A simple but effective idea. A young Japanese developer created a Chrome extension called “Cat Gatekeeper,” where an orange, chubby cat appears on your screen when you’ve been stuck to it for too long. It’s a way to force yourself to take a break.
It also works on social media—on Instagram, TikTok, and X—where you can activate it. The limit is 60 minutes, and then the cat appears for 5 minutes, during which the screen is blocked.
In this way, people can’t ignore the usual reminders, and it forces them to rest their eyes, making it easier and less forced to step away from the phone or screen.
This fun way of encouraging screen breaks has gone viral across multiple platforms.