro Technique, or the approach discussed in Frogs, Tomatoes, and Bees: Time Techniques to Get Things Done, accent the importance of employing breaks to clear your head.

For more on these kinds of breaks, see Take a Break — How Breaks Improve Health and Productivity.

REDESIGN YOUR WORKSPACE TO BEAT THE HEAT…

If you work from home, consider working in the coolest room in your house. Get away from windows and trade that hot, bright midday sunlight for more subdued lighting.

Do the limbo, by which I mean, go lower!

Heat rises, so you may just find it cooler to get down on the floor to work. And when the atmosphere in your home is steamy, basements are often darker and cooler. If you don’t have a finished basement, it may lack the creature comforts you depend upon, but when the alternative is suffering while your A/C limps along to cope with the heat, you may not mind roughing it. Think of hanging out in the basement as similar to camping out, only with running water, a nearby fridge, and bathroom facilities.

Use blackout curtains (or at least pull down your shades and close your curtains). Position fans to create a cross-breeze — but either don’t point them directly at your workspace; otherwise, grab some coasters or cans from the kitchen to use as paperweights. If you have to chase your papers all over the room, you’re going to feel hot and bothered, not cool and collected.

OR, RELOCATE YOUR WORKSPACE TO WHERE IT’S COOLER

If your air conditioning has conked out or is on the way to its final reward, or if you never had an A/C to begin with, consider relocating your workspace elsewhere for the days the heat is oppressive. Some options include:

the public library — Although you generally need a library card to check materials out, any member of the public can occupy table space and enjoy the air conditioning and rest room facilities of the public library.
a college library — University libraries are more likely to limit access to current students, faculty, and staff. However, if you’re an alum, or if there’s a university (or perhaps a community college) nearby with more lenient policies, you may find a cool, quiet place (perhaps a carrel in the graduate student stacks) to focus for a few hours.
a coffee house — Long before COVID drove people to work remotely from home, coffee houses were the in spot for creating your own remote office. Just be sure to buy food or beverages in exchange for that free Wi-Fi, and tip your servers.
a cafeteria space — Massive stores like IKEA and Costco often have food courts or cafeterias. If you’ve got noise-canceling headphones, get yourself some gravlax or a hot dog, tuck yourself into a corner, cool down, and focus with an un-fried brain.
a hotel lobby or business center — Most cities have hotel conference centers with lots of empty/unused space. Think of all the times you’ve been at a conference and tucked yourself away in a quiet corner to read or a make a call without schlepping all the way to your room.
your local community center — Many community centers are remodeled schools with a variety of rooms, and most community centers have quiet spaces set aside for working or studying.
a friend’s house — I’m not saying to descend on a friend’s house and take over her dining room or guest room. But if you’ve got friends who love you and they have the chilly air that you’re lacking, especially if they’ll be off to their offices, why not ask? You’d do the same for them, right?
a co-working space — While co-working spaces likely won’t be free, you may be able to buy an inexpensive day pass. Google “co-working” and your geographic location, or check out and online directory, like CoWorker, Liquid Space, or Co-Working Cafe.

REDUCE YOUR TECH TO KEEP YOUR COOL

Digital devices are hot, hot, hot!

Have you ever noticed how your lap gets extraordinarily taosty when you’ve had your laptop balanced on your legs for a while? Have you ever touched the back of your desktop computer on a hot day? Yikes!

On days when the heat is excessive, use less electricity and feel less burnt out by making changes to how you use your computer and mobile devices:

Dim your monitor’s brightness — The brighter your computer or phone, the more battery and energy your screen is using, and the more heat it may give off.
Close unused browser tabs — Too many open tabs in your brain keeps you from working at top speed; the same goes for your browser. If that article has been sitting in an open tab on your computer for weeks, you’re probably never going to read it. If you’re not inclined to read it today, save it to Evernote, add a bookmark, or ask ChatGPT to summarize it for you.
Unplug chargers and unnecessary lights and devices — They radiate heat and add to your discomfort during a heat wave.
Unplug yourself — If you’re not on a deadline, go analog! Power down your laptop or desktop and grab a notebook. Obviously, you aren’t going to replace email with passing notes (across the country), but if you just need to write a draft or brainstorm, power down your tech. Conserve the energy — your devices’ and your own.

PRACTICE SELF-CARE WHEN THE TEMPERATURES RISE

You know that your car won’t work as well in extreme heat. You need to check the radiator, keep the fluids topped off, shade your windshield, maintain a fairly full gas tank. You need to take similar precautions to keep yourself running smoothly.

Hydrate — Keep one of those recyclable bottles (whether it’s named Stanley or YETI or nicknamed George Clooney) on hand. Fill it with icy water (and not caffeinated beverages) to sip throughout the day. Use a visual water tracker (like a bottle with time markers) or try a hydration app to prompt you to drink more. Popular apps include WaterLlama, HydroCoach, and Waterful (which has a cute Octopus mascot — you hydrate to keep him (and yourself) healthy).

Eat smaller meals more often, and focus on snacks with high water makeup, like salads and fruits (hello, watermelon!), and select lean proteins. Reduce excess sodium intake. A heavy meal full of fats, carbs, and sodium make us sloth-like and lethargic at any time of year. Add high temperatures, and the 3 o’clock slump becomes the all-afternoon crash-out.
Nap —The more we are exposed to heat, the less time we spend sleeping, and the pejorative effects are stronger during heat waves (like this heat dome kerfuffle).
Relax your dress code — No, don’t show up to Teams meetings or Zoom calls in your PJs. But switch out form-fitting clothes for looser cuts (and looser weaves) to let the air circulate around you.
Brush your teeth — I mean, I hope you’re probably already brushing your teeth. But there’s something about a minty fresh mouth that helps cool your system down.
Run your wrists under cold water or rest them on soft, squishy ice packs (like chilly wrist rests) while typing or reading.
Consider a personal cooling tool device. — A few years ago, Paper Mommy bought me a bladeless neck fan and it directs a lovely (and not-too-noisy) breeze up under my hair, cooling my neck and head. (Readers: Don’t tell, but I’m running it right now!)

Check in with others — on your team, in your neighborhood, in your family. Heat reduces our mental energy and sometimes capacity to take care of ourselves, so we need to do what we can to take care of one another. Heat can make us anxious, and connecting with others (and maybe stopping to take a Popsicle break with them) can help us feel less out of sorts.

In much of the country, temperatures are going to be in the 90s and even over 100° this week, and we’re only (officially) a few days into the summer. Productivity is important, but endangering your mental and physical health in the short term is a recipe for declining productivity in the mid- and long-term.

Pace yourself, relocate, use less tech, and take care of your body and your brain. The work will still be there when the temperature comes down.

Paper Doll on the Power of a DONE List

Posted on: June 16th, 2025 by Julie Bestry | 12 Comments

DON’T BE LISTLESS

We all know the power of a To-Do list.

When we’re feeling overwhelmed by all the little dings in our brains reminding us, over and over, of what we have to do, we turn to a brain dump. While it may, at first, seem overwhelming, completely off-loading everything we have to do — from paying quarterly estimated taxes to making (or ordering) a birthday cake for a tiny human to dropping off that trunk-load of donations — takes the weight off our shoulders.

Having to constantly remember TO do something keeps us from being to think in a nuanced way ABOUT how we’ll approach a task. Think of a brain dump as a prototype To-Do list. It works with almost any kind of productivity technique.

Review How to Make a Big To-Do

If you’re following David Allen’s Getting Things Done paradigm (even if you didn’t know until now that you were doing so), you start by gathering tasks from all of the places you’ve captured what you have to do, like a scribbled note, email, voicemail or memo on your desk.) Then clarify what efforts the end-results involve, and organize them into by context. If the items are actionable, you’ll break big things down into smaller, actionable “next steps” and likely send them to a To-Do list.

Alternatively, you might create lists according to Steven Covey’s Sharpen the Saw approach as part of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey’s Weekly Compass allows you to consider your tasks under larger rubrics reflecting your roles. For example, Paper Doll‘s roles include professional organizer, blogger, product creator, marketer, daughter, and friend. (It also includes “aspiring heiress” to cover all my self-care tasks.)

If you’re freestyling, without any particular system, it still goes the same way. Download all of the remembered tasks floating around your brain to a tangible or digital form, add items prompted by reminders in your environment, and ta-da, it’s a To-Do!

Still, it’s hard for your brain to know what to do next when the upcoming tasks are “schedule a colonoscopy, buy a dress for my high school reunion, and write a cost-cutting report for the CEO.” Instead, it makes sense to divide To-Do lists into categories, like “work” and “life.”

Depending on the complexities of your situations, you’ll probably want to break these down into subcategories. For “work,” you might have lists for client follow-up, marketing tasks, reports to write, presentations, and so on. For “life,” you task categories may be financial and household, plus personal concerns like parenting tasks (ranging logistical, like carpooling or being a room mother for a field trip, to big-ticket items like having big talks), relationship management, and self-care.

For mosts of us, To-Do lists are the first step toward getting the work of life accomplished, and numerous Paper Doll have walked you through those steps. But there’s another kind of list that serves a different, though adjacent purpose. That’s a Done list.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TO-DO LIST AND A DONE LIST?

It’s possible you’ve never heard of a Done list. You could oversimplify and say that a To-Do list is a log of things you intend to do and a Done list is a list of what you’ve done.

Or, you might say a To-Do list is tactics, while a Done list is metrics.

But there are philosophical differences between the common To-Do list and the far-less-known Done list.

Stress Factor

A To-Do list can be hopeful, but it can also provoke anxiety. All of those “shoulds” can wear a person down, making us feel unproductive. The more we have on a To-Do list, the more we are reminded of what remains undone; for some, this can trigger procrastination.

