Zone

Zone is a handy little macOS tool that hangs out in your status bar. It helps you track how much time you spend on different tasks. You can only run one timer at a time, but it automatically creates an activity chart for you, and you can easily export your data to a CSV file.

Getting Started with Zone

As soon as you open Zone, it prompts you to set up your tasks in the settings panel. You can add as many tasks as you want, but keep in mind there’s a limit on the number of color labels available for each task.

Task Names and Display

The text field lets you write a longer description for each timer, but here’s the catch: you won’t be able to see the full text in the Zone menu or the task manager window. Just something to remember!

Starting Your Timer

Once you've got your task set up, Zone adds it right to your status bar menu. You can kick off the timer with just a click of your mouse!

Your Working Sessions

Keep in mind that every time you start working, Zone will launch a new timer for that session. You'll be able to check out the start and end times in the reports window later on.

Viewing Reports

You can launch the Reports window from the Zone menu too! Here, you'll see all your working sessions for the current week, and those color labels will help differentiate between projects.

List Mode Option

If you'd rather view everything clearly listed out instead of by project colors, there's an option for list mode too! This way, you'll get a straightforward look at all sessions tied to each task.

Exporting Your Data

When it's time to export your info to CSV format, Zone lets you pick which period you want to extract data from. Plus, you have options like aggregating information by days or merging sessions if breaks are shorter than a certain time.

The Bottom Line on Zone

In short, Zone is an efficient tool for tracking how much time you're spending on projects. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t support hierarchical tasks or create fancy reports and has limited color labels.

If you're managing just a few projects at once, though, this could be just what you need! It even connects with Notification Center so you'll know when it's break time!