Most desk workers know they should step away from the screen more often. The harder part — by a wide margin — is remembering. That’s the problem our new Break Companion was built to solve, in the simplest way we could think of.
It’s a free, web-based tool that lives right here on the Tyler Ergonomics site. The model is borrowed from the kitchen: press start when you sit down to focus, and the timer runs until it’s time to break. Two clocks sit side by side — work session on the left, upcoming break on the right — so you can always see where you are in the rhythm of the day. When the break begins, the screen offers a simple universal prompt: look away, stand up, walk, hydrate. Nothing more elaborate than that.
The Hardest Part Is Remembering
Most office workers don’t break enough not because they don’t know how to stretch, but because the mind absorbs into the screen and an hour passes without a single change in posture. A timer fixes that — quietly, in the background, without judgment. That’s the job of this tool, and it’s the only job we asked it to do.
“The hardest part of taking breaks isn’t the stretches. It’s remembering to step away.”
About the Cadence
Musculoskeletal disorders — the back pain, neck strain, wrist tendinopathy, and shoulder problems that account for a significant share of office workplace claims — typically don’t arrive as single events. They develop through cumulative load: thousands of small exposures across thousands of hours of desk work, until what was once a minor irritation becomes something that lingers.
This is why timing matters. Two hours of uninterrupted desk work creates measurably more strain than the same two hours broken into sessions. The broader ergonomics field has converged on a fairly consistent set of recommendations:
Broadly Accepted Ergonomic Guidance
What’s right for any individual depends on the actual work being done and the body doing it. Heavy typing builds different load than phone calls or video meetings. Existing conditions — a stiff lower back, a sensitive wrist, a healing shoulder — change the calculus further. That’s why this tool’s session length is configurable from 20 to 90 minutes, with a default of 60 that fits most healthy desk workers.
What the Tool Does
Built for one job, done well
A few simple features.
- Kitchen-timer work sessions. Start the timer when you sit down to focus. Take a break when it ends. Two clocks side by side keep the whole rhythm visible.
- A “Cut short” option for discomfort. Three graduated choices — five minutes more, one minute more, break now — so you can respond to your body’s signals before they escalate.
- Activity-aware timing (optional). Pauses the timer when you step away, so a 60-minute session means 60 minutes of actual work — not wall-clock time that included a coffee run.
- Universal break prompts. Look away. Stand up. Walk. Hydrate. Simple, safe, and easy to do on any day in any condition.
- Team configuration. HR and wellness leads can preconfigure a session length and break length, then share one link with the whole organization — no setup on anyone’s end. Set up your team →
Try it now — free, no signup
Break Companion
A kitchen-timer for ergonomic work sessions. Configurable, activity-aware, works on any device.
Open the tool →If You Want More
This tool is intentionally built for the broadest possible audience — healthy desk workers who want a simple way to build a steady break habit. It will help most people who use it, and it asks for nothing in return.
If you want more than a timer — a movement protocol built for your specific workstation, posture patterns, and any conditions you bring to your desk — that’s what a full ergonomic assessment is for. A Tyler Ergonomics assessment is fully remote and virtual, covers your setup and your habits, and gives you guidance designed around how you work. After 20-plus years of performing ergonomic evaluations, what I can tell you with certainty is that the people who feel best at the end of a workday almost always have a setup, a posture, and a rhythm that fits them specifically.
The tool is a good place to start. When you’re ready for more, we’re here.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Tyler Ergonomics provides remote and virtual ergonomic assessments. References to movement cadence and session length reflect broadly accepted guidance in the occupational health and ergonomics field. Individuals with existing or developing musculoskeletal conditions should consult a qualified professional before adopting any new movement practice.