Aspiration vs. Reality

A To-Do list shows shows our intentions, but that means everything on it is aspirational. As long as there’s a verb at the start, it could include anything, from “pick up the dry cleaning” to “convince George Clooney to invite me to dinner with him and Amal.”

A To-Do list holds potential, but you can’t take potential to the bank or serve it up for dinner. Conversely, there’s nothing aspirational in a Done list; it’s entirely reflective of what you’ve actually done, whether you’d planned to do so or not. Given that, Done lists take into account surprises, interruptions, and how you’ve managed to succeed despite inputs that were out of your control.

A To-Do list holds potential, but you can't take potential to the bank or serve it up for dinner. A Done list take into account surprises, interruptions, and how you've managed to succeed despite inputs that were out of your… Share on X

Expectations

A To-Do list it can also be overwhelming, especially if you overload it with more than you can accomplish in a day. A Done list, however, looks at your day’s activities from a different perspective. It leaves aside the should-have-dones or the never-got-to items and embraces reality.

A Done list ignores expectations, allowing you to revel in what you’ve achieved without measuring against any particular pre-conceived benchmarks.

Identity

Your To-Do list says who you want to be. It creates a necessary blueprint, because we can’t accomplish much without a vision. Your idea of who you want to be might involve a ten-point plan taking you from college to career to marriage and parenthood, or it might be more passionate than prescribed. (Are you having wicked dreams about leaving Tennessee? Is Santa Monica calling you? Is there any chance Chappell Roan is reading my blog?)

Your Done list says who you are. There may be more to accomplish, but there’s an achievement or three you can point to and say, “I’m a person who has already [XXXX] and nothing and nobody can take that away from me.”

A To-Do list is akin to the clutter of exercise videos or the diet books you buy or the cardio classes you schedule on your calendar (or the bathing suit you buy because THIS is the summer you will actually swim to get in shape). But a Done list is the steps counted by your Fitbit or Apple Watch, the way your waistband fits, or the numbers when the doctor checks your blood pressure.

Momentum

A To-Do list is static, like runners in the blocks before a race begins. A Done list, as it’s built, reflects the runners making progress (against their own time? against each competitor?) and pushing onward through the winner’s tape.

Don’t burn your To-Do lists. Just see the potential of adding a Done list to your productivity repertoir.

THE BENEFITS OF A DONE LIST?

Blogger Katherine Firth at Research Degree Insiders encourages us to look at our days more deeply. She asks, “But how do we know if we have succeeded in our day, or just succeeded ticking things off our To-Do list? Is a day where we did lots of important, urgent and valuable things (none of which were in our plans) still a success?”

And in the May 28, 2025 edition of Laura Vanderkam’s Vanderhacks Substack, she notes, after we tackle on our To-Do lists, “Now, of course, stuff comes up. Stuff always comes up. … You leave enough space that the unexpected doesn’t derail the expected. Shouldn’t we get credit for doing the stuff that came up too?“

Let’s consider the attributes and benefits of a Done list:

Compare plans vs. accomplishments — This is the most pedestrian of benefits.

Create an official record — If you ever wonder if you canceled your satellite radio service or sent that thank you note, the Done list offers concrete proof.

Perform a reality check — The official record is like sports statistics, but this benefit is like a mini-career retrospective before your jersey number gets retired (for the day). Reflecting Vanderkam’s question, if we’re going to give ourselves credit, let’s make sure we credit ourselves for everything and not just what we said we’d do.

If you’re always asking, “Where did the day (or week or month) go?” or spend each day fighting dragons it’s easy to dismiss your un-done tasks as failures. The Done list tallies your successes.

Add a real-time component to appreciating your accomplishments — When you try to capture your successes far after the fact, memories of what you did well can be fleeting.

When I worked in TV, I had a boss who favored saying, “One ‘aw [expletive deleted]’ can wipe out 10 ‘atta-boys.'” He meant that a stellar reputation among others can be stained by one misdeed, but I take it to mean how our brains judge us, too.

We remember our failures, our mistakes, our almost-but-not-quites. Instead of remembering that you didn’t get a job, wouldn’t it be more helpful to recall that you made it through four rounds of interviews and have developed better responses to those weird questions?

Instead of remembering that you didn't get a job, wouldn't it be more helpful to recall that you made it through four rounds of interviews and have developed better responses to those wacky questions? Share on X

Develop positive reinforcement — So much of modern life is ongoing: how often does anyone get to Inbox: 0 (or Laundry Basket: 0)? It’s hard to feel like any attention is given to what we’ve finished before it’s time to chase ourselves to the next benchmark.

A Done list reminds you that you can do it because you have done it. Recognize your successes. The Done list gives credit to the depth and breadth of achievements and sends dopamine hits to your brain, making coming back tomorrow easier and more eagerly anticipated.

Boost confidence in yourself and not just your output — We are always our own worst critics, and in this part of the Western Hemisphere (and in this part of the 21st century), we are bombarded with messages that if we don’t “produce” then we aren’t enough. This is a reminder that you ARE enough, and if you need more to undergird that reminder of your value, may I direct you to:

Reduce (or reject) your “productivity debt” — In his most recent book, Meditations for Mortals: four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts, Oliver Burkeman writes about the role of a Done list in counteracting the sense of productivity debt.

Burkeman notes that:

Many people these days report the feeling that they begin each morning in a kind of ‘productivity debt,’ which they must struggle to pay off over the course of the day, in hopes of returning to a zero balance by the time evening comes. If they fail — or worse, don’t even try — it’s as though they haven’t quite justified their existence on the planet.

While Burkeman clarifies the difference between the tasks we must in order to pay the rent, or how it’s “generally a good idea” to make sure your kids have food and clothing. But very much like what I wrote in my series on toxic productivity, he gets to the heart of what happens when we go beyond the push to be productive pressed on us by society into something more insidious:

But we overlay this everyday sense of obligation with existential duty not only to achieve certain ends, or to meet our basic responsibilities to others, but because it’s a cosmic debt we’ve somehow incurred in exchange for being alive….Our frenetic activity is often an effort to shore up a sense of ourselves as minimally acceptable members of society.

Burkeman reflects that whether the origins of this sense of inadequacy comes from the Protestant work ethic, our parents, or consumerism (um, check out that first toxic productivity post, eh), this “productivity debt mindset” means that even our checked-off To-Do list items create an ever-higher standard to achieve.

He posits that a Done list — rather than serving as a yardstick against your To-Do list — should invite you “to compare your output to the hypothetical situation where you stayed in bed and did nothing at all” and goes further to ask, “What makes that comparison any less legitimate than the other one?”

Whoa.

Of course, Burkeman’s recent area of expertise is the finitude, or limited nature, of life, and he doesn’t see the Done list as merely a way to give ourselves a rah-rah. He envisions the process of the Done list as one that makes us increasingly likely to make better decisions about what efforts and tasks to face in the first place, make more progress on them, and experience less anxiety about the things we’ve chosen to neglect.

My colleague Linda Samuels’ recent post, How a Helpful Productivity Reframe Makes More Time for Fun on making a “satisfying” day dovetails nicely with this line of thinking.

Conquer task rebellion — Are you the kind of person whom the minute you’re assigned something (even if you assign it to yourself), you suddenly don’t want to do it? A Done list is an alternate productivity tool for keeping a close eye on your important tasks and obligations.

Make sure others appreciate your achievements — Vanderhack’s Substack post acknowledges two bonuses to the Done list:

If you ever need to convince someone that you are in fact working hard, you can just send your manager your Done list. If you are managing people, you can ask team members to keep Done lists and share them with you. That way, at your next check-in you can congratulate them on a job well…done.

Create an operations manual — What you did helps you figure out what you will want to do. For example, blogger Randall Degges explains that he uses his Done list to make sure he’s gone through all of the steps in his programming work. For some ideas on how to develop this idea, consider reading Atul Gawande’s The Checklist Manifesto.

Blend a Done list into your gratitude practice — If you’re inclined to regularly practice gratitude (or, especially, if you’re not), a Done list shows you what you can be grateful for and show gratitude to: your skills and talents, for the time you had available to accomplish something, for the people or agencies that helped you accomplish what you wanted.

A long list of doctor’s appointments and medical tests on your To-Do list can be daunting. But seeing things like “Made mammogram appointment” or “Got dental crown replaced” on your Done list gives you the opportunity to feel grateful to be healthy or restored to health, that there are specialists to whom you can turn for expert care, and that you have health insurance. For those of us who are terrible at gratitude journaling, our Done list is a good alternative.

WHAT GOES ON YOUR DONE LIST?

We all know the joke that on days where we struggle to make headway, we might put “wake up” or “make a To-Do list” on our To-Do list, just so we’ll have things to cross off.

If your Done list were merely your To-Do list with items checked off, those pseudo-tasks, while helping you get your mojo going might* — under most circumstances — feel silly upon reflection. The following that might go on your Done list:

Calls made
Appointments kept
Meetings attended
Work obligations completed
Errands run
Household chores tackled
Procrastinated-upon “adulting” completed

But a Done list may capture more than just the tasks you performed but also some higher level achievements like:

ideas you generated, like brainstormed concepts for a blog post or outlining a plan for a vacation itinerary

metrics of what you are achieving, like if you walked 10,000 steps or recorded three videos or did ten language lessons on Duolingo. If you plan to read a certain number of pages or chapters or books in a set period of time, you can log your efforts toward those goals. If you planned to read 40 books a year, but only read 35, something that shows you that you DID read 35 books is a lot more motivating than the fact that you fell somewhat short of the overall goal. The metrics let you focus on what you did do.

what you didn’t do that you didn’t want to do. If your goal is to have a no-spend Sunday and you found cost-free activities and didn’t spend a penny, huzzah! Write it down! If you’re struggling to maintain no-contact status with that ex you miss but know isn’t good for you, when you complete a day of NOT CALLING THE PERSON, give yourself a prize!

