How to Choose the Best Time Management App for Remote Work

Choosing a time management app for remote work isn’t always straightforward. While all these apps are designed to increase efficiency, there’s a line that needs to be drawn between monitoring performance and respecting privacy.

To make a measured, appropriate decision about what time management app to use, consider capabilities in time tracking, screen monitoring, distraction management, and reporting and integration.

Time Tracking

If you’re dealing with freelancers, you may be wondering what is the best time management app you can decide on to make sure you’re only paying for the time spent working on your task. And time tracking is the most basic feature any software that wants to have a shot at the title of the best time management app must offer.

Timers can be turned on manually when an employee starts to work on a specific task, or you can go with more advanced project management solutions that automatically record the time spent for one task to go from one status to another. Time tracking is not only useful for seeing how much time is spent on an assignment. It can provide valuable info on how to better plan tasks for future projects. For that, you should also consider checking out some planner apps to make sure you have everything covered. You’ll find plenty of suggestions to get the best planner app and further improve your business’ efficiency.

Website and Screen Monitoring

Reliable time management software should also offer screen and website monitoring. Even though most employees are not going to be thrilled about it, sometimes citing privacy, this is not necessarily a violation of personal boundaries. A good manager uses all this data to optimize the processes and will never need to know personal details. Also, the websites used are tracked only while the app is turned on. So, just like the timer, it will only record work-related activity.

The same goes for screen monitoring. Most apps provide this option through random screenshots taken at different intervals. There’s nothing to be worried about as long as you are actually focusing on the task at hand while having screen monitoring turned on. After all, working from home still requires work.

As a freelancer or remote employee, you can view time management software either as your biggest enemy if you’re not that goal-oriented, or as an excellent way to prove your efficiency and increase your rates in no time.  Just like mobile apps transform the education industry step by step, a time management app can improve the freelance sector considerably when used correctly by both freelancers and managers.

Distraction Management

Even if the freelancer is well-intentioned, distractions can be hard to avoid. So, a time management app should deal with that well. It should identify when the user visits websites that usually consume a lot of time – Facebook, YouTube, etc. – and generate a pop-up asking if she is still working on the project they started.

Again, it may be interpreted as a way to closely monitor every move of a remote employee. However, it’s all about making the entire process more efficient as once the task is done, you can simply turn off the monitoring app and enjoy your favorite videos on YouTube or catch-up with some friends.

Reporting and Integration

Last but not least, a time management app should provide reports as detailed as possible regarding time spent on certain activities, websites, and project-based breakdowns. This is a very important resource for making future projects even more efficient and ensuring that your employees get satisfaction from their work.

Integration is everything. You can possibly talk about a project without various project management tools and apps. You should look for integration with popular apps such as Slack, Jira, Asana, or any other similar programs your team is using.

Choose the Best Time Management Tool for Your Company

No matter the situation, a time management app will always have an important place in organizing remote teams and freelancers. We’ve highlighted some essential features you need from your time management software so that you can optimize the entire process and keep taking steps forward.

As always, we’re more than curious to hear your opinion on the time management app concept, what’s your take on them, and which ones do you use. Use the comments section to share your thoughts and help other readers explore more on this broad subject.