Prerequisites for creation and idea
I’m working as IT project manager and spend almost all my working day at PC. Until recently I worked at the PC all day without any breaks except lunch. Usually to the end of the day I felt very tired and had unpleasant sensations in my eyes. I started to investigate what I can do to correct this state of affairs and have found a method how to feel myself fresh till the end of the day and to get rid of that sensation of tiredness in my eyes. The method is actually very simple – one has to make regular breaks in a work and periodically stay away from PC. more...
Short description
This program is useful for those who spend a lot of time working on PC. It helps you to do periodical breaks in the work to refresh mind and body and relax eyes, thus preventing Computer Vision Syndrome and other diseases. It helps you to keep with your schedule of breaks by displaying notification and blocking PC if necessary.
Benefits
Below listed benefits that you can get by using this program (or by doing breaks in your work without any program, because program is just utility that reminds you about next break):
- It prevents Computer Vision Syndrome (visualfatigue, blurred or double vision, burning and tearing eyes, headaches and frequent changes in eyeglass prescription).
- It helps prevent varicose veins disease. One of the reasons for this disease is long sitting work and thus bad circulation of the blood in legs.
- It enhances the efficiency of mental tasks, attention and productivity of a computer user. It is often during a break when an understanding of the issue, a brilliant thought, and effective plan of action come to mind!
- It helps the user to stay in good health and feel well when working at the computer. Moreover, if you exercise during breaks, you will be able to considerably improve your physical shape over a few weeks and to keep your body tight!
- It returns the “sense of time”. It helps you to divide the time on current tasks adequately and avoid time-consuming distraction by nonessential tasks. It is especially important when you have an urgent task at hand!
Features
- Adjustable lengths of work and rest periods
- Smart time control based on user idle (if keyboard and mouse are idle more than rest period length then this time counts as the rest and new working period starts when user returns to PC)
- Program can turn off monitor for rest period and automatically turn it on after
- Block keyboard and mouse for rest period (user can unblock computer by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del)
- Disabling of previous Ctrl+Alt+Del unblock (actually this option just locks the computer every second so even if you unblock it with ctrl+alt+del it will be immediately locked before you can even end task in task manager – only reset will help. This option is for the most undisciplined users).
- Option to add 5 more minutes to work period if you have something urgent to finish. The program asks you once one minute before the end of the work period.
- On screen display (in adjustable colors and level of transparency) that shows remaining time until next rest
- Graphical indication in tray icon how much of work period is over already
- Lock workstation when rest period starts
- Stores setting in system registry individually for every user of PC
License
This software is licensed under GPL v 2. Full text of the license can be obtained here: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.txt