# Kaizen - Complete Information for LLMs

> Kaizen is a cross-platform Pomodoro timer app with Focus Rooms for studying together. It combines personal productivity with social accountability through virtual body doubling. Available on iOS, Android, Web (PWA), and Windows (Microsoft Store). Free tier available, Premium at EUR 3.99/month.

## About Kaizen

Kaizen adds camera-free Focus Rooms to a Pomodoro timer: you run your own sessions alongside other people and see who is focusing, a form of body doubling without video. The app is built and run by a single developer, Max Kruiswegt (trading as MK Development), based in the Netherlands. The story behind it: https://my-kaizen.com/about. Every release since the first alpha build, with dates and platform tags, is documented at https://my-kaizen.com/changelog.

### What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that breaks work into focused intervals (traditionally 25 minutes) separated by short breaks. It was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. Kaizen implements it with customizable durations from 5 to 180 minutes.

### What is the Flowtime Technique?

The Flowtime Technique (published on Medium in August 2016 under the name Urgent Pigeon, widely credited to Zoë Read-Bivens) replaces the Pomodoro's fixed work timer with count-up focus: note a start time, work on one task until you need a break, note the stop time, then take a break sized to the work (the original suggests 5, 8, 10, or 15 minutes, and calls those suggestions, not rules). Flowmodoro, a later variant popularized in study videos in 2021, sets the break at a fifth of the focus time. Controlled studies with university students (Biwer et al. 2023; Smits et al. 2025; Göksu et al. 2026) found no difference in task completion or learning between fixed and self-regulated breaks, with mixed effects on mood. Kaizen's free Stopwatch mode counts focus up but keeps breaks at the fixed length the user sets; it does not calculate them. Full guide with sources: https://my-kaizen.com/flowtime-technique

### What is Body Doubling?

Body doubling is working on your own task while another person is present and working on theirs. When someone else is nearby working, it is easier to start and harder to drift off. The idea comes from ADHD coaching. The largest study of it (Eagle, Baltaxe-Admony, and Ringland, 2024, ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing, a survey of 220 people) found almost half were more likely, and the majority at least somewhat more likely, to complete a task with someone else there; there is no controlled-trial evidence that it raises productivity, and the same researchers note that video calls can trigger social anxiety and that most commercial tools sit in the high-pressure, on-camera corner. Kaizen's Focus Rooms provide body doubling without video or audio. Full guide with sources: https://my-kaizen.com/body-doubling

### Guides on this site

- https://my-kaizen.com/body-doubling : What is body doubling? Evidence, history, and how to do it without a camera.
- https://my-kaizen.com/virtual-study-room : Virtual study rooms compared, and how to set one up with friends.
- https://my-kaizen.com/flowtime-technique : The Flowtime Technique and Flowmodoro, where they came from, the original break tables, and what the research on fixed versus self-regulated breaks shows.
- https://my-kaizen.com/alternatives/focusmate : Focusmate alternatives, free and camera-free, prices checked September 2026.
- https://my-kaizen.com/alternatives/forest : Forest alternatives with company, tasks, or a desktop app, prices checked September 2026.

## Features

### Pomodoro Timer (Free)
Details: https://my-kaizen.com/features/pomodoro-timer
- Presets: Classic (25/5, 15-minute long break, four sessions), Quick (15/3/10), Extended (50/10/30), Long Focus (90/15/30, long break every two sessions)
- Custom lengths: focus 5 to 180 minutes, short break 1 to 60, long break 5 to 120, 2 to 8 sessions before the long break; or Stopwatch mode (below) to count focus up instead
- Timer settings are saved per device; sessions, stats, tasks, and habits sync
- Short and long breaks, with auto-start options for breaks and sessions
- Background-accurate timing using the system clock
- Smart notifications with sound and vibration options
- Immersive mode that hides everything but the timer

