Common Questions
Why split work into Deep Work and Sustaining?
Deep Work is what drives your projects forward. It isn't the only kind of work you do, and it tends to max out around four to five hours a day. Tracking it alongside Sustaining work, the email and admin that keeps things moving, shows you how your day actually breaks down, so you can get more out of each one.
What is Deep Dive?
A closer look at your history: totals, your busiest day, peak focus hours, a heatmap of the year, and how your time splits between deep and sustaining work.
Can I add or edit a session I forgot to time?
Yes. You can add a session manually, and edit or delete any session after the fact.
What are the keyboard shortcuts?
Spacebar starts and pauses the timer. R finishes the current session.
Can I change the Pomodoro work and break lengths?
Yes. Turn on Pomodoro mode and set your own work and break minutes. It remembers your last choice.
What happens to my sessions if I'm not signed in?
You can see how the timer works without signing in. To use the full product, including session tracking, you need an account.
Will I lose my history if I clear my browser?
No, as long as you're signed in. Your sessions are saved to your account, so they come back when you sign in again.
How will this product cover its costs?
There is a section called Jeremy's carve outs, which over time, may include ads.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes, in any modern mobile browser, and it adapts to the smaller screen.
My iPad or iPhone goes to sleep when the timer is running — how do I stop that?
This happens in Chrome and Edge. On the iPhone and the iPad, Apple only lets Safari keep the screen awake, so there's nothing GemTimer can change there.
To fix it, you have two options:
- Open gemtimer.com in Safari, where the "Keep screen unlocked" switch works; or
- Turn off auto-lock: Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never.