Set the timer to 87 seconds

How to use the online timer

Start the countdown, then leave the phone alone while you fill in the family GP registration form. Eighty-seven seconds gives you a compact window for entering details already close at hand, such as your postcode, NHS number or previous surgery information. Rather than watching the display, use the interval to complete one clearly defined section.

Moving between the form and a document can take your attention away from the countdown, especially when your phone dims or locks before it finishes. The timer can continue without remaining visible, so the dark screen need not interrupt the registration task. Keep the form open on another device, or have the relevant details written beside you, and treat the alert as the point to pause and check your progress.

While completing the registration, occupy the waiting moments by reading the next field, finding a date in your records or checking the spelling of an address. These small tasks stop the changing numbers from becoming a distraction and keep the short interval useful. If you finish the chosen section early, review it calmly; if the alert sounds first, note the field you reached before continuing.