Caesura is a native macOS break-reminder app that schedules six research-backed microbreaks—water, walking, wrist stretches, eye rest, posture shifts, and breathing—with intervals lifted from specific studies.
What is Caesura?
Caesura is a habit‑tracking app for macOS (14+) that reminds you to take six timed breaks throughout the workday. It monitors your camera, screen sharing, fullscreen apps, calendar, and Do Not Disturb to automatically pause timers during busy periods, then resume exactly where they left off. The app is built in Swift and SwiftUI by Dutch developer Thomas, weighs under 8 MB, and requires no account or telemetry.
Key Features
- Research‑backed intervals — Every default break comes from a published study: water every 45 min (Ganio 2011, EFSA 2010), walk every 60 min (Diaz 2023, Buffey 2022), wrists every 30 min (Van den Heuvel 2003), eyes every 20 min (Rosenfield 2011, Talens‑Estarelles 2023), posture every 30 min (Slater & O’Sullivan 2019), breathing every 90 min (Russo 2017). Full evidence list.
- Smart auto‑pause — Caesura watches your camera, screen sharing, fullscreen apps, Do Not Disturb, and local calendar. When any are active, all timers freeze; after the interruption they resume with the same remaining time.
- Coalesced prompts — If two breaks are due within one minute, the app shows a single notification instead of piling them up.
- Three prompt styles — Each break can use a full‑screen overlay (press Return to dismiss), a menu‑bar banner (auto‑dismiss after 30 s), or a standard macOS notification. You pick per break.
- Breathing and eye‑break guides — The breathing break includes a progress‑bar and soft‑orb animation for “four in, six out” cycles. The eye break shows a cursor‑following ring that empties over 20 seconds.
- Customisable intervals and appearance — All six breaks can be turned off individually, their intervals changed, and their prompt style set independently. Appearance matches system light/dark; per‑break tints remain readable in both.
- Global hotkeys and menu‑bar icon — Use ⌘⌥B to pause all. The menu‑bar icon can show a caesura mark, a live countdown to the next break, a quiet dot, or be hidden entirely.
Who is it for?
- Remote workers and office employees — People who sit at a desk for long hours and need structured reminders to drink water, stand, and rest their eyes without having to remember themselves.
- Developers and designers — Anyone who enters deep focus and tends to ignore hunger, thirst, and posture. Caesura’s pause‑during‑fullscreen and screen‑sharing features keep it out of the way.
- People with repetitive‑strain concerns — The wrist‑stretch break (four illustrated stretches, ten seconds each) and posture reminder (“shift, don’t sit up straight”) address common typing‑related issues.
- Health‑conscious macOS users — Those who want a one‑time purchase (no subscription, no account) with a privacy‑first approach (no telemetry).
What can you do with Caesura?
- Stay hydrated on a scientific schedule — Water reminders fire every 45 minutes (not a round number) based on hydration studies; coffee and tea count.
- Reduce eye strain — The eye break asks you to look 20 ft away for 20 seconds, with a cursor‑pill countdown. Evidence.
- Maintain movement without interrupting flow — Walk reminders trigger every 60 minutes (2–5 minutes recommended); timers pause during calls and screen sharing, so you never get a prompt mid‑presentation.
