Focus timer for CFA candidates
Pick a focus and break cycle and press start. The timer signals the end of each block and counts the minutes you have studied today. Everything runs in the browser, with nothing to install and no account needed.
Figures stay in your browser, are never sent anywhere, and disappear if you clear browsing data.
Choosing a cycle
The 25 and 5 cycle suits days when starting is the problem. Committing to 25 minutes is a much lower barrier, and in practice most people carry on past the first block.
The 50 and 10 cycle suits material that needs a long thread, such as working through a Financial Statement Analysis item with several dependent calculations. Breaking at minute 25 there usually costs more time than it saves.
The 90 and 20 cycle is for weekend sessions with a clear stretch of time. It also sits close to the length of a real exam session at 135 minutes, which makes it useful for building stamina near the end.
Breaks matter as much as the focus blocks
A break only works if it is genuinely a break. Opening social media during five minutes off keeps the brain processing new input, so you return no fresher than you left.
A better use is to stand, look into the distance, drink water, walk a little. For anyone sitting for long stretches, leaving the chair every 25 to 50 minutes also helps the back and eyes, both of which suffer during exam season.
Measuring study time tells you whether the plan is real
Most candidates overestimate how much they study, because time with the book open counts as study time. A timer only counts blocks where you were actually working, so the number is closer to reality.
If you are following a weekly study plan, compare the measured minutes with the hours you committed to. The gap between them is the thing to fix early, since a plan built on a wrong time budget degrades quietly until the exam is close.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the daily minute count stored?
In your browser, keyed by date. Nothing is sent to a server, and the figures disappear if you clear browsing data.
Does the timer keep running if I close the tab?
No. It runs inside the page, so the tab needs to stay open. Completed sessions are still saved.
Why can I not hear the alert?
Many browsers block audio until you interact with the page. Pressing start once enables the sound for later blocks.
Which cycle is best for CFA study?
There is no single best cycle. Use 25/5 when starting is hard, 50/10 for multi-step calculations, and 90/20 to build stamina close to the exam.
Practise CFA Level 1 with 3,023 questions
A free account includes all of Mock Test 1 for 2026 with explanations. No card required.
Start free