Set the timer to 4 minutes

How to use the online timer

A quick tidy-up sprint works best with a limit, and 4 minutes is long enough to clear a bench or a lounge room without turning into a full afternoon of cleaning. Set the timer, pick one space, and move fast because you know exactly when you get to stop. It's a decent trick for getting started on a job that felt too big before you broke it down like this.

It runs the moment you hit Start, no extra steps needed before the numbers begin moving. Because everything happens inside this browser tab, it needs to remain open while the clock runs; switching tabs is fine, but closing the page or turning off your screen partway through will stop the countdown. A sound marks the finish, so you'll know the moment it's done without having to watch it count down.

Kitchen timers are great until you need one outside the kitchen, and most phone timers sit behind a lock screen and a couple of taps. A browser tab is already open on most devices anyway, so the timer is right there without hunting for an app or a gadget. It's free, needs no registration, and works the same whether you're cooking, exercising, or trying to focus. If you would rather say put a timer on for 4 minutes, that works too — press Start and the page does the rest.