5 Minute Timer

5 minutes at a glance

In seconds	300 seconds
In hours	0.0833 hours
In milliseconds	300,000 ms
Written as	00:05:00

On a timesheet 5 minutes is 0.0833 hours. In code it is 300,000 milliseconds, usually written 5 * 60 * 1000 rather than as the literal number.

What fits into 5 minutes

• A short work break
• Clearing one kitchen surface
• Box breathing to settle

Five minutes is the default short break, and it earns the job by being too short to start anything new. That is a feature: a five minute break survives, while a ten minute one quietly becomes twenty-five.

Running a 5 minute block well

1. Set up before you startShort blocks have no slack in them. Get into position, open the file or stand on the mat, and only then reach for the button.
2. Press startTap start or hit the space bar. At this length the countdown is the whole discipline.
3. Do not check the clockGlancing at the numbers is what makes a short block feel long. Look away and let the alarm do its job.
4. Stop on the soundPress Escape or tap the dial to silence it, then decide whether to run another.

It is also the practical minimum for a meditation habit, the standard length of a lightning talk, and roughly how long it takes to clear a kitchen counter if you do not stop to read the post.

Other lengths

• 1 Minute TimerOne minute is a plank, a rinse of the kettle, a held…
• 2 Minute TimerTwo minutes is the classic tooth-brushing block and…
• 3 Minute TimerThree minutes covers a boxing round, a soft-boiled…
• 4 Minute TimerFour minutes is one full Tabata block: eight rounds…
• 6 Minute TimerSix minutes suits a mobility flow, a warm-up jog or…
• 7 Minute TimerSeven minutes is the length of the original…
• 8 Minute TimerEight minutes is two four-minute rounds, or one slow…
• 10 Minute TimerTen minutes is the sweet spot for a first meditation…
• 12 Minute TimerTwelve minutes covers a Cooper test run or three…
• 15 Minute TimerFifteen minutes is short enough to start without…
• 20 Minute TimerTwenty minutes is the nap length sleep researchers…

Need a little more or less time? Try the 4 minute timer or the 6 minute timer.

Questions people ask

Is five minutes long enough for a break?

After a twenty-five minute focus block, yes. The purpose of a short break is to leave the screen and move, not to rest deeply. Longer breaks belong after ninety minutes of work.

How many seconds are in 5 minutes?

There are 300 seconds in 5 minutes, because every minute contains 60 seconds.

Can I pause the 5 minute timer and carry on?

Yes. The space bar or the pause button stops it where it is, and pressing again resumes from the same point rather than restarting at 5:00.

Will I hear the alarm from another room?

It depends on your device volume, but the default alarm is a repeating triple tone chosen to carry. For short blocks it is usually easier to keep the tab visible.

Can I run several short blocks in a row?

Yes. Press start again after the alarm, or use the plus one minute button to extend the current one without losing your place.

Is the 5 minute timer free to use?

Yes, for personal and commercial use, with no sign-up and no limit. Use it in classrooms, gyms and streams without asking.