Mac: Sitting all day is no good for you, you know that. But when you’re busy with work, it can be tough to remember to get up and move around. Rest, a new break timer for Mac, will remind you to take those breaks that keep you productive and healthy without annoying you.
Once launched, you see a little circle in the Mac’s menubar. As it fills up, you’ll know you’re getting closer to a break. When it’s full, an alarm sound of your choice will go off, reminding you that it’s time to get up, stretch or get a glass of water. When your break is over, another alert will play, reminding you to go back to work (and you can choose the same sound or a different alarm sound).
You can set how long you want to work between breaks and how long you want the breaks to be. The app defaults to a 30-second break every 15 minutes, but you can tell it to give you a break every 30 minutes, one hour or two hours for 30 seconds, one minute, five minutes or 10 minutes. You choose from six soothing sounds for each alarm, including a gong, a piano tune and a guitar riff, or you can use any system alert sound you already have on your Mac. I personally prefer the piano tune.
The app is useful as a way to remember to take a break periodically, but it’s not the only one of its type. Windows and Linux users can try previously mentioned Workrave, Breaker or EyeLeo, all apps we love. Mac users looking for an alternative can try Coffee Break, which we’ve mentioned before, or Awareness, another soothing break reminder. For more tips on keeping your health intact when your job keeps you behind a desk all day, check out our office worker’s schedule for healthy living.
Rest ($1.99) [Mac App Store]
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