52/17 Timer
Work for 52 minutes, rest for 17, and repeat.
What is the 52/17 rule?
The 52/17 rule is a work rhythm: 52 minutes of focused work, then a 17-minute break away from the task. It comes from a 2014 analysis by the time-tracking company DeskTime, which looked at how its most productive users split their day and found they tended to work in roughly hour-long stretches with real breaks in between.
It isn't a law of nature, and the exact numbers matter less than the pattern: a long enough block to get deep into a task, followed by a break long enough to actually recover.
How to use this timer
Press Start and work until the ring fills. When the 52 minutes are up you'll hear a chime and the label switches to Break. Step away from the screen for 17 minutes, then start the next work block.
Turn on Auto-start in settings if you want each phase to begin by itself. Notifications can alert you when the tab is in the background, and Keep screen awake stops your screen from dimming or locking while this page is open and visible. If 52/17 doesn't suit you, choose Custom to set your own lengths.
52/17 vs Pomodoro vs time blocking
Pomodoro uses short 25-minute sessions with 5-minute breaks. It's good for getting started on tasks you're avoiding, but 25 minutes can end just as you get into deep work. 52/17 gives you twice as long to settle in, and its break is long enough for a walk, a snack or a proper rest.
Time blocking plans what you'll work on and when, but it doesn't say anything about breaks. The two work well together: block out a morning for one project, then run it in 52/17 cycles so the block doesn't turn into three hours without a pause.
Getting the most from 52/17
- Make the break a real break. Seventeen minutes of email or social media isn't rest. Stand up, move, look at something far away.
- Pick one task per block. Decide before you press Start what the next 52 minutes are for.
- Don't fight a good streak. If you're deep in something when the timer ends, finishing your thought is fine. Just take the break soon after.
- Adjust it. If 52 minutes feels too long, try 45/15 or the classic Pomodoro instead.
Questions
Those numbers came from DeskTime's 2014 look at how its most productive users worked. Treat them as a starting point, not a rule you must follow to the minute.
No. Every break in 52/17 is already 17 minutes, so the timer simply alternates between work and break.
Yes. Time is worked out from timestamps, so it stays accurate even if your browser slows down background tabs. The remaining time also shows in the tab title.
Only your settings, stored in this browser. Nothing is sent to a server and there is no account.