Two minimalist approaches to break reminders. Here's the comparison.
| Feature | Tired Budgie | Awareness |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Chrome Extension | Desktop App |
| Platform | Any (Chrome) | Mac, Windows |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Notification style | Visual overlay | Singing bowl sound |
| Timer display | During breaks | Menu bar (always) |
| Configuration | Minimal | Very minimal |
Awareness is an extremely minimalist break reminder app. It sits in your menu bar showing how long you've been working continuously, and plays a Tibetan singing bowl sound at intervals you choose.
It's beloved for its simplicity — no configuration screens, no options to overwhelm you, just a gentle sound.
Notification type: Awareness uses only audio (a singing bowl sound). Tired Budgie uses visual overlays. If you work with headphones off or in a noisy environment, visual reminders might work better.
Platform: Awareness is a desktop app for Mac and Windows. Tired Budgie is a Chrome extension that works anywhere Chrome runs.
Enforcement: Awareness is purely a reminder — the bowl rings, and that's it. Tired Budgie's visual overlay is slightly more insistent while still being skippable.
Personality: Awareness is zen-like and minimal. Tired Budgie has a friendly character (our sleepy budgie) that adds some warmth to break time.
Choose Awareness if you prefer audio-only reminders, love extreme minimalism, and want a desktop-wide timer. Choose Tired Budgie if you prefer visual reminders, want a friendlier experience, or need something that works across all devices with Chrome.
Friendly visual reminders. Works everywhere.
Get Tired Budgie — Free