*Is there anything too inconsequential to put on a Done list?

It depends on you. If you’re not struggling with depression right now, “took a shower” or “brushed teeth” is going to fill up your Done list unnecessarily. If you aren’t suffering with an eating disorder, writing “ate lunch,” or “had a healthy mid-day snack” probably needn’t show up on your list.

However, any challenge you overcome deserves to be celebrated. If you have ADHD, tracking that you got to work (or got the kids to school) on time is valid. Your Done list can track these successes, and it will remind you that you can do, and have done, hard things.

And if you struggle with giving yourself compassion, whether you’re dealing with chronic pain or illness, mental health issues, or anything that makes the tasks of daily living (including self-care, cleaning, organizing, etc.) hard, I recommend How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis.

HOW TO CREATE A DONE LIST

Add items to your Done list contemporaneously with achieving them so you won’t forget anything. If that’s not possible, schedule time at the end of the day to log and review your successes.

I know there’s a temptation to think that if you’ve already got a To-Do list, you can just check items off as you complete them. I’m not saying that you can’t do this, but it’s much too easy to forget things.

So, if you’re tempted to reject my advice to keep them separate, then please do the following:

add all of your unanticipated achievements to your To-Do list as you go
at least use a check mark or similar ✅ symbol in the left-hand margin rather than ~~striking through~~ what you’ve done; the point is to be able to see what you HAVE accomplished
move incomplete tasks to a list for the next (or some future) day; then cross out those items, remembering that crossing it out means it’s been moved, not accomplished.

However, I really encourage you to make your Done list a separate endeavor from your To-Do list.

Pick a style that reflects your preferences:

Analog Done List Formats

a handwritten paper list
a journal/bullet journal page
pretty sticky notes on the wall, perhaps in a Kanban format as I described in Checklists, Gantt Charts, and Kanban Boards – Organize Your Tasks
index cards — In 2007, Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen recommended an “anti-To-Do list” as part of Pmarca Guide to Personal Productivity, tracking accomplishments on the flip-side of an index card used for daily To-Do items.

Digital Done List Formats

a digital document in a format like Word, Google Docs, Excel, or Google Sheet
daily or weekly emails to yourself — keep a running list of “dones” and then send it to yourself to archive.
an Evernote note using the Daily Note template function, formatted to your preference
Apple’s Done List app, which allows you to type or use emoji to track your completed tasks
your phone’s Notes app

Some people post their achievements as a running list of social media posts. That requires a strong ego, thick skin, and an achievement list that doesn’t include awkward personal care tasks. If you’re an introvert or a menopausal woman, you might want to skip this method.

Not everything lends itself to a list format. Sometimes, seeing a task on a list doesn’t tell the whole story. There are times when journaling “the story of my day” will not only be the better alternative to logging achievements, but appreciating them.

Remember Unplanned Successes

Don’t forget to include huge leaps that weren’t on your list.

Did you fly for the first time since the pandemic even though you’ve been scared to do it? Did you set consequences and enforce a boundary and with someone who historically tramples them? Did you (politely but firmly) explain that you will not be “voluntold” (forced into volunteering) for a project, whether in life or at work?

Put them down as DONE!

DON’T BE DONE WITH YOUR DONE LIST

Post your Done lists for the week on a bulletin board or the fridge so that you can reflect on your successes.

Leave it side-by-side with tomorrow’s To-Do list so that when you sit at your desk, you can review yesterday’s successes before attacking today’s goals.

Put reviewing your Done list on your calendar. Review it before heading out for the weekend.

Create a Success Folder and at the end of the quarter, go through and highlight the “big ticket” successes. When you do your personal annual review, haul these out so you can record the bigger (or small but important) accomplishments. (See Organize Your Annual Review & Mindset Blueprint for 2023 for examples.)

And now…I’m done.

Organize Your Desktop with Your Perfect Desk Pad: 2025 Update

Posted on: June 2nd, 2025 by Julie Bestry | 11 Comments

This post originally appeared in November 2023 and has been updated for June 2025.

WHY USE A DESK PAD?

It’s funny how small, random things resonate with people. In early September, in Paper Doll Explores New & Nifty Office and School Supplies, I included a small section on how desk pads have come back into vogue, and shared some examples of brightly colored, inexpensive options. I’ve been surprised by how many people had follow-up questions about this rarely discussed office supply.

Desk pads are similar to but not quite the same as desk blotters, even though the two are often conflated. However, as we’re not writing with quills or fountain pens anymore, nobody is really blotting anything. Still desk pads have a variety of benefits for organizing your desk physically as well as psychologically.

Practical Reasons

Desk pads have a variety of purposes for keeping your workspace safe, organized, and comfortable. A desk pad will:

Protect the desk from spilled beverages, sticky or crumbly foods, and scratches (either from your watch or jewelry, or from pens that dig into the desktop surface).
Create a more comfortable workplace. This includes making the traditional writing surface smooth for when you’re actually using pen or pencil (like a caveman) or protecting your arms from the desktop’s surface. If your desk is metal or glass, the surface can be ice cold; an old wooden desk may feel scratchy or splintery. Desk pads vastly improves your comfort level because they’re generally made from softer or sleeker materials. This also provides a gentler surface to reduce friction against your wrists.
Yield more slide-y space than a mousepad. Whether you’re using your desktop for working or gaming, a mousepad offers little space to slide your mouse around. A desk pad makes that smooth area much wider and eliminates your worry about making grander gestures.
Reduce the sound and vibrations of a clickety mechanical keyboard.
Designate zones for different tools. Some desk pads give you specific areas to help carve out the niche areas of purpose on your desk.

Personal Reasons

Beyond the practicalities, desk pads can create an ambiance that appeals to you on an emotional level.

Aesthetics may help you feel more productive; at least, they put you in the right headspace to tackle spreadsheets or TPS reports.
A desk pad makes a statement of style for the owner of the desk, to communicate personality with visitors and to delight you when you’re sitting at your workspace. Given that most of day’s post focuses on more mature styles of desk pads, in leather and and leather-like materials, I thought I’d share the kind of desk pad that the less grown-up version of me is often tempted to acquire. Because, as you may have wondered at some point, Surely Not Everyone Was Kung Fu Fighting (from Society Six).

A desk pad makes a desk look “put together.” This is less about looking attractive vs. looking finished. Paper Mommy drummed it into me that when you want to make a good impression, you should always wear a jacket, blazer, or cardigan — something that pulls an outfit together and makes it look intentional. A desk pad does the same for your desk.

DESK PAD ATTRIBUTES TO CONSIDER

Most of the inquiries I received asked about what features they should consider in a desk pad. For those used to the traditional oversized calendar style of blotter, the number of modern desk pad possibilities come as a bit of an overwhelming surprise. Let’s look at several.

Size

One hesitates to say that “size matters,” but you need to consider a variety of size-related elements:

How large is your work area? — If your desk is enormous and you’ve got an itty bitty desk pad not much bigger than a mousepad, the desk pad is going to be engulfed, both logicically and aesthetically. If it’s only the width of your keyboard, the friction of the edges against your arm may annoy you.

Conversely, if you’re working on a tiny desk, make sure your desk pad will actually fit. Read the actual measurements, but also keep your eyes out for keywords, like “extended,” that give you an idea of the size of a product. A standard goal is to pick a desk pad that covers 2/3 of the width of your desk, but your needs may vary, given other factors.

How much of your stuff do you want on the desk pad? — Do you want the deskpad to cover just the area closest to you, or would you prefer your computer to sit atop it? If you want your desktop and keyboard located on top of your deskpad, you’ll need more space than if you just want to put it under your laptop (or just prefer it under the area where you rest your arms).

Some desk pads are designed to be large enough to have space for your phone, mouse (so a mousepad is unnecessary), office supplies, and any papers essential to your work.

What kind of surface do you need for your work functionality? — If you’re using a mouse instead of a track pad and a desk pad in lieu of a mouse pad, the mouse needs to be able to move smoothly but not slip on too glossy a surface. The surface should also allow you an adequate, comfortable area upon which to rest your mousing wrist.
Do you need a desk pad to accommodate a special purpose? — Gamers often use oversized (overly wide) desk pads; engineers and computer specialists may need specialized pads for work on computers or with tools.
Do you need options? There are varieties of desk pads with different surfaces on each side (like for gaming vs. standard computing or intricate work vs. writing). If your work and play tasks vary widely, consider looking at dual-dided pads to make sure you’re comfortable. A distracted worker is an unproductive worker.

Think about width as well as depth of your desk (and desk pad) as you look at your purchase options.

Materials

The material from which your desk pad is constructed will impact how it looks, how long it will last, and how much it will cost. Common desk pad materials include:

Leather looks sumptuous and sophisticated, is easy to keep clean, and tends to be durable over the long term. However, it is often one of the most expensive options.

Leatherology has a wide variety of classic and modern desk pad options, but they also have some spiffy extra-long desk pads and narrower “conference and laptop” pads. They’re all in gorgeous Italian leather and are (for real leather) fairly affordable, from $95 to $170. Even their colors sound luxurious, with Bordeaux (below), Oxblood, Mocha, and Dove mixing with Tan, Black, Midnight Blue.

