Gratification Delay Timer

Gratification Delay

Unlocked 🎉 {{ remainingDisplay }} {{ configuredDisplay }}

Unlocks ~ {{ finish_time_local }}

Reward: {{ reward_label }} {{ presetLabel }} Delay {{ totalDelaySec }} s Live Paused Gave in

Preset:

Reward label:

Delay length:

min s

Pre‑start countdown (s):

Audio volume (%):

{{ audio_volume }}%

Beep frequency (Hz):

Beep at halfway:

Vibrate on finish:

Prevent screen sleep:

Auto‑start on load:

Field	Value	Copy
Status	{{ statusLabel }}
Reward	{{ reward_label \|\| '—' }}
Preset	{{ presetLabel }}
Configured delay (s)	{{ totalDelaySec }}
Started at	{{ started_at_local \|\| '—' }}
Unlock target	{{ finish_time_local \|\| '—' }}
Elapsed (s)	{{ Math.floor(elapsedSec) }}
Remaining (s)	{{ Math.max(0, Math.ceil(remainingSec)) }}
Completed	{{ unlocked ? 'Yes' : 'No' }}
Gave in	{{ surrendered ? 'Yes' : 'No' }}
Pause count	{{ pauseCount }}
Paused total (s)	{{ Math.floor(pauseTotalSec) }}

Tags: Date Time , Mindfulness , Psychology

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Delayed gratification is a deliberate wait before taking a reward, used to train attention and reduce impulsive switching. A delayed gratification timer for focus helps you hold a short commitment and see a clear payoff.

Choose a target duration and add a simple label for what you will unlock. Start the session and watch a countdown that shows the time left, or check the unlock time and step away. Presets support quick holds and longer deep work blocks.

In a typical session you might set five minutes and label it check messages. If you pause once for thirty seconds the countdown extends so you still complete a full five minutes of waiting. The midpoint and remaining seconds are easy to read during the run.

A soft beep or a brief vibration can signal halfway and finish when enabled. You can keep the screen awake during the run when your device allows it. Acknowledge the unlock to wrap up and reset.

Consistency matters. Pick durations you can repeat and keep labels short so the payoff stays obvious.

Technical Details:

Time spent waiting is the quantity of interest and it is measured in seconds. The timer computes a target duration from minutes and seconds, tracks elapsed time excluding pauses, and reports remaining time with a progress percentage that rises from zero to one hundred.

Completion occurs when remaining time reaches zero and the state becomes unlocked. Optional signals include a sine tone and a short vibration, and both depend on device support and user settings.

Statuses describe each run: idle before starting, ready when configured, running during the countdown, paused when intentionally halted, unlocked on completion, and gave in if you stop early. Readings near second boundaries may differ by one second because the display rounds for legibility.

Start and finish timestamps use your device locale. Comparisons are most fair when you use the same device and similar conditions, because background throttling and screen sleep can change timing behavior slightly.

\begin{array}{l} T & = & 60 \cdot m + s \\ E & = & max (0, t - p) \\ R & = & max (0, T - E) \\ P & = & 100 \cdot \frac{E}{T} % \end{array}

Symbol and unit meanings
Symbol	Meaning	Unit/Datatype	Source
m	Configured minutes	integer	Input
s	Configured seconds	integer	Input
T	Target delay	seconds	Derived
t	Wall‑clock since start	seconds (float)	Derived
p	Cumulative paused time	seconds (float)	Derived
E	Elapsed excluding pauses	seconds	Derived
R	Remaining time	seconds	Derived
P	Progress	percent	Derived

Worked Example. Five minutes means m=5, s=0 so T=300 s. After three minutes of wall time with two pauses totaling thirty seconds:

\begin{array}{l} E & = & 180 - 30 = 150 s \\ R & = & 300 - 150 = 150 s \\ P & = & 100 \cdot \frac{150}{300} = 50 % \end{array}

The remaining display shows 02:30; the session is exactly halfway.

Status meanings
Status	Description	Implication
Idle	Configured but not started	Start enables progress
Ready	Primed to run	Waiting for resume
Running	Countdown active	Progress increases with time
Paused	Temporarily halted	Elapsed time does not advance
Unlocked	Reached target	Reward is earned
Gave in	Stopped early	Session ends without unlock

Validation & bounds extracted from the code

Input validation and ranges
Field	Type	Min	Max	Step/Pattern	Error Text	Placeholder/Default
Minutes	Number	0	—	step 1	—	5
Seconds	Number	0	—	step 1	—	0
Pre‑start seconds	Number	0	—	step 1	—	0
Audio volume	Range	0	100	step 1	—	0%
Beep frequency	Number	100	—	step 1	—	880 Hz
Halfway beep	Boolean	—	—	switch	—	off
Vibrate on finish	Boolean	—	—	switch	—	off
Prevent screen sleep	Boolean	—	—	switch	—	off
Auto‑start on load	Boolean	—	—	switch	—	off

I/O formats

Input and output formats
Input	Accepted Families	Output	Encoding/Precision	Rounding
Duration	Minutes and seconds	Time displays	mm:ss and seconds	Display seconds are integers
Signals	Volume percent, frequency	Audio beep	Sine tone, min 50 ms	Duration default 0.14 s
Session data	—	Metrics CSV	Field,Value rows	Whole‑second fields
Session data	—	JSON summary	inputs, runtime, summaries	Numeric seconds

Units, precision & rounding

Elapsed shown as whole seconds using floor; remaining shown as whole seconds using ceil.
Progress percent is computed continuously and shown to one decimal on the gauge.
Start and finish timestamps follow the device locale and time zone.