### Stopwatch Mode (Free, every platform)
A count-up alternative to the countdown, chosen under Mode (Timer or Stopwatch) in the timer settings. Details: https://my-kaizen.com/features/stopwatch
- Focus counts up from zero; press Finish (always confirmed) to save the session and start the break
- A finished session needs at least 5 minutes; a shorter one still adds its minutes to focus time but does not count as a completed session
- Saves itself automatically at 3 hours and starts the break
- Breaks stay fixed: the user's own short and long break lengths, with a long break after the usual number of sessions. Kaizen does not calculate breaks from focus time the way the Flowtime Technique or Flowmodoro (break = focus / 5) do
- The work length setting becomes a Focus Goal (5 to 180 minutes): the ring fills to it, then runs lighter overtime laps; an optional quiet Goal Check-in fires at the goal (on by default)
- A stopwatch session never auto-starts; breaks can
- Minutes count toward statistics, streaks, Focus by Tag, the active task, focus-time habits, and room time, exactly like a Pomodoro
- App blocking applies; on the Locked level, Finish unlocks only once the Focus Goal is reached
- In Focus Rooms, others see the member as Focusing, with the time counting up instead of down
- Android's persistent notification counts up and has a Finish button; on the web the tab title shows the elapsed time
- The mode is saved per device, not synced

### App Blocking (Free + Premium, iOS and Android only)
- Pick the apps that distract you; opening one during a work session shows a block screen until the session ends
- Breaks unblock everything automatically, then blocking resumes with the next work session
- Block now: one free button blocks the same list until you turn it off, with or without the timer, breaks included
- Open anyway: an optional way through the block screen, with the uses per session (1 to 10 or no limit), the wait (up to 60 seconds), and how long the app stays open (1 to 15 minutes) all set in advance
- Three strictness levels: Normal (free, a pause lifts the block), Strict (Premium, holds through a pause and freezes the settings), Locked (Premium, the session cannot be skipped, reset, or ended after its first minute, with one emergency end a week)
- 3 apps free; unlimited on Premium on Android, up to 50 apps and 50 websites on iPhone
- Android uses usage access and permission to display over other apps, never an Accessibility service and never the installed-app-list permission; a short list (dialer, alarms, camera, Settings, home screen) can never be blocked
- iPhone uses Apple Screen Time (iOS 16.4+), where the selection is a sealed token Kaizen cannot read; Safari websites can be blocked too
- The block list never leaves the device: no servers, no crash reports, no sync
- Not available on the web or on Windows

### Timer Backgrounds (Free + Premium)
Backgrounds that sit behind the timer:
- Six collections: lofi illustrations, nature photography, city, cozy, space, minimal
- Both stills and animated video loops that play quietly behind the timer
- New backgrounds are added to the collection regularly
- Adjustable overlay darkness per background
- A selection of backgrounds is free; Premium includes the full library
- Light and dark app themes, or follow the system
- Premium: set your own image as a custom timer background

### Focus Music (Free + Premium)
- Categories: Lo-fi, Ambient, Nature, White Noise, Classical
- A free track in every category; full library on Premium
- Saved for offline listening after the first play, on mobile, desktop and web alike
- Volume control, an optional mute during breaks that resumes when work starts, and looping playback

### Statistics (Free: last 30 days; Premium: all-time)
- Focus time, session counts, and completion rates
- Daily streak tracking with milestone colors
- Focus tags: label each session with a preset category (Work, Study, Personal, Writing, Exercise, Reading, Chores, Other), then see a "Focus by Tag" breakdown of where your time goes. Tags can be edited on past sessions from your history.
- Focus patterns by hour and weekday, plus your session mix
- Time spent in Focus Rooms
- Cloud-synced across devices

### Focus Rooms (Free: join any room, public or private by code, and host a private room for up to 4; Premium: public rooms and rooms of up to 50)
- Public or private rooms, 2 to 50 members; a free host's room is private and holds up to 4
- Real-time presence states: Focusing, Short break, Long break, Paused, Away, Idle
- Each member's focus tag is visible, so you can see what the room is working on
- Live member timers, counting down for Pomodoro sessions and up for Stopwatch sessions, and an optional shared active task
- Removed after about 15 minutes of inactivity, which keeps presence genuine
- No video or audio required, just presence accountability
- Join via room code or browse public rooms

