5 minute timer
Five minutes is the classic short break, and about right for a pot of black tea.
A five minute countdown, ready to start.
Ready. Press Start.
Other timers
When a 5 minute timer is useful
Five minutes is the most searched timer length in the UK and Australia, probably because it fits so many small jobs. It is the usual short break between blocks of focused work, a fair limit for a lightning talk or a turn in a slow board game, and about the upper end for steeping black tea (most packs say three to five minutes).
It also works as a starting trick. When a task feels too big, agree with yourself to work on it for five minutes only; once the beeps go you can stop with a clear conscience, though often you will not want to. Parents use the same idea in reverse: "five more minutes, then we leave", with the countdown on show so the deadline is not up for debate.
Put the timer in its own browser tab and the minutes left stay visible in the tab title while you do something else.
How this timer works
- Press Start. The time left also shows in the browser tab, so you can switch tabs.
- Three short beeps play at zero. Sound is only possible after you click, which is why it is armed by the Start button. Check your volume.
- Pause holds the time; Reset returns to the full duration. Change the minutes or seconds boxes for any other length.