A countdown can time an ordinary task. It is not an intervention for obsessive-compulsive symptoms and cannot set limits on thoughts or determine when rumination will end.

A practical way to use the display

For a practical activity such as sorting paperwork, choose a short work window and one clear next step. Review the task at zero. Any treatment plan or symptom-related decision should remain separate from the timer.

Open the timer

Use the free focus timer to set minutes and seconds, pause or stop, and choose the display and alarm settings. Keep the tab open and the device awake while timing.