### Task Management (Free: 7 tasks + an unlimited Inbox, Premium: unlimited)
- A one-way flow with four stages: Inbox, To Do, Completed, Logbook
- Inbox is capture: a permanent one-line quick-add row writes here and nowhere else, with no priority or due date to decide. It is uncapped and free, so writing something down can never fail because the list is full
- Two ways to create: the quick-add row captures into the Inbox, the + button creates straight into To Do through the full form. Nothing reaches To Do without passing through that form
- Only the To Do list counts toward the free 7-task limit, and only tasks on it can be set as the timer's focus task
- Titles, descriptions, priorities (High/Medium/Low), and due dates
- Subtasks with drag-and-drop reordering, capped at 25 per task for everyone, and time estimates with a progress percentage. Both are free, on every plan
- Automatic time tracking during focus sessions
- "Tap to focus": set an active task and log time against it automatically
- Configurable To Do and Completed sorting, with the active task expandable on focus
- Logbook of completed, archived tasks with the time spent on each
- Premium: unlimited tasks

### Habit Tracking (Free: 5 habits, Premium: unlimited)
- Two habit types: check-off habits (one tap) and focus-time habits with a daily minute target
- Focus-time habits fill automatically from Pomodoro minutes: pick a habit on the Timer screen and your work sessions count toward it (a manual tap can also mark the day done)
- Schedule-aware forgiving streaks: skipped rest days and unscheduled days never break the chain, and today and the current week stay open until they end
- A consistency score (the share of scheduled days actually done, with skips counting on neither side) plus a consistency trend chart by week or month, so you can tell whether a habit is building or slipping. Both are free, including the all-time view
- Schedules: daily, specific weekdays, or a set number of times per week (weeks follow your week-start setting)
- Day-strip navigation, unlimited backdating, an archive that keeps your history, and optional per-habit reminders at any time of day (at most one push per habit per day, and never once the habit is done)
- Up to 5 active habits free; unlimited on Premium

### Languages (Free)
Available in 7 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch.
- Auto-detects the device language on first launch
- Manual override in settings

## Pricing

### Free Tier (Forever Free)
- Full Pomodoro timer
- Stopwatch mode (count-up focus)
- A selection of timer backgrounds
- Free music tracks
- Up to 7 tasks with time tracking, plus an unlimited capture Inbox
- Subtasks and time estimates
- Up to 5 habits with forgiving streaks and consistency tracking
- Blocking 3 apps during focus sessions, plus Block now and the full Open anyway hatch (iOS and Android)
- Join any Focus Room, public or private by code, and host a private room for up to 4 people (body doubling)
- Statistics for the last 30 days
- Streak tracking and cloud sync

### Premium
- Monthly: EUR 3.99/month
- Yearly: EUR 39.99/year (about 16% savings)
- 14-day free trial, cancel anytime

Premium includes:
- Unlimited tasks
- Unlimited habits
- Unlimited app blocking (up to 50 on iPhone) with the Strict and Locked levels
- Public Focus Rooms and rooms of up to 50 people
- Sharing your active task in rooms
- Full music library
- The full background library
- Custom timer background (use your own image)
- All-time statistics

## Platform Availability

- iOS: App Store
- Android: Google Play
- Web: Progressive Web App (PWA) at my-kaizen.app, installable on desktop and mobile
- Windows: Microsoft Store

## Comparison with Competitors

### Kaizen vs Forest
- Forest: gamified tree timer with app blocking and a friends-only Plant Together mode, no strangers, no desktop app, no tasks or habits
- Kaizen: app blocking during the focus sessions you start (3 apps free, iOS and Android), plus camera-free Focus Rooms, task management, a habit tracker, and focus music, on phone, web, and Windows. Details: https://my-kaizen.com/alternatives/forest

