Designing a break that doesn't feel like an interruption

Most break reminders fail the same way: they pop up at the worst moment, so we learn to dismiss them.

While building Still we tried to design the opposite. A few choices:

• Each break opens a full-screen scene, a coastal Day or a star-filled Night, so stepping away feels like a small change of place rather than a warning.

• Sound is off by default. A chime in the middle of focused work is exactly the jolt we wanted to avoid, so soundscapes play only if you turn them on.

• Reminders can pause themselves while your microphone is in use or a presentation is in front, then wait a quiet minute before resuming.

• Movement breaks now show a small animated figure for each exercise, redrawn this week.

No replies to the first thread yet, so I'm still curious: what makes you dismiss a reminder?

Still launches here on Saturday, Oct 17, and it's free on the Mac App Store from Oct 13 to 16.