Set the timer to 143 seconds

Online timer for 143 seconds

Your tea is brewing while you finish a task that cannot be left halfway, so 143 seconds gives the leaves time to produce a strong cup without pulling you away for long. You can keep reading, writing or sorting something out, knowing the interruption has a clear purpose: returning to the pot before the brew becomes harsher than you wanted.

With your attention elsewhere, the signal needs to be audible above a radio, extractor fan or conversation in the kitchen. Keeping the phone nearby helps, but placing it beside the kettle may let boiling water mask the sound. A vibration against a hard worktop adds another cue, making the end less likely to disappear into ordinary household noise.

When the alert breaks your concentration, pause at a natural stopping point rather than trying to hold the unfinished thought in your head. Pour the tea, remove the leaves or tea bag, then note a few words about what comes next in your other task. That small marker makes it easier to resume after adding milk and carrying your mug back.