Set the timer to 40 seconds

How to use the online timer

Box breathing and other calming exercises work in blocks, and 40 seconds is a common length for the exhale or hold phase without a coach counting you through it aloud. Set it running, close your eyes if that helps, and let the countdown replace the mental tally you'd otherwise lose track of after a few rounds. It's a small tool, but it takes the guesswork out of pacing yourself.

Getting started takes one click: press Start and the countdown begins straight away, with pause and reset both on hand if you need to adjust on the fly. Because it's running in your browser, the tab has to stay open for the whole time; minimising the window is fine, but closing it or shutting your device down will stop the clock. A sound plays at the end so you know.

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. Set a timer for 40 seconds, set the timer to 40 seconds, start a 40 seconds timer — it is the same countdown either way.