FlowMateAn ADHD timer that tells you the time out loud
FlowMate is a free focus timer for time blindness: you hear time pass while you work, so you don't have to keep checking the clock.
Why a timer that talks
Many people with ADHD describe time as something they can't feel. Twenty minutes passes like five, or an hour goes by while you meant to do one small thing. That's usually called time blindness.
A countdown on a screen only helps while you're looking at it, and an alarm only helps once the time is already gone. FlowMate fills in the middle. A voice tells you the time as you work, so you can notice where the time is going without leaving your task to look.
How a session works
- Write down what you're working on. Break it into steps if that helps.
- Pick a pace and a length: a Pomodoro, an eased session with time to settle in, a long stretch, or one block of any length.
- Press start and get to work. The voice tells you the time, and Flowmato, a small tomato, grows as you go.
Choose how much you hear
Some days you want a voice every minute, and some days that's too much. Change it in settings whenever you like.
- Full
- Ticking, a voice every minute, and a spoken countdown.
- Gentle
- Soft ticking and a voice every 5 minutes.
- Minimal
- A voice every 10 minutes. No ticking.
- Transitions
- A chime at the start and the end. Nothing in between.
- Silent
- Nothing. The timer runs on screen only.
- Custom
- Your own mix of ticking, voice, and chimes.
Questions
Is FlowMate free?
Yes. The timer, the audio cues, and sessions of any length are free, and you don't need an account to start. Pro is optional and adds things like a Picture-in-Picture timer, more tick sounds, AI-drafted steps, and unlimited history.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes, with the apps for iPhone and Android. The web timer is built for a computer.
Can I use it during a Flow Club session?
Yes. FlowMate for Flow Club is a free browser extension that brings the audio cues into your sessions.
Does it work with the Pomodoro technique?
Yes, Pomodoro is one of the paces. See the talking Pomodoro timer.
Is this a treatment for ADHD?
No. FlowMate is a timer, not medical care. It doesn't replace support from a clinician, and you don't need a diagnosis to use it.