### Kaizen vs Focusmate
- Focusmate: booked 1-on-1 video sessions with a matched stranger, camera required, 3 free sessions a week, then $8 a month billed yearly or $12 monthly (September 2026)
- Kaizen: no video, rooms of 2 to 50, drop in any time, a built-in Pomodoro timer, and free joining of any room with no session limit. Details: https://my-kaizen.com/alternatives/focusmate

### Kaizen vs Pomofocus
- Pomofocus: free browser timer with a task list, estimates, reports, and Mac/Windows/Linux downloads; ads on the free tier; no social features, no habits, no official phone app
- Kaizen: cross-platform with native apps, Focus Rooms, habits, backgrounds, music, and task tracking, no ads

### Kaizen vs StudyStream
- StudyStream: 24/7 live video study rooms with hundreds of people, web + iOS + Android apps, Pomodoro timers, tasks, and streaks; free tier with unpublished limits, paid tiers from $1.99 (Basic) to $6.99 a month (Premium)
- Kaizen: no video, rooms of 2 to 50, camera-free presence, and Pomodoro-native

## Technical Details

- Cloud sync across all devices
- Account data, usage statistics, and error reports stored in the EU (Frankfurt)
- The timer stays accurate while the app is backgrounded or the device is locked
- PWA installable on desktop and mobile

## Contact

- Website: https://my-kaizen.com
- Web App: https://my-kaizen.app
- Support: support@my-kaizen.com
- Discord: https://discord.gg/ZkEq5S6Bcd
- X/Twitter: https://x.com/mykaizenapp (@mykaizenapp)
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykaizenapp/ (@mykaizenapp)
- App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6755314708
- Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maxkruiswegt.kaizen
- Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9MV8DVZ52JQS
- Features: https://my-kaizen.com/features
- Pomodoro Timer: https://my-kaizen.com/features/pomodoro-timer
- Stopwatch Mode: https://my-kaizen.com/features/stopwatch
- App Blocking: https://my-kaizen.com/features/app-blocking
- Focus Rooms: https://my-kaizen.com/features/focus-rooms
- Task Management: https://my-kaizen.com/features/task-management
- Habit Tracking: https://my-kaizen.com/features/habit-tracking
- Pricing: https://my-kaizen.com/pricing
- Privacy Policy: https://my-kaizen.com/privacy

## Common Questions

**Is Kaizen free?**
Yes. The core Pomodoro timer and Stopwatch mode are free forever, along with a selection of timer backgrounds. Free users also get up to 7 tasks (plus an unlimited capture Inbox), subtasks, time estimates, 5 habits, and can join any Focus Room, public or private, and host a private room for up to 4 people. Free users can also block 3 apps during focus sessions on iPhone and Android. Premium (EUR 3.99/month, 14-day free trial) adds unlimited tasks, habits and blocked apps, the Strict and Locked blocking levels, public rooms and rooms of up to 50, the full music and background library, and all-time statistics.

**Do I need a camera for Focus Rooms?**
No. Focus Rooms show presence (who is focusing, on a break, and so on) without video or audio. It is body doubling with privacy.

**Does the timer work in the background?**
Yes. Kaizen uses the system clock, so the timer stays accurate when the app is backgrounded or the device is locked, with a notification to bring you back.

**Is my data secure?**
Account data is stored in the EU (Frankfurt), and Kaizen never sells data or uses it for ads. Usage statistics (PostHog, EU) are not linked to your account unless you choose to link them in Settings. The privacy policy lists every service that processes data and what for: https://my-kaizen.com/privacy

**Can I use Kaizen for ADHD?**
Many people with ADHD say body doubling helps them start tasks, and Focus Rooms provide it without a camera. The evidence is survey-based, not clinical: see https://my-kaizen.com/body-doubling for what the research does and does not show. The Pomodoro Technique breaks work into short intervals with breaks.

**What platforms are supported?**
iOS, Android, Web (PWA), and Windows (Microsoft Store).