A key part of my daily work productivity routine is simple: I use timers. A lot.
These timers don’t just keep me on track. More importantly, they help me focus on the right things—by intentionally breaking focus.
Let me explain.
Beep beep. Beep beep...
My first experience with timers was over a decade ago, in restaurant kitchens.
There were timers everywhere—on fryers, mixers, ovens. Beeping constantly. Seemingly random. Sometimes overlapping. Chaotic, but effective.
Now, working remotely from my home office, I still use timers. All day, every day.
But they serve a slightly different purpose now.
Background
Some timers are straightforward.
I set them for background tasks like:
- Reminders for upcoming meetings (37 minutes...)
- Monitoring long-running code merges (16 minutes...)
- Tracking deploy windows (2 minutes... 5 minutes... 15 minutes...)
Nothing fancy. Just simple safeguards so nothing slips through the cracks.
Yes, I have notifications and reminders on my computer. But they don’t shout at me the way a timer does.
Breaks
Where timers get more interesting is with "breaks".
I don’t use the Pomodoro technique. It never quite fit how I work. My focus comes in bursts—more scattered than the recommended 25/5 can accommodate.
Instead, I set recurring 15-minute timers (if I can). It’s my rhythm. Four per hour. Simple and flexible.
These 15-minute cycles act as what I describe as "kicks".
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Sidenote:
I’ve built up enough endurance that I don’t really need breaks from work. I know that’s not for everyone, and I don’t expect it to be. I’m just glad (and grateful) that I can.
I suppose some of this endurance—both mental and physical—came from my time spent in busy kitchens.
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The Kick
“Kicks”—a term borrowed from the movie Inception.
Every 15 minutes, the timer forces me to stop. To zoom out. To reflect:
- How much progress did I make?
- Am I on the right track?
- How do I feel about the work?
- How do I feel about myself?
After that brief pause—that gasp for air—I dive back in and start another cycle.
It’s tempting to skip this step. Trust me, I know. But I also know my work (and my mindset) are always better when I honor this process.
So, I do.
The big guns
On tougher days, perhaps busier or more distraction filled days, I bring out the big guns:
A watch with a built-in vibration alarm. Not one I wear all the time. A custom spray-painted G-Shock 350D, if you’re curious.
It’s simple. Just a single button to start a 15-minute timer.
I don’t wear a smartwatch, so the feeling of something vibrating on my wrist is foreign. Which makes it effective.
When it buzzes, I can’t ignore it. It snaps me out of whatever tunnel I’m in.
A physical reminder to come up for air.
Checkpoints
At the end of the day, for me, timers are more than productivity hacks.
Yes, they help me stay on track. Yes, they prevent me from forgetting. But mostly? They create checkpoints.
Tiny moments to pause and reflect. A point to check-in, and ask:
- Am I doing the right thing?
- Is this the best way forward?
- Am I showing up for the work, for others, and for myself?
A reminder to not waste time. To make the most of it. That every second counts.
That’s why I use timers. That’s why I have things buzzing and beeping at me, all day, every day.
Not to interrupt me, but to wake me up.