Macs are very productive machines and we all spend at least 8-10 hours a day working on them. Getting an idea of how we spend time on our Mac can go a long way in showing us how productive we truly are. We all think that we are managing our time in the best way and we do not waste it anywhere without realizing it. But the truth is, we all lie to ourselves when it comes to accounting for the time we spend. We lie because we never really tried to follow him.
If you really want to know where your time is going, you need to take an active interest in accounting for it. I understand it’s hard to do this all day, but at least we can for the time we spend working on our Macs. The best part is that Macs make it very easy for us to track the time we spend on them without disrupting our workflow. So, if you’re really interested in finding out how productive you are, Here’s how you can track the time you spend on your Mac:
Using Third-Party Time Tracking Apps
Unfortunately, the Mac doesn’t come with a built-in tool to track the time you spend on it. However, there are many third-party software (apps) that can help you keep track of your time accurately. I have downloaded and used many such apps over time and have found the following two to be the best in my use.
1. Timing App
One of the biggest reasons Macs are considered productive machines is the quality of the apps available on the platform. Mac apps help us perform actions that are not possible otherwise. Mac apps tend to stay in the background while letting you do your work. Timing is one such app that lives quietly in the background, keeping track of every minute you spend without disturbing you. After the application is launched, it lives in the menu bar and saves the time you spend in different apps. The app is so good that it can even monitor individual windows, files, and folders that you have opened.
If you are working on more than one document, you the time you spend on individual documents separately. You can tag your work and assign it to different projects. This will allow you to keep track of the time you spend on each project. There is so much more you can do with this app. One of the simplest features of this app I love, efficiency points assigned based on your work. This allows you to see your productivity at a glance. Don’t be surprised to see your productivity stats hover between 50% and 70% the first time you use it. I can’t tell you how much my productivity has improved since I started using this app. The app is quite costly but comes with a free trial period. Use the trial period before deciding to purchase the app.
To organise: (free trial$29, $49, $79)
2. Qbserve
Another good app to use if you want to monitor the time you spend on your Mac is Qbserve. Just like Schedule, it is available in your menu bar which records all your activities in the background when the app is launched. In addition to showing the time you spent on each app, see what you are doing at any time of the day. The time log is kept every 10 minutes and gives you a very detailed view of your day. One feature I like about this app is the productivity status it offers in the menu bar icon. You don’t have to open the application window to see how productive you are. It acts as a gentle reminder when your productivity starts to go down. The productivity stat is also color-coded and changes from red to green as your productivity percentage increases.
This app is also good for freelancers who get paid hourly. You can create projects and assign your work to specific projects. This way, you can accurately measure the time spent on each project. you can even create invoices directly from the app. However, since I am not a freelancer, I did not use this feature of the application. What I used this app for was to track my time and it works perfectly. Again, you’d be surprised how much time you lost unknowingly.
To organise: (free trial$40)
SEE ALSO: 6 Best Pomodoro Scheduler Apps for Mac to Boost Productivity
Track Your Time on Mac and Be More Productive
Tracking the time you spend on your Mac can really help you understand where your time is being spent. You may feel like you work all day, but your stats tend to say otherwise. Look, no one can be 100% productive all the time and that’s not the point of using these apps. The goal is to find where you’re wasting your time, and then find a way to minimize it as much as possible. It’s time to stop lying to ourselves and take control of our time. These tools have helped me a lot and I’m sure they will help you too. Use them and leave your productivity score for the first day in the comment section below.
