There are numerous time-tracking applications for Mac that automatically log your logged-in hours. Some even provide granular data, such as the amount of time spent on a specific app. Balance is a new app that takes a slightly different approach to timekeeping by allowing users to manually punch in and out the amount of time they spend in front of a screen.
Balance aims to help users develop a set of healthy work habits as opposed to providing them with granular productivity data. It will not tell you how long you had Slack, Microsoft Teams, Chrome, or any other application open on your computer, but it will provide general information about your overall system usage and time spent in various sessions during the week.
Balance sends you a notification if your computer has been on for more than five minutes but you have not yet clocked in. Locking your Mac is the simplest way to log out. Balance does not register a clock-out if your computer goes to sleep.
As there is no automatic tracking, the app cannot determine if you have taken a break even if you leave your computer. Therefore, you will be prompted to take a break after 60 minutes. These settings are easily adjustable for your convenience.
Balance also provides a Pomodoro timer (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) accessible via the Focus mode menu. The application resides in the menu bar of your Mac, allowing for quick access to all options. By default, it displays the active time of the current session, but you can change it to the total session duration, including breaks, or the time since the last break.
Alexander Sandberg, the creator of Balance, explains that he created the application because he desired a timer that comprehends work-life balance. In an interview with TechCrunch, he explained that, while working from home, he frequently sat in front of his computer well past his work hours, which prompted him to develop Balance.
“I chose a manual clocking system for Balance because I believe it aids in establishing a ‘ritual’ for entering and exiting the workplace. Especially when working from home, it is essential to have a way to distinguish between work time and non-work time. For instance, I’ve heard of people who walk a short distance to and from “the office” each morning and evening, even though their office is at home. This is to help the mind and body distinguish between life and work, he explained in an email to TechCrunch.
Balance is useful for establishing the routine of clocking in and out, but it may take some time to get used to. There may be numerous sessions that you forget to begin or end. Thus, false positives are possible on both ends.
Balance is available for free to all users, with an introductory price of $2.49 per month (or $24.99 per year) for the Pro version. Customers who pay will receive features such as session history with trend data. Balance also allows users to export their logs if they no longer wish to use the application or if they wish to analyze their data in a different manner.
Sandberg stated that he is developing more pro features to help users concentrate, including a better session history overview with month and year, categorization and labeling of sessions, and app and website blocking.
