Eye Rest Reminder

About the Eye Rest Reminder

The 20-20-20 rule is a simple habit for screen work: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds. It is easy to remember, but very easy to forget when you are busy. This tool remembers for you.

Press Start and work as usual. When 20 minutes are up, a soft sound plays and the board turns into a big "Look away" screen with its own 20-second countdown. When the 20 seconds are over, the next 20 minutes start by themselves. The time left is always in the browser tab, so you can see it from any other tab.

It runs in your browser. There is nothing to install, no account, and nothing is sent anywhere.

Features

• 20-20-20 timer — a break every 20 minutes, or every 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes, or your own number
• Big "Look away" screen — with its own 20, 30 or 60-second countdown, then the next round starts
• Sound and notification — four soft sounds (chime, bell, beep, water drop) and a pop-up notification that reaches you in another tab or app (the browser asks once, when you press Start)
• Time left in the tab title — it shows "👀 Look away" when it is break time
• Breaks taken today — a daily count, saved in your browser, that starts again at 0 each day
• Your rhythm — pause and resume, skip a break or take one now, start the next round by itself or wait for a click, and stop at the end of your work day
• 6 styles and fullscreen — Calm green, Ocean, Night, Minimal, Sunset and High contrast; it keeps the screen on while it runs

The 20-20-20 rule in plain words

When you work at a screen, your eyes look at the same short distance for a long time. Many people also blink less while they concentrate. A short look at something far away gives your eyes a change from the screen.

Many eye-care professionals suggest the 20-20-20 rule as an easy habit for people who spend hours at a computer, a laptop or a phone. It costs only 20 seconds, and you do not have to leave your desk: look out of a window, across the room, or down a hallway.

This tool is a timer, not medical advice. It does not treat or prevent any condition. See an eye doctor if your eyes hurt or your sight changes.

How many breaks in a work day?

Here is how many breaks you get in an 8-hour work day, and how much time you spend looking away in total:

So the classic 20-20-20 rule takes only about 8 minutes of a whole work day. The Breaks taken today line under the timer shows how many you have really taken.

Tips for desk workers

• Pick your far spot before you start — a window, a tree outside, a picture at the end of the room. Then you do not have to look for one when the reminder comes.
• Sit back and blink a few times during the 20 seconds. Let your shoulders drop.
• Keep the screen about an arm's length away, with the top of the screen at about eye level or a little lower.
• Choose a longer break once an hour to stand up and walk a little. The Break Reminder can do that next to this timer.
• Working late? Pick the Night style so the board is not bright. High contrast is the easiest to read from across the room.
• Set a stop time, so the reminders end with your work day and do not run all evening.

How to use it

• Choose how often to take a break (every 20 minutes is the 20-20-20 rule) and how long to look away
• Pick a sound, or turn the sound off; allow notifications when the browser asks, so the reminder reaches you in other tabs (untick Show a browser notification to turn it off)
• Press Start (or the Space bar) and go back to your work
• When the Look away screen comes, look at something about 20 feet (6 m) away until the countdown ends
• Use Pause, Break now or Skip this break when you need to; press Stop to end

Frequently asked questions

What is the 20-20-20 rule?

Every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something about 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds. It is a simple habit that many eye-care professionals suggest for people who work at screens.

Does it work when I am in another tab or app?

Yes, as long as this tab stays open. The sound still plays and the time left shows in the tab title. A pop-up notification reaches you too: the browser asks for permission the first time you press Start. Untick Show a browser notification if you do not want it.

Why did the break come a little late?

Browsers slow down timers in tabs you have not looked at for a while, to save power. A break can then come up to about a minute late. Keep the tab open, and do not let the computer go to sleep — the tool asks the browser to keep the screen on while it runs.

What happens if I skip a break?

The next round starts at once, and the skipped break is not added to Breaks taken today. Only breaks that run to the end are counted.

Can I wait before the next round starts?

Yes. Untick Start the next round by itself. After each break the timer waits, and you press Start next round when you are back at work.

Is my data saved anywhere?

Only in your own browser. Your settings and today's count are kept on this device, and nothing is uploaded.

Is the 20-20-20 rule medical advice?

No. This tool is only a timer for a simple habit. See an eye doctor if your eyes hurt, feel very tired, or your sight changes.

Related tools

• Break Reminder — stand up, walk and stretch reminders
• Water Reminder — a reminder to drink water
• Pomodoro Timer — work and break cycles
• 20 Minute Timer — a plain 20 minutes countdown
• White Noise — rain, fan and noise sounds to help you focus
• Screen Test — check your monitor for dead pixels