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How Do I Choose the Best Free Time Management Software?

D. Nelson
D. Nelson

To choose the best free time management software, it can be a good idea to become familiar with different programs on the market. This can give you a good overview of the kinds of features included in many software models. While you are learning about the different kinds of free time management software, it can also be helpful to read user and editor reviews and ratings. Factors such as security and compatibility can also be important to consider when you are choosing the best software.

Free time management software is any kind of computer program that can be accessed free of charge and which can help individuals prioritize their tasks and create schedules to meet their goals. This software is often designed for specific kinds of users. For example, time management software for professionals might include features such as email organization and schedule sharing. A program made for individuals who need help with time management in their personal lives might include features that allow users to track progress toward their desired goals.

Time management software.
Time management software.

Trade magazines and informational websites can be valuable resources for choosing the best free time management software. Online forums often provide readers with user reviews that can give you insight into factors such as user friendliness and effectiveness. It can be a good idea to read several sources about a program before you commit to it.

Free time management software can be accessed for no cost, so you might want to download several programs that interest you. Before implementing one of these programs into your daily routine, learn about the features and dependability of each program. Look for aspects that are important to you, such as a graphic interface that is easy to use and charts that are easy to read. You also may want to make sure that a program can run smoothly on your operating system.

Many kinds of free time management software are open source.
Many kinds of free time management software are open source.

Many kinds of free time management software are open source. This means that source code for these programs often are developed by a number of different programmers and are made available to the public. Some critics of open source software believe that these programs can be lacking in security. If you plan on storing sensitive data on your software, you might want to perform some further research regarding security of a program. Individuals who plan on using free time management software in a professional setting might want to consult a manager or Information Technology (IT) professional regarding security of software.

Discussion Comments

miriam98

@allenJo - At work we are required to use project time management software. We have to create a list of tasks, activities within the tasks, and input how much time we have spent on that task for the day.

We can either use a stopwatch style timer or just enter the information at the end of the day. I just choose to enter all the information at the end of the day since I find it hard to keep up with the timer.

One of the things that we have to indicate in the software is whether or not the project we are working on is billable. We do offer billable services to our clients and we have a billable rate associated with our time.

Anyway, it is a useful feature, and it lets us know if we are making money or losing money on a particular project.

allenJo

@pastanaga - The best free time clock software that I’ve used is not so much a full featured application, as it is more of a task based application that times how quickly you complete an assignment.

For example, there is this belief that we do well when we work in spurts of 30 minutes or so, and then take a break of five minutes.

This software application will time me for that time, and then have me take a break, and continue with that task. I find that indeed I do work better when I use that approach instead of trying to do things in increments of an hour or two.

What happens is that with each break you get a fresh supply of energy that enables you to work productively for the next thirty minutes. The software has a help mode which explains the whole principle to you and helps you log all of your activities for the day.

irontoenail

I quite liked one I found online where they would not only let you track your appointments during the day, they would also let you install different goals to be met in different ways.

I guess it was more of a project management software, but it had a time manager software aspect as well.

I created, for example, a category for minutes spent walking, and for the amount of words I had written that day, and tried to reach a goal each time.

It was really nice being able to analyze some statistics on how well I was doing day to day and week to week. It really helped me track my progress.

Plus the time management software was mostly free. It did had a web based component that you could pay a bit extra for if you wanted.

pastanaga

One of my favorite free time management programs had a lovely feature where it would state the time in a voice of your choosing. It had different accents, as well as an actor who sounded like Morgan Freeman (who has such a great voice!).

I found it really helped when I was trying to get things done online, because often I would completely lose track of the time and someone saying the hour, or when I set the alarm really helped.

Unfortunately, it was only free for 60 days and I haven't gotten around to buying it yet, so I have to do without my wake up call for now!

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    • Time management software.
      By: Hedgehog
      Time management software.
    • Many kinds of free time management software are open source.
      By: Gandolfo Cannatella
      Many kinds of free time management software are open source.