BreatheBreak
A Mac menu bar app that reminds desk workers to take short breathing breaks.
- Type
- Studio product
- Role
- Design, development and release
- Year
- 2026
- Platform
- macOS · Menu bar
- Breathing exercises
- 4
- Reminder levels
- 3
Overview
BreatheBreak sits in the Mac menu bar and prompts short breathing exercises during the workday. It stays quiet during calls, in Focus mode and outside working hours.
Challenge
Breathing apps only help if you use them in the middle of a task, but opening one breaks your focus. The reminders had to be there all day without getting in the way.
Approach
We built three levels of reminder, from a small icon pulse to a full screen exercise that appears only now and then. The schedule adapts to how often the user actually completes a session.
Outcome
A finished Mac app with a countdown, snooze, guided breathing exercises and a simple breath hold test with a 7 day trend. All data stays on the Mac.
Key features
Knows when to stay quiet
Skips reminders outside work hours, during calls and in Focus mode.
Adapts to your habits
Suggests more or fewer reminders based on how many sessions you complete each week.
Gentle by default
Most reminders are a small icon pulse or a corner note. Only some open a full exercise.
Breath hold tracking
A daily breath hold check with streaks, averages and a 7 day chart.
Your data stays on your Mac
Every session is stored locally, with one click export to a spreadsheet.
Runs in the background
No Dock icon, and it can start automatically when you log in.
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