Grovemade is a similarly delicious vendor of 3.5mm-thick premium leather desk pads with cork backing in six sizes: Small – 11” x 24.75”, Small Plus – 14″ x 31.5″, Medium – 11.5” x 38”, Medium Plus – 15.75″ x 38″, Large – 26” x 38.5”, and Extra Large – 26.5″ x 49″. Small, medium & medium plus provide room for an external keyboard and mouse, while Large is designed to work under the Grovemade Monitor Stand and Laptop Stand. Prices range from $110 to a whopping $400!

Of course, leather can get incredibly pricey. Smythson of Bond Street’s Large Desk Mat in Panama (available in Black or Sandstone) runs a hefty $1095!

“Vegan” leather is what we used to call vinyl. It’s durable, though not so much as real leather, but it avoids the whole Bambi’s mother issue. You will sometimes see this described as “Eco” leather. If you’re not spending in the $100s, you’re almost assuredly not seeing a leather pad.
Plastic or PVC vinyl is inexpensive, but may feel cold against your arms, can split or crack over time, and likely won’t last as long as some other varieties. That said, whether clear or opaque and colored, plastic surfaces are usually easier to clean and ideal for people who tend to stain their horizontal surfaces with coffee cup rings.
Wool/Felt provides a cozy, hygge look, but can feel itchy or scratchy to your arms. (If you’re buying a wood desk pad as gift, make sure your recipient doesn’t have wool allergies.) Of course, a mouse will not slide on wool so you’ll still need a mouse pad, and you’re not really going to be able to handwrite on it unless you’ve got a notebook or want to fuss with cardboard backing while drafting your thank you notes.

If you’re up for spending $45-100 on cloth that you can’t even wear on date night, Graf Lantz has sophisticated Mosen Medium and Large Merino Wool Felt Desk Pad measuring 31” wide x 19 ½” high in multiple subdued colors.

Microfiber or Polyester — These materials tend to be relatively thin, on to top of spongy backing, making it hard to write with pencil or ball point pens, and can be hard to keep clean over the long run. These range from lower-end options to more fancy-pants versions, like the Harber London Microfibre Minimalist Deskmat, available in three sizes, from about $60-$84, from the UK.
Cork — For example, IKEA’S minimalist Susig, measuring 17 3/4″ by 25 1/2″ is made of cork, which repels dirt and water. It’s only $8.99. Bear in mind that cork can have a strong odor, as anyone who’s ever purchased a new bulletin board will know. Buyer beware.

Linoleum is an atypical options, but Grovemade makes them from linseed oil, natural pine rosin, wood flour, and calcium carbonate, with a cork backing, in ten different colors. They resist fingerprints and are antistatic and durable.
Aluminum or Copper desk pads provide anti-static attributes. These metals have conductive properties, and will protect your computers and electronic equipment from static electricity. If you work around equipment that’s sensitive to static, like in a computer lab or server room, this is something to consider.
Marble, glass, acrylic — These atypical desk pads are going to be cold, heavy, and slippery, but easy to clean.

I’d recommend against these icy materials unless you are far more into aesthetics than computing, but the Pottery Barn White Marble Desk Blotter may put you in “fancy society matron” mode. It comes in 24″ wide by 18″ high for $79 or 36″ wide by 18″ high (pictured below) for $99 and can be personalized.

This stunning Abstract Stained Glass Desk Pad from Cozy Street Designs at Etsy might make you feel as though you are writing on behalf of royalty from the distant past to readers in the future. It comes in 7″ x 9″, 12″ x 18″, 12″ x 22″, and 15.5″ x 31″ (from $18.99 to $42.50).

As you examine your options, ask yourself, will this material deflect spills? Morning Starbucks? Afternoon Starbucks? Late night pizza grease?

Leather and “vegan” leather are sumptuous, but will they withstand ink stains and the pressure of a ball point pen?

Do you need gutters (indentations) for pens or cord organizers or side panels on the edges to give you a sense of boundaries (and let you tuck in note cards)?

Whatever material you choose will reflect your personal style. Select something that uplifts and inspires you (or at least doesn’t frustrate you) when you approach your desk.

That said, consider that how you organize your desk reflects on your office mates or your employers. There’s some wiggle room, but if your desk pad quote Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Eat the Rich! but you work at a high-end accounting firm, you may encounter some conflict.

Grip/Traction

You know the trick about putting a wet paper towel under your cutting board to keep it sliding around, right? You need a solution that will approximate that for your desktop.

A super-slick desk surface such as one made of metal or glass will improve your mousing capabilities but may make it hard for you to keep things from rolling away. A good desk pad has backing that provides traction for keeping your keyboard from jiggling, your pens from rolling, and your podcast microphones from sliding away.

Think about how the backing material will affect the grippiness of the pad on the desk’s surface. Look for a desk pad with backing that’s sufficiently rubbery to keep the desk pad from sliding around, but not something so inexpensive that it will get sticky or goopy near a heater or in direct sunlight as the years go by.

You also want a smooth top surface for writing, but not so smooth that your keyboard will slide around.

Organization

Psychologically, a desk pad has a calming, centering effect, much like a tablecloth or table runner in a home, dissuading you from piling junk or excess materials in your space.

A desk pad also helps you create zones, both on the pad and around the perimeter. You might find yourself keeping resources on the back third of the desk, beyond the far edge of the depth of the pad, or papers to the left of the pad and your phone and gadgets to the right.

Let your desk pad support your organizational structure, and you might find that it supports your physical as well as cognitive sense of order.

Design Aesthetic

Design also has both a functional and psychological impact.

Functionally, the design and manufacture of your desk pad can affect your comfort while you work. Those with some extra padding may be more comfortable under your arms while you’re typing. Of course, you don’t want a pad so thick that it adds bulk or adversely impacts your ergonomics. And, as mentioned, size will matter if you’re trying to create a sleek, uniform look on your desk.

Aesthetically, the combination of materials, colors, and styles determine whether your desk pad looks:

Professional — Let’s define this to mean anything from serene to stuffy, but generally appropriate for an attorney’s office or anywhere you’re expected to dress conservatively for work.
Sleek, modern, minimalist — If the bulk of your workspace is glass, metal, or full of spare IKEA-styled wooden furniture, you’ll want a desk pad that sets a similar tone.
Activist-oriented — Does everything in your office convey a written message? Is your tone political (in the wider use of the term)? You may want a bold look.
Too Cool for School — If you’re working with younger people (by which I mean adults younger than you, as parents may bristle at middle school guidance counselors decorating with edgy messages), you may want a more youthful, expressive style to maintain integrity.
Personal — Whether you want Barbie pink or a custom-designed desk pad from NovelKeys, in the end, you need to ask: does the desk pad fit your tastes? If not, you’ll never feel entirely at ease at your desk or in your workspace.

For example, this Muppet Science Chemistry Deskpad from Deep Space Designs at RedBubble measures 31.5″ x 15.7″. For less than $25, it makes a strong statement that the user cares about science — or at least Beaker.

In the end, however, it’s a desk pad, not a wedding dress. Pick a color, pattern, and material that reflects your style insofar as you’re allowed to express your true style at work.

And if you find the perfect desk pad but expect it will be received poorly at work, use it in your desk area at home — and start looking for a job that won’t stifle your soul.

Portability

If you set up a desk once and never remove anything, this won’t be a concern. However, if you hot-desk at your office, or if you’re a student who relocates to different work areas and likes your desk pad to come with you, portability may be an issue.

Some desk pads easily roll up like small yoga mats and you can keep them rolled with a rubber band or yoga mat band. Conversely, some fancy-pants desk pads, the kind made to emulate old-fashioned leather pads, are not only stiff and un-rollable, but are often weighted heavily on the left and right edges and not ideally portable.

Special Features

A desk pad is not always just a desk pad, especially in the 21st-century. Some, like the KeySmart Charging Taskpad have built-in charging capabilities. Measuring 35.43″ x 16.54″, in comes only in black. What it lacks in panache, in makes up for in features.

You can just set your phone, Airpods, or other doohickies on the mat and they’ll charge quickly, even when in their cases. It’s also water- and stain-resistant, and anti-scratch, with a no-slip-backing and PU Leather surface. There’s a “micro-textured mouse pad built in, with cushioning for wrists and forearms. It’s $120 from KeySmart and currently on sale at Amazon for $69.

Gaming keyboards are built with colorful, lighted margins to help set the ambiance. For example, see the Razer Goliathus Chroma line, which runs about $55 at Walmart and Amazon for the extended version. (You may want to turn down your volume if you’re over 30 years of age.)

And in one of the most unusual findings for this updated post, there’s The CozyDesk, a heated deskpad for those of you who grip your coffee cup for warmth, whether it’s deep in winter or your office A/C is just too brisk for your tastes.

At 31.5″ x 9.4″, the smooth leather CozyDesk has 50 different heat settings but a heat-resistant base. Your desktop and your accessories (like your mouse and keyboard) remain safe, while your fingers stay toasty warm. It has built-in safety features, including an auto-shutoff and a low-power consumption setting.

Whether you’re an office worker, student, gamer, someone suffering from poor circulation or Reynaud’s Syndrome, or just someone whose office space (or hands) are colder than you’d like, this CozyDesk promises customized warmth for your desktop workspace from 50° to a whopping 140° Fahrenheit (10°-60° Celsius).

Normally, the CozyDesk sells for $80 but is currently half off at $39 for a mid-year sale.

While there are a variety of similar heated desk pads listed on Amazon, ranging from $25 to $200, the lower-priced items are often marked as “frequently returned items.” Let the shivering buyer beware.

Price

Do you want to make a long-term commitment to one desk pad or “date” around with different options depending on your mood of the week? The more committed, the higher a price point you can embrace.

I’ve seen desk pads ranging from $10 to $200, so you should be able to augment your work space at a cost that works for you.

