Quick answer
Five minutes is the classic Pomodoro short break, the time limit in the five-minute rule for starting a task you keep avoiding, and the exact length of an Ignite talk (20 slides, 15 seconds each). Playxoft's free 5 minute timer is already set: press Start or the Space key and it sounds an alarm at zero. Snooze 5 min runs it again with one tap.
- Set to 5 minutes
- Alarm rings in background tabs
- Multiple timers
- Six alarm sounds
- Fullscreen focus mode
How to use this 5 minute timer
- 1The timer is already set to 5 minutes. Press Start or the Space key to begin.
- 2Optional: name it (for example "Short break"), pick an alarm Sound, and turn on Repeat to run it again automatically.
- 3While it runs, use +1 min or the quick chips to adjust, and Focus mode for fullscreen digits.
- 4When the alarm rings, press Dismiss, or Snooze 5 min for more time.
What can you do in 5 minutes?
- Take a real break. The Pomodoro Technique pairs 25 minutes of focus with a 5-minute break. Stand up, stretch and look away from the screen.
- Beat procrastination. The five-minute rule: commit to just five minutes on the task you are avoiding. Once you have started, carrying on is usually easier.
- Tidy up. Five minutes of focused tidying, before bed or at the end of a work day, keeps clutter from piling up.
- Rehearse an Ignite talk. Ignite talks are exactly five minutes: 20 slides that advance automatically every 15 seconds.
- Herbal tea. Many herbal infusions steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Journaling or a short meditation. Five minutes is an easy daily habit to keep.
What is the five-minute rule?
The five-minute rule is a simple trick for starting tasks you keep putting off: promise yourself you will work on it for only five minutes, and that you may stop when the timer rings. The hard part of many tasks is starting, and five minutes is small enough to say yes to.
When the alarm sounds you have two good options. Stop, with five minutes of progress you did not have before, or press Restart and keep going. If you keep going, the Pomodoro timer can take over with full 25-minute sessions and breaks.
Tips for using a 5 minute timer
- Turn on Repeat for a reminder every five minutes, for example to check the oven or switch tasks.
- Name the timer so the browser tab tells you what it is for.
- Use Snooze 5 min when the alarm rings to run another five minutes with one tap.
- Need a different length? Type
5m 30s, or try the 4 minute and 6 minute timers.
How many seconds is 5 minutes?
5 minutes is 300 seconds, or 0.083 of an hour.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Seconds | 300 |
| Minutes | 5 |
| Hours | 0.0833 |
| Back to back in one hour | 12 |
| Back to back in one day | 288 |
With Repeat on, this timer goes off 12 times an hour, which makes it a dependable interval reminder.
Need a different length?
- Shorter: 4 minute timer, 3 minute timer
- Longer: 6 minute timer, 7 minute timer
- Any length: the online timer takes whatever you type, for example
5m 30s. - Focus sessions with breaks: the Pomodoro timer.
- Work and rest rounds: the interval timer.
- Counting up with laps: the stopwatch.
Frequently asked questions
Last updated by the Playxoft engineering team.