BreatheBar - macOS Menu Bar Breathing Reminder
Minimalist macOS app reminding users to take breathing breaks for stress reduction and focus
Problem
Knowledge workers spend 8-10 hours at computers with minimal breaks, leading to stress accumulation and reduced focus. Existing reminder apps are intrusive and easily ignored, interrupting flow states rather than supporting wellbeing.
Key issues with existing solutions:
- Intrusive Notifications: Loud sounds and modal dialogs break focus
- Feature Bloat: Complex apps with unnecessary features
- Privacy Concerns: Apps tracking usage, requiring accounts, collecting data
- Resource Heavy: Background apps consuming CPU and memory
- Ignored Quickly: Annoying reminders trained to be dismissed without action
Solution
Subtle menu bar app that prompts 60-second breathing exercises at customizable intervals with optional guided breathing animation. Designed to support rather than interrupt.
Design Philosophy
Minimal by Default: Lives quietly in menu bar, no dock icon, no window unless opened.
Gentle Nudging: Subtle visual indicators rather than aggressive notifications.
Privacy First: No data collection, no analytics, no network requests, no accounts.
Lightweight: Under 5MB app size, minimal CPU/memory usage.
Key Features
- Non-Intrusive Reminders: Gentle menu bar icon change, optional notification (no sound)
- Customizable Interval: Adjustable from 30-120 minutes between reminders
- Flexible Duration: Breathing exercises from 30-180 seconds
- Guided Animation: Optional breathing circle animation for visual guidance
- Dark Mode Support: Adapts to system appearance
- Launch at Login: Optional auto-start for consistent practice
Technical Implementation
SwiftUI: Modern declarative UI for menu bar popover and settings.
Combine Framework: Reactive timer management for precise intervals.
UserDefaults: Local preferences storage, no cloud sync needed.
Notification Center: System-native notifications with customizable behavior.
Menu Bar Integration: NSStatusItem for persistent, unobtrusive presence.
Impact
Adoption Metrics
- 150+ GitHub stars
- 1000+ downloads from releases
- Featured in productivity tool roundups
- Positive user testimonials
User Feedback Themes
- “Finally a reminder app that doesn’t annoy me”
- “Actually started taking breaks because it’s so gentle”
- “Love that it respects my privacy”
- “Simple, does exactly what it says”
Lessons Learned
Subtlety Works: Gentle reminders are more effective than aggressive ones because they don’t trigger resistance.
Privacy as Feature: Users appreciate apps that don’t track them. “No analytics” is a selling point.
Scope Discipline: Resisted feature creep. App does one thing well rather than many things poorly.
Native Feels Right: Using system-native patterns (menu bar, notifications) made the app feel like part of macOS rather than a third-party intrusion.
Future Considerations
- iOS companion app (same minimal philosophy)
- Shortcuts integration for automation
- Health app integration (optional, user-initiated)
- Breathing technique variations