A FEW MORE DESK PAD EXAMPLES

Smead Desk Pads

Just as I was considering writing this blog post, I got an email from one of my favorite companies to recommend about the brand new Smead Desk Pads. The waterproof surface, described as being crafted from “premium vegan leather,” has a sturdy design to protect against keyboard scratches, water marks, and spills.

Smead notes that the faux-suede, non-slip backing will ensure stability, so it won’t wiggle while you work or write. They stated that it comes rolled for easy shipping but will lay flat without curling once it’s on your desk.

The Smead Desk Pads come in three sizes:

Small (23.6″ x 13.7″) for $10.49
Medium (31.5″ x 15.7″) for $12.99
Large (36″ x 17″) for $14.99

and five colors: Blue, Dusty Rose, Saddle, Sandstone, and Charcoal.

If you’re seeking a serene, serious, vibe, like for the office of a therapist or ADHD coach, this might be ideal.

OrbitKey Desk Mat

The OrbitKey Desk Mat comes in Black or Stone, in two sizes: Medium (27.01″ wide x 14.69″ high) and Large (35.28″ wide x 16.65″ high). It’s made of premium vegan leather and 100% recycled PET felt and comes with a two-year warranty.

The OrbitKey Desk Mat has some intriguing features, including:

a quick-access indented toolbar across the top
a magnetic cable organizer
a document hideaway feature, suitable for keeping your cheat sheet formulas and codes, or sensitive papers you need at your fingertips

It’s also somewhat pricey (at just under $80 for Medium or $100 for Large) from OrbitKey and Amazon.

Adir Professional Reversible Self-Healing Cutting Mat

Adir’s dual-sided green and black desk pad is made of “self-healing” vinyl and comes in four sizes: 12′ x 18″ ($15), 18″ x 24″ ($25), 18″ x36″ ($45), and 36″ x 48″ ( $76) from Amazon. If you’ve got someone on your shopping list whose desk is equal parts computer desk and work bench, this option will “self-heal” if an art or mat knife or rotary cutter slices through it, keeping the surface smooth. It’s marked with 0.5 inch, as well as measurements in centimeters and millimeters, 45- and 60-degree angle guides, and diagonal cutting lines.

Excel Tips Deskpad (and Morning Brew)

This is actually two recommendations in one. Do you subscribe to the Morning Brew newsletter? It’s a stellar daily newsletter for catching up on all the (mostly non-stressful) national, international, business, and entertainment news delivered in a delightfully Dad-joke tone to make starting your day easier.

If you spend too much time on Microsoft Excel, you might want to look at the Morning Brew Excel Tips desk pad. It measures 27.20″x11.75″ and provides more than 60 Excel functions, 100+ Excel shortcuts, and top dialog box definitions, all for $35.

Paper Doll HQ hasn’t had the opportunity to use or rank every desk pad, so you may wish to peruse recent coverage of the best of desk pads.

The 7 Best Desk Mats, Tested By Our Editors (The Spruce)

8 Best Desk Mat Options For 2025 (Rosstopia)

9 Best Desk Mats of 2024 for a More Organized Workspace (Good Housekeeping)

The 10 Best Desk Pads to Elevate Your Workspace (The Robb Report)

The 13 Best Desk Pads to Make You More Productive and Organized at Work (Esquire)

The 15 Best Desk Pads & Mats for Your Office (Werd)

The 17 Best Desk Pads For Your Home Office (GearMoose)

21 Stylish Deskpads and Blotters for Writers (Accessory to Success)

Do you use a desk mat? What are the most important features for you to work comfortably? Do you care more about looks or texture? Do your tastes run toward luxe or funky?

How to Use Timers for Improved Productivity — Part 5: Hybrid Timers and Bonus Material

Posted on: May 5th, 2025 by Julie Bestry | 10 Comments

Depending on how you feel about timers, you’re either relieved or disappointed that we’ve come to the end the series, where thus far we’ve had:

In the past four posts, I’ve offered up the why and how of using and selecting timers to meet your needs, aesthetically and psychologically, and to ensure your greater productivity. Today’s post wraps up with a combo platter.

First, literally, we’ll look at combination timers, those hybrid devices that offer both an analog and digital approach to letting you concentrate on your work without fear that you’ll forget to rest your eyes, roll your shoulders, or pick the kids up from school.

Second, because there are still so many more timers than we had a chance to explore, I’m piling up bonus resources of the tangible and digital sort.

Third, thanks to the generosity of the creator of one of the timers I already referenced, I can offer a little real-world review.

HYBRID TIMERS

We looked at tangible, physical timers which usually (but not always, in the case of the Focus Timer®) express time in an analog-only format. We also examined digital timers timers that were, themselves, digital (in a browser, website, software platform, or app) and which also displayed time digitally in numerals rather than in clock-like, analog time.

However, there are hybrid timers which combine features — they are tangible but with digital (or both digital and analog) display, and digital timers with some measure of an analog display.

Time Timer Watch

The Time Timer Watch takes everything appealing in traditional Time Timers (the Originals, Plus, Mods, Retro ECO, and more) we discussed in the third post in this series and incorporate it all into a wristwatch.

The Time Timer Watch displays time visually with a digital (that is, electronic) version of the red time disk, but also includes a digital (numerical) readout for the clock and countdown settings.

Whether for you or your child, the Time Timer Watch is a discreet and portable timer that helps keep daily routines on track. It supports efforts to maintain and increase focus, and improve independence and self-regulation. As Time Timer notes,

“Whether you depend on Time Timer products to overcome ADHD, Autism, or other cognitive variances, or you just want the look of a fun sporty watch that increases productivity, the Time Timer Watch is your solution. The sporty design makes this wrist-watch a great accessory for students, adults, athletes, teachers, and professionals, of any age or ability.”

The watch band is made of soft silicone in two circumference sizes matched to their color: white (5″ to 7.5″ for small) and dark green (5.5″ to 8.25″ for large), while the watch face is 1.5 inches. Mix and match different silicone band colors (Caribbean Blue, Sedona Orange, and Baltic Blue) to reflect your style.

Alternatively, you can carry the watch face in a silicon watch fob accessory; wear it like an 1890s robber baron on a watch chain, on a cord around your neck like an ID badge, or attach it to your backpack.

The Timer Timer watch uses a CR2032 (coin-style) battery and works in three different modes:

Time Timer — Set an original 60-minute timer or a custom timer for up to 99 hours. (Think you’d never need a timer that long? Imagine counting down how many hours are left having to be nice to a visiting relative who sets your teeth on edge!) You can set an optional repeating alert for circumstances requiring a regular reminders, like to take medication, use the restroom, bring likely-to-wander attention back to the task, or soothe your way into a transition between tasks or modes.
Clock — The watch has both analog and digital displays in 12- or 24-hour format. (Paper Doll readers know I always prefer an analog clock to a) help children reinforce an understanding of analog time and b) makes time visible and proportional in ways that digital time does not.
Alarm — While timers give us backup for paying attention to the ebb and flow of our day, an alarm allows us to stop paying attention altogether. Leave it to Jeeves! So, rather than setting a duration of five minutes or 3 hours from now, you can set a time-of-day alarm. The optional alarm has multiple settings such that the alarm can be off, beep, vibrate silently, or beep and vibrate. Pick what works based on sound or tactile sensitivities or variances in hearing abilities.

The Timer Timer Watch is particularly ideal for school and testing situations because it’s not a smart device, isn’t connected to the internet, and can be used in silent mode. Set the visual timer to the duration of a testing session and don’t worry about knowing how much time is left or calculating the time difference.

Time Timer Twist

For years, I used to visit the Time Timer booth at NAPO conferences, praising the different devices but wishing for a small magnetic version. I recall being a little giddy when the Time Timer Twist finally made it’s debut, and it ties with the MOD for being my favorite (and the most stylish) Time Timer.

To set the timer on the Twist, turn the outer ring until you reach your desired time, all the way up to 90 minutes, and then push the play button. (Push again to pause.) The digital display shows as a black, self-diminishing, digital version of the traditional red analog disk, while the digital version of the time remaining counts down in the center.

Then just attach it any metal surface, like the kitchen fridge, a filing cabinet in your office, or a magnetic classroom whiteboard, per Time Timer:

At home, use the TWIST® for everything from helping kids’ morning and bedtime routines, timing homework and study sessions, or baking the perfect batch of cookies.

In the classroom, it’s great for timing tests and turn-taking exercises, timing group activities, and helping kids with special needs transition between activities.

In the office, use it to keep track of presentations, team-building activities, and more.

There’s a volume control switch so depending on your environment, you can opt for a silent, low, or high volume alert when your time is up.

Timer Timer Twist runs on one AAA battery and comes in four color schemes: Dreamsicle Orange, Lake Day Blue, Pale Shale Gray, and Original Red. If you love this version and don’t mind sticking with the Original Red, there’s even a Time Timer Twist with Kickstand that’s not only magnetic, but can stand at attention, giving the MOD some competition!

Four-Channel Professional Kitchen Timers

We’ve talked about the convenience of using your cell phone timer when making a complex meal. While it’s pretty far afield from the kinds of timers we’ve been looking at, four-channel commercial kitchen timers are ideal for restaurant kitchens — wanna film your own version of FX’s The Bear? — or in Brady Bunch-style households with big families or lots of housemates.

Digital 4-Channel Kitchen Timers are tangible but digital, and made of sturdy stainless steel with LED lights. Set each of four timers independently. The time mode lets you set in hours and minutes or minutes and seconds, ranging from zero (0000) to 99.59 hours or 0-99.59 minutes. Designed for a busy commercial (or home) kitchen, there’s a loud, high-decibel buzzer.

