Time management is a one thing that most people wish they could get right. However, the opposite is true, and we are always trying to fill in the gaps that cannot be accounted for. Successful people are very good time managers, either through habit or using time management tools.
The time management tools differ in functionality and performance, and it is important to get the right mix of features. Some of the factors to consider are ease of use, user interface, time tracking options, flexibility, notifications, reminders, presentation of reports, etc. To help you choose the right tool, below are the 5 best free time management apps for Android.
Timesheet
The Timesheet allows the user to break down and assign time to specific tasks. It has an option of adding breaks, tags and expenses as well as well adding notes to the tasks. In addition, you can export the sheets to Excel or CSV.
Other great features of the Timesheet are the ability to associate a task to a specific wireless network (WLAN). This allows the user to automatically start tracking time for a specific task once the associated WLAN is within range. This ensures that one doesn’t forget to start the time when working on a task associated with a specific wireless network or client.
In the event that a user stops the time for a particular task, there is an option of adding notes on what one did during this time, or even add an emoticon showing someone’s feelings about the task.
The Timesheet time management app allows one to view all the tasks, or only those performed within specific time ranges. A summary of how you have spent time in a week is usually displayed on the main screen to help you get an update on how you are fairing.
Time recording
Time recording is a simple, yet very powerful time management tool with a variety of features and customizable options. The app has an option of automatically backing up its data either in Dropbox or Google drive. In addition, there is an option of adding time to tasks performed in the days that have passed, just in case one forgets to track the time on particular tasks.
It has several settings, including target times for the tasks. The target time can be set for the day, week of month. As you work on the project, the Time Recording app will keep you informed of the remaining or extra time you have spent on a task. For example, if the target is 10 hours per day, then at 6 hours, the app shows -4 hours (remaining) and at 12 hours, the app will shows +2hours (extra).
The app has check-in and check-out times, task assignment, detailed notes and an overview of how you have spent time during a particular day, week or month. The smallest unit of time that can be tracked is one minute. The status bar becomes available once someone checks in.
aTimeLogger – Time Tracker
The aTimeLogger is a time management app with an easy and intuitive user interface. This has features that appeal to both personal and work related activities. As such, it is ideal for all types of people; it works great for business people, sportsmen, parents and anyone interested in controlling and optimizing the time in their daily activities.
The aTimeLogger assists users to get organized, use their time efficiently and reach their goals. The easy to use time management app lets one to pause and resume the timing, has automatic time tracking that can be integrated with the Locale or Tasker and options for groups as well as handling simultaneous activities.
The reports are available in several formats including CSV and HTML while statistics are presented through pie charts and graphs and may be configured to show what a user has used time on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The data lets the users understand how they spend their time and make adjustments appropriately to better control and manage their time.
Toggl Time Tracker
The Toggl time tracker records time when either online or offline, and one can set up tasks, tags, clients and projects as desired. The cloud based app keeps track of how one spends time on various activities, hence indicating where most time is lost or when one is unproductive. The time usage reports are available offline and accessible inside the app, but can also be exported to the cloud.
Another feature is the collaborative time tracking that shows how the team is spending their time and the tasks that are taking the most time. The free version allows tracking of time for teams of up to five members.
The time management app enables users to log their time for both work and personal activities and is suitable for tracking and increasing productivity for both employees as well as individual personal tasks.
Yast time management app
Yast is an easy, web-based time tracker that lets user track their time from anywhere. Accessed through an Android front-end, the app has an option of syncing up the data to a web server. However, one must be connected to the internet in order to track the time.
The app lets its users to set up different activities or projects to be tracked. This is followed by setting the time to start the tracking. There is an option of adding comments to the activities and describing what has been done during that time.
The reports are stored online where one can view the tracked time in various ways. For example, one can view the data for a specific time period, for a day, a week, a month, by project or record type. In addition, the reports can be exported to PDF, CSV or XLS formats.
Conclusion
Efficient time management offers a wide range of benefits; it increases productivity as well as leaving more time in someone’s private life. Technology has made this easier and it is now possible to track how one spends the time on various tasks.
There are various ways of tracking your time, these include using any of the above 5 best free time management apps as well as other premium tools. If used well, these will let you identify where you spend most of the time, let you adjust and start using your time well, thereby increasing productivity and personal satisfaction.