I made a small digital clock program that I put on a small display.

It sat next to me while I worked, and I found the transitions from one time to another (like 1:01 -> 1:02) to be distracting. So I changed the transition to be a gradual fade and it helped.

Now that I think about it, I remember getting distracted years ago at a home with a grandfather clock. A quiet room except for the ticking. Definitely accentuated boredom (which with smartphones, we never have anymore)

Yeah, at work we switched phone systems a few years back to some Avaya phones. The new ones had a small screen on them. After 15-30 minute idle, they'd display the a logo that would jump to a new location every minute or two. It was a constant distraction in the corner of my vision. Ended up moving the phone to where I couldn't see it. About 10% of the workforce found it distracting.

It's a potentially insulting gift for a writer. Writing lies between job and hobby, depending on success.

This product, from the ad copy, is targeted at fans of writing. People sitting on the bleachers, not the ones on the court.

So from the right angle, the gift reads as saying "I don't take you seriously - you're a wannabe".