It’s electric and requires no programming, so it’s plug and play. Find a variety of four-channel digital timers on Amazon or at restaurant supply stores.

BONUS TIMER RESOURCES

I could write another 5-post series and still never hit all of the variety of tangible timers and apps available. Still, there are many that deserve consideration for one or more unique attributes.

Bonus Analog Timers

In the second post of this series, I wrote two potentially conflicting pieces of advice. You want a timer both does something different and is aesthetically appealing. Well, I’ve recently discovered two products that intrigue me by putting more weight on the latter than the former.

Singles Timer

First, I discovered Zone Denmark, a sort of Danish-designer version of IKEA. Reader, I covet them. Their Singles Timer, made of powder coated steel, doesn’t do anything different, but its compact design caught my eye.

The Singles Timer is a squat cylinder measuring 3.5″ (8.9 cm) high and 2.13″ (5.4 cm) in diameter, and weighs 5.64 ounces. It comes in five colors: Black, Warm (light) Grey, Cool (darker) Grey, Lupine (a sort of violet) and Mud (beige). Turn the basket-like handle on top to set the timer, do your cooking (or whatever), and then carry your timer with you wherever you go.

The Singles Timer costs 25 Euros (about $28.47 US), plus shipping, and while it lacks the attributes necessary for someone needing a visual gauge of time, it’s just darned pretty, making it suitable as a simple household timer.

the dot

the dot wooden timer cube is a mix of ancient and modern, wood and metal and microchips, analog and digital. The base is a rounded block of wood measuring 3.54″D x 3.54″W x 0.98″H with a hole in the center (much like a toad-in-the-hole, egg-and-toast breakfast); affixed to the interior bottom is a metal bowl and suspended from the interior top is the string-and-ball mechanism that strikes the bowl to make it chime. However, the timer is set digitally on the outer top of the dot.

Thus, you have a digital LCD display for easy setting of the timer for meditation or deep work, but a mechanical chiming when the set time is up.

the dot uses one lithium polymer battery, which can be recharged with a USB-C charging cable. It’s a pricey at $80, but it’s an intriguing stylistic mix: yoga retreat-meets-corporate focus.

Bonus Digital Timers

Browser Timers

Google Timer (browser-based) — Did you know that there’s a digital timer built into Google? The default is set for five minutes but you can customize for whatever time you need. Type your exact hour, minute, and second preference or use the pre-set buttons to bump up the time by :30, 1:00, or 5:00 increments. Opt to make the soothing blue background full-screen, mute or unmute the dingle-dingle alert chime, and start the timer. Pause and restart as you like. It’s right on Google, so it’s free.

Focus Hours (browser-based) — This similar browser-based solution is a step up from Google. Click the timer to slide out a settings panel to name your activity, identity daily start times for habits you want to promote, set (one of only two possible) alerts to ring when your focus time is up. Opt for night mode if you prefer, and when you’re ready, click start. Do ad hoc tasks or set up a roster of personal and business high-focus tasks. This free browser app has extensive statistics to let you track your focus by day, week, month, or year.

Juicy Timer (browser-based) — Scroll down to set the time, hit start, and watch as a traditional kitchen tomato timer turns slowly, ticking down to zero, with a digital countdown below. The mid-range (not high or piercing) alert brings you out of focus and prompts a 5-minute break.

Zorro Timer (browser-based web app) — This timer is both simple and pretty. Select an ambiance (forest ocean, rain, or café sounds, or “peace” with classical music), select your focus and break times, and just start working.

Tomodoro (browser-based web app) — This customizable, open-source web app has beautiful background colors from which to choose. Set the times for focus and breaks, pick how many rounds/cycles you want to work; choose themes, accent colors, whether you want white noise and whether notifications should be silent or enabled. It supports Always-on-Top, or Picture-In-Picture (PIP) mode without having to install any other app, so you can focus on the work in your browser window without losing sight of the timer.
Amazing Timer (web browser) — If you’re running an online workshop, interspersing chat with co-working, this is an alternative to a built-in timer in Zoom. Share your screen as Amazing Timer offers a simple countdown with a variety of beautiful, calming, customized backgrounds.

You may also want to take a peek at a few more appealing browser-based timers:

Big Timer — This full-screen timer is in-your-face with large, white block-face numbers on a solid black screen. Adjust whether you want a sound when time’s up or at each of the final ten seconds (or no sound at all). The timer can also count up after the end (in case you want to know how much more time you took to finish your task). Make the timer full-screen, and have it auto-repeat (in case you want to violate the precepts of Pomodoro and not take breaks).
Pomotastic — This customizable Pomodoro timer lets you choose literally any RBG colors, with themed colors for focus, short breaks, and long breaks
Timer.OneClock.Net — Try scary red numbers on a black background, in case you want to feel like you’re deactivating a bomb. (Hey, some people prefer the stick to the carrot!)
Timesets — Customizable Pomodoro timer has 5 color schemes and drag-and-drop focus and break options.

General Timer Apps

Time Timer App — This free app is available for iOS through the App Store and for Android on the Google Play Store. It’s fully customizable: select colors, notifications, and multi-timer lists exactly as you like.

Minidoro (iOS) — This super-customizable timer app is no-nonsense. Set sessions, breaks, goals, and cycles, color schemes and dark or light themes, sounds and notifications. It cycles through analog time rather than providing a full “slice” of time as with Time Timer. Unlike Time Timer’s app, Minidoro isn’t free; it’s $2.99.

Digital Timer Apps for Wellness Experiences

Tide (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Chrome) — Unrelated to the detergent of the same name (though it cleans the stress out of your brain), Tide is a mobile and browser app with an immersive timer and features to help you sleep, rest/relax, or meditate. Select a soundscape (like a Hawaiian beach, restaurant, rainforest, a mahjong parlor (!), dishwasher, typewriter, and hundreds more), meditations, or sleep stories. Whether you want to focus and do deep work or empty your mind, relax, and bliss out, Tide has a mode for what you need.
Marshmallows (iOS) — This is more of a gamified timer, rewarding you with breaks of random lengths after each 25-minute Pomodoro focus session. The breaks range from 5-30 minutes, adding na element of excitement, anticipation, and pleasant uncertainty. (However, it’s not the best option if you’re on a tight turn-around schedule.) This intermittent reinforcement to keep you engaged and motivated is supposed to excite a level of curiosity and encourages focus so you’ll finish your session. The varied break times should reduce stress and burnout. (There’s also a social option to connect with and compete with friends.)

Work Productivity Timers Built Into Productivity Suites

Focus To Do (Windows, Mac, Chrome extension, iOS, Android, Apple Watch) — This app blends Pomodoro timers with task management features. Create to-do lists, break down tasks into ever-smaller sub-tasks, and set progress reminders and due dates. Generate detailed statistics regarding your time use and the number of tasks completed so you can analyze and improve your productivity patterns. Focus To Do syncs across devices so you can access your timers, tasks, and stats from anywhere. It’s free; the Lifetime Premium level is $11.99.
TogglTrack (Chrome extension, iOS, Android, Apple Watch) — The Pomodoro timer is just one part of a powerful time tracking and productivity suite for knowledge workers ranging from solopreneurs to small teams to enterprise-levels. It’s designed to track time spent on various projects and tasks, and it generates reports on how individuals and teams use their time, prompting deeper analysis.
Traqq Pomodoro Timer (Mac, Windows, and Linux, and browser-based) — Traqq is a comprehensive time-tracking suite for solopreneurs, small businesses, teams, and large companies, monitoring how employees spend time on tasks, projects, and breaks. The Pomodoro Timer can be used independently in the browser; it defaults to 25 minutes with 5 minute breaks.

Combination Timers and Task Apps

There’s a proliferation of apps that combine a task function with timers to encourage focus, including:

Blitzit (iOS, Android ) — There’s a free browser-based Pomodoro timer where you can customize the audio and ambiance, but the full app combines task lists and timers to help you track your focus through your pre-planned work schedule.
FocusList (iPhone, AppleWatch, Mac) — This app combines a daily planner & Pomodoro focus timer app.
Podor (Android) — This task app includes a timer, but is also designed to help you organize tasks with tags, access detailed statistical reports of your time use, and customize your experience to fit how you work.
Pomotodo (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Chrome extension) — Designed as a time management app for creatives types, combining tasks and timers and making it easy to generate time sheets for billing after the work is completed.

Whew!

FOCUS TIMER® MINI REVIEW

You may recall that I wrote about the hourglass-shaped Focus Timer® in the third week of this series. Soon after I published, I heard from Dave Zuverink, the creator of the Focus Timer® (and before that, the creator of the SlimFold Wallet).

I’m always happy to hear from anyone mentioned in Paper Doll posts, but I was delighted when Dave asked if I would like to try the Focus Timer® in person and chat with him about it. I would, I did, and we did!

For details about the Focus Timer®, it’s worth going back to that prior post, but I wanted to tell you about my experience and what I learned from Dave.

First, it’s weird to say, but the Focus Timer®’s feels as soft and smooth as a chubby baby’s arm.

Second, it makes no rattling noises, unlike most tangible timers. Dave detailed the various iterations of this super-smooth hourglass timer. It turns out that it’s got a microchip inside; it’s like a little computer processor, always identifying in what direction you turn the timer.

I’d commented to Dave about the chime sound being so satisfying, and it turns out that’s because there’s an actual speaker/amplifier thingie inside, playing a recording of a real chime! (I nodded along as he explained how other timers — and devices like smoke detectors — have a “fisio” that makes a mechanical sound, which is certainly less calming at the end of a Pomodoro!)

