A 1 minute timer you can see
One minute is the smallest useful timer. It turns "just do it" into something with an end you can see.
This is a visual timer. The time is a blue disk that shrinks as the minute passes: more disk, more time. You can read it in one glance from across a room, with no numbers to work out. The last minute turns amber, and the end is one soft chime.
What 1 minute is good for
- A one-minute tidy: how much can go back in its place before the disk is gone?
- Taking turns: one minute each on the swing, the tablet or the favorite toy.
- A last warning before a switch: "one more minute, then shoes on."
- One minute of slow breathing or a quiet reset between two tasks.
One tip
For children, a one-minute timer works best as a warning, not a deadline. Start it, point at the disk and say what happens when it is gone. The shape does the reminding, so you do not have to repeat yourself.
Other timer lengths
1 min · 2 min · 3 min · 5 min · 10 min · 15 min · 20 min · 25 min · 30 min · 45 min · 60 min
Need a different length? Type any number of minutes from 1 to 180 in the Custom box, or open the main visual timer, which remembers the length you used last. For work and break cycles that run themselves, use the pomodoro timer.
Why a shape works better than numbers
Numbers only help if you can feel what "1 minute" is like. For many children, and for many people with ADHD, that feeling is unreliable. This is often called time blindness. A disk that shrinks turns time into something you can see, so nobody has to guess. More in our guide to visual timers.
Questions about the 1 minute timer
Is one minute long enough to be useful?
Yes, for starting. Promise yourself one minute on the task you are avoiding. Often you keep going once the minute is up, because starting was the hard part.
Can I run the one-minute timer again and again?
Yes. When it ends, press Reset and Start, or tap the 1 min button. Nothing to set up again.
Is this 1 minute timer free?
Yes. It is free, with no signup and no account. It runs in your browser on a phone, tablet, laptop or classroom screen.
Does the 1 minute timer make a loud alarm?
No. It plays one soft chime at the end and the disk turns amber, not red. You can switch the sound off with the bell button.