Networking & storage behavior

Processing is browser‑based; numbers are computed on the device.
Charts render via a lightweight charting layer when available; the timer still works without it.
No server calls are required to run the countdown or export CSV/JSON.

Performance & complexity

Updates use an animation tick with constant time per frame. Memory usage is small and bounded; the timeline draws a fixed set of points.

Diagnostics & determinism

Given the same settings and device state, runs are deterministic. Device power saving or tab throttling can delay updates, especially when hidden.

Security considerations

Inputs are numeric or toggles; frequency and volume are clamped to safe ranges.
No secrets are handled. Exported files are created locally and remain on the device.

Assumptions & limitations

Heads‑up Device sleep or tab backgrounding can slow visible updates.
Wake lock depends on platform support and user permission.
Beep requires interaction and audio output not muted by the system.
Vibration requires hardware support and permission.
Very long sessions may drift by small fractions of a second due to scheduling.
CSV/JSON exports reflect the visible fields at the time of export.
Halfway cue triggers once at fifty percent only when enabled.
Auto‑start runs only when a positive delay is configured and the page has loaded.

Edge cases & error sources

Audio context blocked until user interaction.
System “Do Not Disturb” silences tones or vibration.
Clock changes during a run can affect displayed timestamps.
Very low volume or frequency below hearing range yields inaudible cues.
Browser throttling in background tabs reduces tick frequency.
Wake lock request denied by policy or battery saver.
Export interrupted by download permissions.
Locale using uncommon numerals may display times differently.
Rapid pause‑resume cycles can inflate pause counters.
Charting layer unavailable, leaving metrics without visuals.

Scientific & standards backing

Timing uses monotonic clock readings exposed by modern runtimes. Signals rely on standard platform capabilities such as the Web Audio API, the Vibration API, and screen wake lock policies documented by web standards bodies.

Privacy & compliance

No data is transmitted or stored server‑side. Audio and haptic cues run locally on the device you use.

Step‑by‑Step Guide

Gratification delay measures purposeful waiting and reports progress and unlock time.

Select a preset or set minutes and seconds Duration.
Optionally add a short reward note Label.
Enable cues such as halfway beep or vibration if desired.
Press Start to begin; use Pause and Resume as needed.
On completion, acknowledge unlock to reset for the next run.

Example: Five minutes, label “Check messages,” halfway beep on, volume 30%. Pause once for fifteen seconds; the timer compensates so the full wait is preserved.

Short runs build momentum; longer runs suit deep focus.
Keep labels concrete to reinforce the payoff.

FAQ

Is my data stored?

No. Calculations and exports happen on your device, and nothing is sent to a server.

Exports save files locally on demand.

How accurate is the timer?

Displays round to whole seconds for clarity. Background tabs and power saving can delay visual updates by small amounts.

What units and limits apply?

Durations use minutes and seconds with non‑negative values. Volume ranges from 0 to 100 percent; frequency is 100 Hz or higher.

Can it work without the charts?

Yes. Metrics and the countdown run independently; charts appear when the visual layer is available.

How do I keep the screen awake?

Enable the keep awake switch. Support depends on your browser and device policy.

What does “unlock” mean?

It indicates the full wait has completed, so you can take the reward you labeled for the session.

Are there any costs or licensing?

No payments are required in the code path. Use is provided as is; check the site’s terms if you need formal licensing details.

Troubleshooting

No sound: increase volume inside the tool and system audio; interact once to unlock audio.
No vibration: ensure device supports it and system settings allow haptics.
Screen sleeps: enable keep awake and disable battery saver.
Charts missing: the visual layer may not have loaded; metrics still work.
Timer will not start: set a positive duration.
Times look off: verify device clock and time zone.

If the page was suspended by the system, resume the tab and press Resume to continue with accurate accounting.

Advanced Tips

Tip Use a two minute hold to build momentum before longer blocks.
Tip Set a midpoint cue to re‑commit without checking the clock.
Tip Keep reward labels action‑oriented, like read three pages or stretch.
Tip Increase beep frequency slightly if high‑frequency tones are easier to notice.
Tip Use pause sparingly so elapsed time reflects real waiting.
Tip Export JSON after a session to capture the exact inputs and results.

Glossary

Delayed gratification: Waiting on purpose before taking a reward.
Unlock: The moment the full wait completes.
Halfway beep: Optional cue at fifty percent progress.
Wake lock: Request to keep the screen from sleeping.
Haptics: Short vibration feedback on supported devices.
mm:ss: Minutes and seconds display with zero‑padding.