I’ve tried every kind of time-tracking apps over time and they are often useful, however it is easy to get slowed down within the numbers. Generally all you want is slightly self-awareness about how lengthy you’ve got been on the pc, both all day or through the present session, with out the burden of long-term metrics.
Pandan is a very free Mac app from indie app developer Sindre Sorhus that that does precisely that. The applying largely lives within the menu bar, telling you ways lengthy your present computing session has been. You possibly can click on the menu bar icon to see how lengthy the earlier session was and the way lengthy you’ve got been in your pc at present.
Credit score: Justin Pot
You can even dig into the historical past, if you’d like—the purposes goes again 180 days. However historical past is not the purpose of this software, which could be very a lot not a time-tracking app—Sorhus recommends trying into Display screen Time if you wish to monitor longterm traits. Pandan is as an alternative about gently reminding you ways lengthy you’ve got been on the pc so you may concentrate on that.
The settings allow you to arrange an optionally available reminder if you’ve been in your pc for a selected period of time. These can take the type of a macOS notification, a pop-up close to the menu bar icon, or a HUD in the course of the display as seen on the high of this text. The concept is to remind your self to stand up or do some stretches.
You possibly can even set off an Apple Shortcut if you’d like, which implies you may arrange your pc to do all types of issues when it is time for a break. I can not precisely clarify all the things Apple Shortcuts can do—it is a highly effective device—however know that this implies you possibly can do issues like load specific purposes or play a customized sound if you’ve been in your pc for a sure period of time. And Pandan may also be triggered utilizing Apple Shortcuts, which means you possibly can use it as a part of productiveness automations you’ve got already arrange.
That is all energy consumer stuff, although. For most individuals this software would not must do something aside from the fundamentals, and that is telling you—at a look—how lengthy you’ve got been at your pc. It is superb at that, and fully free, all from a developer with an important fame. Test it out in case you’re .
