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DeskRhythm

BETA

Local-first sit / stand / move rhythm coach for healthier workdays.

Open DeskRhythm →(opens in a new tab)

Why DeskRhythm exists

Most desk-coaching apps build on streaks, push notifications, and gamified counters — the productivity-app loop that treats user attention like a budget to be mined. DeskRhythm goes the other way. It runs locally in the browser and cycles between three rhythm states (sit, stand, move) without an account or cloud sync. Movement prompts surface as a quiet browser notification at each state change — no service worker, no web push, no streaks. Settings live on the device; rhythm history lives on the device; the studio sees none of it.

The current build is an MVP — scaffolded in a single day to evaluate whether a calm-software framing actually changes how someone runs a workday. If user uptake suggests it does, the product expands (more rhythm patterns, deeper stats, richer integrations). If it doesn't, the studio learns something concrete about what desk-coaching apps are or aren't.

Screenshots

  • DeskRhythm landing page — hero copy 'A sit-stand timer for the workday' with the in-app dashboard preview and three feature blocks below.
  • DeskRhythm dashboard — SITTING state, daily balance card on the left, and the focus timer counting down 28:49 before the next standing block.

What it does

  • Local-first

    Runs in the browser. No account, no cloud sync, no server-side rhythm history. Settings stay on the device.

  • Three-state rhythm

    Sit, stand, move — three states cycling at customizable intervals. Each state has its own tonal colour shift (slate, amber, sage) so the screen reflects the rhythm without grabbing attention.

  • Low-stimulus design

    No streaks, no web push, no engagement loops. Movement prompts fire as quiet browser notifications at each rhythm state change. The visual language is built to recede into the workday rather than interrupt it.

  • Customizable cadence

    Each rhythm interval is adjustable. Default is the cadence the studio reads as common-sense; users can tighten or loosen it per session.

  • Editorial design language

    The "Atmospheric Chronometer" aesthetic — premium-architectural-journal feel, intentional asymmetry, no 1px borders, tonal layering instead of drop shadows.

Build notes

  • Migrated the project's workflow over to Agent Dashboard.
  • Built in a day. From googling recommended sit/stand cadences in the morning to a ready site with a custom domain by afternoon.