toolswitch › Breaks
Break reminder and Pomodoro timer (20-20-20) — free
Hours in front of the screen tire your eyes and your back. toolswitch reminds you to look away and stretch, or keeps your Pomodoro sessions.
Shortcut: Super+Shift+P on Linux · Ctrl+Alt+P on Windows · Cmd+Option+P on Mac
What it does
20-20-20
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds.
Pomodoro
25 minutes of work, 5 of rest — or your own times.
Sounds
A soft sound when the break starts and another when it’s time to go back.
How to use it
- Download and install toolswitch. It waits in your tray / top bar.
- Turn on Breaks in toolswitch.
- Choose 20-20-20 or Pomodoro.
- Keep working; it tells you when to rest.
Use it instead of: Workrave, Stretchly, EyeLeo, Pomodoro timer websites.
First launch: the installers aren’t signed with a paid certificate yet. On Windows click More info → Run anyway; on macOS open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.
Questions
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. It’s what eye doctors recommend against eye strain from screens.