Third, between using the Focus Timer® and talking to Dave, I realized that what I’d originally considered somewhat of a drawback was advantageous. It’s tangible, it’s visual, but it’s not analog. There’s no clock face, and there are no numbers. I’d seen that as missing something, but Dave noted that it was intentional so as not to take the user out of focus and to instead shut down the analytical part of the brain — in other words, enjoy the color rings and trust the eventual notification to do their thing.

Dave and I talked about his professional background in interaction design and the psychology of product design, and I shared my perspective as a professional organizer and productivity specialist. Now that I understand how much technology goes into the Focus Timer® and have used it several times (and can’t stop fiddling with it because it feels so nice), I see even better how this novel product brings something new and different to the time management realm.

In the original post, I shared the video for the recent launch of the Focus Timer® V2, but it’s worth watching the original Kickstarter video.

I’m still experimenting with the Focus Timer®, but have already fallen a little in love. It took me a little while (with the well-written and well-drawn directions) but now I can easily rotate the timer (as if it’s doing a fashion show): each turn yield a new time ring. I finally got a feel for how the individual rings (blue for minutes, yellow for ten minutes) work, so the timer counts up by 5 after 20 minutes and up by 10 after 60 minutes. Neato.

Over the past weeks, I’ve read comments and had conversations with readers who have a favorite timer and those who never use them, some who hyper-focus and others who are still seeking to overcome time blindness to focus.

Only you can know whether you need a visual timer or one that merely alerts you to end of a work session; only you can decide whether you need “feel” time by manipulating something tangible or whether a simple (or customized) browser or app timer is right for your needs.

Context matters. My iPhone suffices when I’m cooking, but I want a tangible timer when working with clients, particularly if “seeing” time is difficult for them. When I’m doing deep work, I want a visual timer, but my stress level determines how much I want to bother customizing an app or browser solution.

What doesn’t change is that no matter how precise our internal clock may (or may not) be, there are times when we want to outsource that ticking so that we can focus.

How to Use Timers for Improved Productivity and Focus — Part 4: Digital Timers

Posted on: April 28th, 2025 by Julie Bestry | 9 Comments

In the past three weeks, we’ve explored using timers to enhance focus, reduce hyper-focus, and get stuff done.

After establishing why (and in what situations) timers can boost productivity, we identified the general characteristics of a good timer and the customizable aspects supporting individuals in their unique tasks and projects.

Last week, we examined a wide variety of tangible timers, particularly those (like Time Timer and the Focus Timer® Visual Timer) that allow users to both see the passage of time (particularly with the benefit of showing analog time), and feel like they have some tactile control over manipulating time.

While children, people with ADHD and executive function disorders, and anyone who has difficulty identifying and recognizing time as it passes can benefit from those tangible timers, not everyone needs a physical timer, and while we can all benefit from seeing analog time, it’s not always essential for all.

If what you most need is to have a trusted alert so that you do not overrun your allotted time, digital timers will suffice, but they range from ultra-basic to fancy-schmancy.

DIGITAL TIMERS YOU ALREADY OWN

In the second post in this series, we looked at a long sequence of features that make a good timer, both for the project and the user. You may wish to review those concepts, but in general, you want a timer that is:

simple to use
does more than what you’re already able to do with your resources
integrates, if applicable, with the tools you already have
process-agnostic, so that you don’t have to use only fixed-durations that aren’t useful for your needs (in case you prefer the 52/17 technique to a standard 25/5 Pomodoro and break, for example)
aesthetically pleasing, visually (if that matters to you)
customizable for features such as volume and type of audio alert
frictionless, because every obstacle to using a timer is an obstacle to your focus

Kitchens stoves have built-in timers, but if you’re in your back yard doing some weeding, at the coffee shop finishing up a presentation, conducting a meeting at the office (or online), taking a nap in your dorm room (or the comfy chairs at the library), or doing anything anyplace that is not your kitchen, you’ll need to possess some kind of timer more sophisticated than asking a patient friend to count one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi for minutes or hours on end and then shouting your name!

Your Built-In Device Timer

The fastest and simplest timer method is to use the one built into your phone. However, I’ve been surprised by how many people don’t know how to use their phone timers or at least all of the features available.

On iOS devices like iPhones or iPads, just open the Clock app on your home screen.

Tap Timers, generally on the bottom of the Clock app interface.
Hit the + sign to add a new timer.
Set the duration by turning the number dials: a 25-minute Pomodoro to get work done, 14 minutes to cook your salmon, 38 minutes until you should check your laundry. Adjust the hours, minutes, and seconds as needed.
Add a label if you tend to forget what the timer was for. This is helpful if you’re setting multiple timers to get all of the items you’re cooking for Thanksgiving dinner on the table simultaneously; one timer tells you when to baste the turkey, another to reheat the potatoes, and so on. If you’re apt to hyper-focus, labeling the timer PICK UP CHILDREN!!! may give you the boost you need not to snooze or ignore your timer.
Add a song or sound to play when your time is up if pre-set alerts are too jangly for you. You might want a lilting tone to lift you gently out of hyper-focus or an energetic song to help you transition from your break to the next task.
Tap Start. The timer will begin counting down. You can now look away and ignore it.
If you need to pause the timer, because of an interruption, hit the pause icon (universally known among seniors as “the eleven”) and resume (by hitting the “play” triangle) when you’re ready.

When your time is up, the phone will send you a notification, even if you’re in another app.

You may notice that you have other timers in a “Recent” list. If you tend to use an official 25-minute Pomodoro and 5-minute break often, go ahead and create labels for them and keep them in your list; add and label any other frequently-used timers to save you time and effort the next time you want to quickly assign yourself a stop time.

If you want to quickly set a timer on your iPhone and you don’t mind setting it for multiples of 5-minute increments, head to the Control Center:

Alternatively, you can shout, “Hey, Siri, set a timer for 25 minutes” across the office to set a Pomodoro without the temptations inherent in holding a phone in your hand.

Your digital assistant is particularly useful in the kitchen if your hands are wet or you want to avoid touching your phone while cooking. If what’s in the oven isn’t quite ready, asking Siri to set the timer means I don’t have to hover or worry that if I turn to wash some dishes, I could completely forget that three minutes have passed.

Android devices operate much the same way, via the Clock app and using the Timer option. Android users generally set timer durations from a number pad (akin to making a call or using the calculator) rather than a dial, but set customized labels and adjust sounds as with iOS.

Android has the same pause/resume/cancel functions and you can keep multiple timers running concurrently.

You can use your Google Assistant by saying, “Hey Google, set a timer for 15 minutes.” Just be sure to enunciate a little better than than this internet sensation.

The main advantage of using your built-in device timer is that it’s easy-peasy lemon squeezy. Take ten seconds to set a timer by tapping or talking and you’re ready to get started. The obstacles are few and the countdown is simple.

The drawback of using your phone or device as a timer is that it presents an opportunity for distraction when you are setting the timers and again when you reach for the phone to stop the timer alert. If you experience phone addiction, you may wish to read:

DEDICATED DIGITAL TIMERS FOR FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY

The next step up from your kitchen or built-in phone timer is a mobile app, desktop app, or browser-based app, and there are numerous options available. Few have any great functional advantages over the others, so it’s often a matter of picking which aesthetic or bonus features you prefer. Most will be marketed as Pomodoro timers, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be limited to 25 minute increments; it’s just branding.

Browser Based Timers

If you’ve got a phone, tablet, or computer, you’ve got an internet browser. Using a web-based timer in your browser means you don’t have to download anything. It’s best for when you are having trouble focusing, want a timer, but know that searching for an app to download will keep you from getting started. Wherever you are, even on a borrowed computer or in the public library, there’s a browser timer for you.

Pomodor

Pomodor is web-based. Just bring up the website and it’s already ready for you tap the play button to start your first (of up to four) Pomodoro timers. While the default is set for 25 minutes Pomodoros with 5-minute breaks, you can can adjust multiple aspects, including:

- - work duration from 5-60 minutes
  - short break duration for 1-5 minutes
  - long break duration of 1-45 minutes (after four Pomodoro/short break cycles)
  - how many rounds (or cycles) you want to do, from 1 to 15
  - which of eight alert noises you prefer (all sounding very “iPhone circa 2009”)

There’s also a dark mode option, which I’ve employed, below.

Pomodor is free. While you can create an account to preserve your settings or access your stats overview with charts to visualize which days of the week you were the most productive, it’s not required.

Pomodor’s few customizations means you won’t spend a lot of time futzing with the settings and can (or at least should) get right to work.

Focus Keeper

Focus Keeper is another free and easy-to-intuit web-based timer. Create an account with your email and a password, or Google or Apple ID, and when you log in you can create pre-set timers with labels for various types of activities (reading? meditation? blog writing?) and even have a daily schedule for time-blocked work.

When you’re logged in, just select or create a timer you wish to start, click “play” and start working; you can track your focus by the day, by times of the day, and by focused task-type.

If you don’t want to log in, just start with the default settings: a 25 minute focus setting, a 5 minute break setting, a 30-minute long break between cycles of four sessions and breaks. Turn the ticking (so much ticking!) on or off, and pause if necessary, but otherwise, as you get to work, the soothing “waves” at the bottom of the screen gets higher.

Focus Keeper is available on the web, as well as in iOS and Android versions.

Pomofocus

Pomofocus is another web-based timer that lets you access basic aspects for free. Without signing in, you can set the focus, short break, and long break timers, name the focus task, and select the number of Pomodoros and breaks — which need not be strict 25-minute Pomodoros — I set this up for a 52/17 round; you can also set the number of cycles before a long break.

You can also adjust the volume of the alert and the type of alert sound.

