What it does
Timer is the simplest Pro lock and the one most people start with. You pick a duration when you enable the block; the daemon refuses to disable the block until that timer expires. When the timer ends, the block auto-disables.
When to use it
- A defined work session — 90 minutes of deep focus, a 25-minute Pomodoro, a 4-hour writing block.
- Recovering from a slip — start a 2-hour Timer to force a cooling-off period.
- Any case where you can predict the duration but not the exact end time.
How to configure
- Open the block editor and set Lock Type to Timer.
- Set Duration. Default is 60 minutes; the field accepts anything from a few minutes to many hours.
- Save and enable. The timer starts the moment the block goes active.
What happens at the boundaries
- Try to disable mid-timer: the toggle refuses and the daemon keeps enforcing.
- Timer expires: the block auto-disables. No notification spam — it just turns off.
- Mac reboots mid-timer: the daemon resumes enforcement on boot using the original unlock time, not a fresh start.
Common misconfig
Setting the timer too short. A 15-minute Timer on Reddit doesn't really stop a Reddit habit — it's an interruption, not a commitment. Pick a duration that's longer than the urge usually lasts. For most people that's at least 60–90 minutes.
Timer pairs well with Sessions or with the global Pomodoro — Timer covers the macro window, Sessions handles the inner cycle.