a tiny cross-platform desktop app for the 20-20-20 eye rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. it runs in the tray/menu bar and nudges you to rest your eyes without you needing a browser tab open or a separate timer app.
what it does
- starts a 20-minute work timer the moment it launches
- fires a desktop notification + a soft descending tone when the break starts
- pops an always-on-top countdown window for the 20-second break, then plays an ascending tone when it’s over
- start / pause / reset / “break now” controls in the window and the tray menu
- intervals + break length are configurable; settings persist across launches
- optional launch-on-login so it’s just running when your machine boots
it stays out of the way. tray icon, no dock app, no browser tab.
install
grab the latest release from github.com/bradtraversy/eye-break/releases. builds available:
- windows —
.exeinstaller - macos — universal
.dmgand.zip - linux —
.AppImageand.deb
windows and macos builds are unsigned, so smartscreen / gatekeeper may warn before opening. open anyway is fine.
or run from source:
git clone https://github.com/bradtraversy/eye-break.git
cd eye-break
npm install
npm startwhy i built it
i look at screens for a lot of hours. browser-tab break timers get closed. phone alarms get dismissed. system-tray apps stick around because they’re not in your face — they just nudge.
not novel. not clever. just one small thing that makes the day end with less of a headache.