If you create an account and log in, you can use templates, access a summary detailing the number of hours you spent focused, the number of days you used Pomofocus, and how many days of a streak you amassed. (If you’re competitive, you can see how you rank against other Pomofocus users.)

Pomofocus is free, but the ad-free Premium plan gives you lets you add more projects and templates, view a yearly report, download reports, import tasks from Todoist, and connect to other apps. The Premium plan is $3/month, $18/year, or $54 for a lifetime plan.

Deep Work Depot — Want to focus on your deep work in the most bare bones way? Based on Cal Newport’s concept described in his book Deep Work, this timer emphasizes focusing without distraction on tasks that are cognitively demanding.

There are no bells, no whistles, and hardly any color or design. Set your focus and rest timer durations; turn the “Lo-Fi” music on or off.

(Lo-Fi, my aging GenX self has learned, refers to low-fidelity, a musical style that intentionally incorporates imperfections and a relaxed aesthetic. Now that I’ve experienced it with three different timers, I must admit it sounds like elevator music to me.)

(Note: I’ve yet to figure out what Xmas mode does. The toggle turns green, but otherwise? Nada)

Similar to web-based timer apps, you may also want to explore browser-extension options, like:

Marinara: Pomodoro® Assistant is a Chrome extension — Marinara creates a toolbar icon for the countdown timer. You can configure preferred work session times, and it offers both short breaks for between sessions and (configurable) longer intervals between cycles. There are 20+ audio alerts, and you can add ticking sounds if that’s your jam. Track your stats and history to gauge when you have been the most productive. You can also set automatic timers. It’s free.
Momentum Dash is another Chrome extension — It combines a beautiful nature photo and motivational quote with a countdown timer, all on your browser’s “new tab” page. Set up your tasks, create different timer modes, add mantras, customize sounds, and show the number of days counting down to a deadline. The Plus version is $3.33/month and includes Spotify and YouTube sound integration, task app integrations, site blockers and more.

Otto is yet another Chrome extension. — The free “core” features include unlimited Pomodoros, the ability to block an unlimited number of distracting websites, and the option to create 3 tasks, each up to 15 minutes in length. For real power, the Pro level (at $24/year for $59 for lifetime use) offers an unlimited number of tasks up to 60 minutes in length and other up-leveled features.

Integrated Timer Apps

Some timer apps and programs can integrate with software you’re already using. Note, timers at this level are less intuitive but do more heavy lifting than basic timers. If you are already using the software platforms with which these timers integrate, that goes in the win column, but if you aren’t already dependent on the multi-featured software programs, it’s oversell.

FocusMode by Geekbot integrates with Slack, so whether you’re doing the corporate thing or are living the start-up dream inside your Slack channels, FocusMode can help you stay the course. Tell FocusMode what you’ll be working on and for how long; as the timer (silently) ticks down, all your notifications will be automatically switched off and Do Not Disturb will be activated. FocusMode is free.
Pomodoro Tracker is similar to FocusMode and is designed to help you track your Pomodoro efforts while integrating with Slack. (But I think they missed an opportunity to call it Pomodoro Slacker.)
Pomello is for followers of both Pomodoro and Kanban, as it integrates with Trello. The basic version is free, while the Pro version is $20/year and offers custom sounds, the ability to export your data, and lets you view Trello checklist items as focus tasks.

Timer Apps and Programs

Session

Session for MacOS and iOS for iPhone, iPad, and AppleWatch — For an Apple lover like myself, I’m intrigued that Session boasts so many features, even if it’s kind of kooky to spend real money on a digital timer. True, it’s not just a timer (but remember what I’ve said about not acquiring features you don’t already need!)

Session syncs across Apple devices, integrates with your calendar, lets you customize work and break timer lengths, offers a Mac menu bar app (so it floats atop other windows), and has nifty keyboard shortcuts and a notes section so you don’t have to go searching for information.

You can also see detailed analytics of your focused work efforts — and to boost that focus, the Mac version will block apps and websites. And if co-workers are the reason you can’t get work done? It integrates with Slack! Set a custom status when you start focusing so they’ll leave you alone. You can also have a visual as well as digital timer.

The free plan offers a unlimited basic Pomodoro timers, analytic data from your past two days working, and the ability to view your calendar from inside Session, but the paid versions (Pro Monthly at $4.99/month or or Pro Yearly at $39.99/year) offer all the fancy features, customizations, app and website blocking, automations, and other goodies.

After you set your focus intention and timer, Sessions gives you a meditative breathing exercise to prepare you for work. Ommmmm.

Flow

Flow is a clean, basic Mac and iOS timer. — At the free level, you get an interval-based timer with multiple duration options for your work and breaks, as well as statistics and graphs (synced to your iCloud account) to give you insight into your focus and work habits.

If you upgrade to the Pro level, Flow additionally offers a timer sync, more customizable duration and session cycle settings, the ability to customize your session title, advanced session controls, app and web blocking, Apple Calendar sync, and the ability to export your timer data, all for $1.49/month.

Forest

Forest is a fun timer for iOS and Android users, and has a Chrome extension for those seeking an in-browser option — Forest uses playful gamification, knowing your seems-like-a-pipe-dream hope of not getting distracted may need more than a buzzer to achieve success. The iOS version is $3.99; currently the Andoird version is ad-supported.

When you’re ready to focus, you “plant” a cartoon tree. As you continue working, the timer counts down and the tree on your screen grows in front of you (to the sound of calming forest audio, if you like).

If you put yourself in Deep Focus Mode but then leave the app to do something else on your phone, your tree dies. (For Millennial readers who have just been reminded of your dearly departed Tamagotchis, I’m so sorry.)

With each focus session, you “complete” trees, and over the weeks and months using the app, you grow a forest. Yes, it’s cutesie, but Forest is not without serious analytics. Tag your focus sessions by categories, note trends, and can track when you’re most productive.

While Forest has charm, I imagine that if you’re tempted to watch your forest grow while you’re working rather than waiting until your rest break, your focus will suffer from distraction. But if you’ve got patience, you will be rewarded.

Bear Focus Timer

The Bear Focus Timer is silly. But sometimes we need something silly to keep us motivated, especially when we need longer breaks that we can take and more snacks than we have on hand. From the creator:

Tom is a friendly bear, except when you cannot concentrate. He will do his best to help you focus on something!

Just place your screen face down and focus on what you do.
A variety of white noise will help you focus more.
If you concentrate well, Tom will praise you.
You can change the session time in the settings.
You can reset the timer by pressing Tom’s belly button.

Please keep in mind that Tom can also enjoy fishing when you are focused.

Customize your focus time, short and long breaks, the number of sessions, and the audio accompaniment…and hang out with Tom, the bear.

This iOS-only app is $1.99 in the App Store.

Moosti

Moosti is a gorgeous and deceptively simple timer; it’s fully compatible with iOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. In addition to the traditional timer options, it sets a whole atmosphere with beautiful visual environments and Lo-Fi soundscapes.

Moosti also offers breathing exercises and guided meditations to support focused work. Moosti is free, with in-app purchases.

The app stores are full of timer apps. If there’s an app that appeals to you (and costs nothing), experiment with it for at least a week; if it doesn’t float your boat, delete it before seeking a new timer.

Online Timers

LifeAt

My colleague Stephanie Denton has recommended LifeAt, a Pomodoro timer within an immersive experience for artificial accountability.

LifeAt blends a timer with virtual spaces, combining visual environments, ambiance, sounds, and musical integration.

The free 7-day trial includes 1,000+ focus video and image spaces, unlimited focus sounds & ambiance, online co-working communities, widgets (including task lists, a calendar, the Pomodoro timer, breathwork exercise, and more). The Pro version provides unlimited tasks and projects, a multi-calendar and task-to-calendar integration, and a daily planner. LifeAt Pro is $16/month, though when I signed up for the free account, it offered Pro at half off.

There are beautiful video landscapes, cozy fires, animated neighborhoods and more, so you have myriad options for finding your LifeAt “space” to set up your timer and features. My personal favorite is this window because, while I like looking at nature, I don’t even want to pretend to get too close.

If creating a new environment is part of your focus routine, you might want to check out Flow and Faux (Accountability): Productivity, Focus, and Alex Trebek to see how you can incorporate timers and faux environments.

YouTube Channels with Timers

YouTube is awash with timer videos requiring no downloads or expense. (Most are designed for Pomodoros, so know that the time will not be customizable for your specific needs.)

Just use YouTube’s search bar for “focus timers” and “pomodoro” timers and you’ll get a variety of options like these, which will let you just jump in to a series of timed sessions. And yes, they all seem to be backed by Lo-Fi music. (Forewarned is forearmed, and wow, wouldn’t we be more productive if we had four arms!)

Believe it or not, this only touches on a small percentage of the more popular digital timers at your disposal. Next time, in the final installment of this series, we’ll finish up with hybrid timers that combine tangible, analog options with digital ones for special purposes. There will also be some special bonus material! Whoohoo!

Until then, which of these might you use or recommend to students, colleagues, or anyone else who faces focus obstacles? Would you grow a forest or press a bear’s belly button?

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Archive for ‘Paper Organizing’ Category

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BONUS TIMER RESOURCES

Bonus Analog Timers

Singles Timer

the dot

Bonus Digital Timers

Browser Timers

General Timer Apps

Work Productivity Timers Built Into Productivity Suites

Combination Timers and Task Apps

FOCUS TIMER® MINI REVIEW

Paper Doll Post:

Like this:

How to Use Timers for Improved Productivity and Focus — Part 4: Digital Timers

DIGITAL TIMERS YOU ALREADY OWN

Your Built-In Device Timer

DEDICATED DIGITAL TIMERS FOR FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY

Browser Based Timers

Pomodor

Focus Keeper