A Pomodoro Focus Timer Built Into Your Dashboard

Most Pomodoro apps live in their own window, disconnected from the work you're actually doing. You start a 25-minute timer in one app, then switch to another to see your to-do list, and the timer becomes one more thing to manage. Baton Board takes a different approach: the focus timer is a widget on the same board as your tasks, notes, and numbers. Start a session and your work is right there beside it.

And like everything in Baton Board, the timer is local-first — it runs on your device, with no account and nothing sent to anyone's servers.

How the Pomodoro technique works

The idea is simple and it's been around for decades: work in focused intervals, usually 25 minutes, separated by short breaks. After a few intervals you take a longer break. The constraint is the point — a ticking timer makes it easier to start, easier to ignore distractions, and easier to stop before you burn out.

The technique doesn't need much software. What it needs is to be right where you work — and that's exactly where Baton Board puts it.

The Timer widget

The Timer is one of Baton Board's six free widgets. Drop it onto your board and you have a focus timer that lives next to:

• your Tasks widget, so you can see what you're focusing on,
• your Notes, for anything that comes up mid-session,
• your Countdown widget, for the deadline you're working toward,
• and, on Pro, your habit tracker — so a daily "focused session" can become a streak you keep.

Because it's a widget, you arrange it where it makes sense for you: top-corner for a constant glance, or front-and-center when you're heads-down.

Why a timer on your board beats a standalone timer

• No app-switching. Your timer and your work share one screen. You're not bouncing between a timer app and a task app.
• It's part of your cockpit. The same board that shows your tasks, KPIs, and habits also runs your focus sessions — one place for how the work is going and the work itself.
• It works offline. Installed as an app (PWA) or on the desktop, the timer runs with no connection.
• It's private. No account, no tracking, no "focus analytics" sent to a server. What you do stays on your device.
• It pairs with habits. Turn "do one focus session" into a daily habit with a streak counter, and the timer stops being a one-off and becomes a routine.

A simple focus routine with Baton Board

1. Put a Timer and a Tasks widget side by side.
2. Pick the one task you'll focus on.
3. Start the timer and work until it ends.
4. Take a short break, then repeat.
5. (Pro) Mark a habit for "focused session" so your consistency builds a visible streak.

No setup, no account, no subscription required to start — the timer is free.

Frequently asked questions

Is the focus timer free?

Yes. The Timer is one of the six free widgets (alongside tasks, notes, links, calendar, and countdown). You can use it without an account.

Does the timer work offline?

Yes — Baton Board installs as an app (PWA) or runs on the desktop, and the timer works with no connection. Nothing is sent to a server.

Can I see my tasks while the timer runs?

Yes — that's the point. The timer is a widget on the same board as your Tasks, Notes, and other widgets, so you focus and track work in one place.

Can I turn focus sessions into a habit?

Yes, with Pro. Add a habit like "focused session" to the habit tracker and each day you do one builds a streak.

Does it cost anything?

The timer and the core board are free. Pro is ¥980/month (¥9,800/year) for unlimited boards, analytics widgets, AI, sync, and deep customization, with a ¥14,800 lifetime option.

Pricing

Free covers one customizable board with the six core widgets (tasks, notes, links, calendar, countdown, timer), export/import, automatic backups, board-wide search, and eight languages. Pro (¥980/month or ¥9,800/year) unlocks unlimited boards, the analytics widgets (KPI, goal, habit, agenda, activity), the AI assistant, end-to-end sync, and deep customization. A ¥14,800 lifetime license is available. Polar handles payments and worldwide taxes.

Try it

Add a Timer widget next to your tasks, start a 25-minute session, and keep your focus where your work already is. It's free, local-first, and yours.

Related reading: "The Complete Baton Board Widget Guide" and "A Habit Tracker That Lives on Your Own Device."