Set the timer to 171 minutes

How to use the online timer

Long drives feel shorter with a target, and setting 171 minutes for the next leg gives you something concrete to aim for between servo stops. Start the timer as you pull away, and treat the finish as a natural point to swap drivers, stretch your legs, or check the map properly instead of glancing at it while you drive. It beats squinting at the GPS every few minutes.

Using it is as simple as it sounds: hit Start and the countdown takes over from there. Keep the browser tab open while it runs, since the timer only keeps counting while the page stays loaded, and pause or reset it any time if your plans change. When time's up, a sound plays to let you know, so you don't need to keep glancing at the screen.

A kitchen timer only works in the kitchen, and a phone timer competes with texts, calls, and every other app fighting for your attention. Keeping the countdown in a browser tab sidesteps both problems: it goes wherever your laptop or phone goes, and it isn't trying to notify you about anything else. Minimise it, work on something else, and it'll be counting when you check back. If you would rather say put a timer on for 171 minutes, that works too — press Start and the page does the rest.