Workpuls Teramind ActivTrak Hubstaff DeskTime Time Doctor RescueTime Kickidler Veriato Work Examiner
OVERVIEW
Price $6/user/month $6/user/month $7.20/user/month $7/user/month $7/user/month $9.99/user/month $6/user/month $9.99/user/month $150/licence/year $60/licence (lifetime)
Free trial 7 days 7 days No 14 days 14 days 14 days 30 days 7 days Yes 30 days
Ease of use Very easy Difficult Very easy Easy Easy Very easy Very easy Very easy Very difficult Easy
TRACKING METHODS
Unlimited (tracker working 24/7)
Fixed (defined working hours)
Automatic (when computer is connected to a specified network)
Manual (start/stop)
Project based (track time only on projects)
GENERAL MONITORING FEATURES
Stealth mode
App and website usage
Real-time monitoring
Offline time tracking
Attendance
Activity levels
Keylogger
Geolocation
Remote desktop control
Website/activity blocking
SCREENSHOTS AND RECORDING
Screenshots
Screenshots on demand
Screen recording
PRODUCTIVITY FEATURES
Productivity trends
Websites and apps labeling
Category labeling
Productivity alerts
ADVANCED SECURITY FEATURES
User behavior analytics
Data loss prevention
Advanced file and web monitoring
REPORTING
Productivity reports
Team reports
Timelines
Email reports
Access management
PLATFORMS
Web
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
Mobile app iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android Android
Browser extension Chrome Chrome Chrome
Other Citrix, VMware Chrome OS
OTHER
Support Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Email, online Phone, email, online, in-person Online Phone, email, online Email, online, Viber, Whatsapp Phone, email, online, support ticket Phone, email, online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Integrations comming soon
API
Deployment cloud, on-premise cloud, on-premise, AWS, Azure cloud cloud cloud cloud cloud on-premise cloud, on-premise on-premise
Kronos Humanity Timeclockplus Tsheets Wheniwork Deputy Replicon Jibble EbilityTimeTracker OnTheClock BeeBole
OVERVIEW
Price(per month)Available upon requestFrom $2 per userAvailable upon requestFrom $6.40 per user+$16Free for up to 75 usersFrom $2.50 per userBasic plan:$30 for 5 users+$5 per additional userFrom $1.50 per employeeFrom $4 per user+$8From $2.20 per user$5.99 per user per month
Free trial30 days14 daysYes14 days14 days14 days30 days30 days,no credit card required
Ease of useDifficultEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyEasy
FEATURES
Timecard management
Scheduling
Shift Trading
Timesheets
Break time management
Real-time tracking
PTO Management
Payroll
Invoicing
Client billing
GPS tracking
Clock out reminders
Alerts
Manual time
PUNCH-IN METHODS
Web app
Mobile app
Time clock device
Time clock kiosk
Facial recognition
Fingerprint scanning
Geofencing
Group punch-in
REPORTING
Visual reports
Email reports
Time rounding
MANAGEMENT
Permissions
Manager approvals
Add time for others
Integrations
PLATFORMS
Web
Android app
iOS app
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
OTHER
SupportPhone and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,chat and onlinePhone and chatEmail and onlineChat and phonePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlineOnline chat and video support in English,French,and Spanish
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Community forum
API

Since time never stops, it can be hard to monitor and control. Once the time has slipped away, you can never get it back. For a company, losing time usually means losing money. But how can you stop losing your company’s money because of lost time?


The trick is to organize your time and what you have to do more effectively so that you can get more done each day. Better time management can have many benefits – from lower stress levels to better productivity, which could result in better business results.


Different time management techniques work for different people. The key is to find the one that works for your specific needs and schedule. 


One of the easiest ways to get started with time management is to try the 4Ds of time management.


What Are the 4Ds of Time Management?


The 4Ds of time management is a technique that encourages you to, before acting on requests, first filter that request through the 4Ds. The 4Ds are:

  • Delete
  • Delegate
  • Defer
  • Do


And we’ll explore all of them in more detail below.


Delete


Delete is also known as "drop", but the premise is the same. First, you should discard all the unnecessary and unimportant professional and personal obligations. At first, you may feel anxious about not committing to something. However, you do not have to drop everything from your life. 


All you have to do is take some time to figure out what is important for your personal and professional life and what is wasting your time and then remove those obligations that are just wasting your time. 


Delegate


If there is something on your schedule that has to be done but is a waste of your time, then you need to assign that task to someone else. 


For example, if you have to write some code and you know how, but that time you would spend on coding could be used for  a more pressing matter, you should delegate that task to someone on your team.


Defer


If you have a task that you have to do and only you can do that task but do not have the time to do, you should defer that task to when you have more time. By deferring tasks to a later date, you can free up time for those tasks that you have to do right away. Figuring out what can be put off for later can be though, especially when everything you do seems to be urgent or important, at least from your perspective. 


If you’re having a hard time figuring out what’s the priority on your task list, take it to your team. Have an open discussion about priorities and defer the tasks afterwards. 


Do


The fourth and the final D of the 4Ds of time management is Do. It refers to any tasks that can be done quickly, in a couple of minutes. Make sure you do not let those tasks pile up, just do them. The "do" also refers to the tasks you have filtered through the previous 3Ds – to those tasks that are important, that you cannot delegate to anyone else and that you need to do right away.

How to Get the Most out of the 4Ds of Time Management?


To get the most out of the 4Ds of time management, you first need to see exactly how are you spending your time – how much time certain tasks take and how much of your time are you wasting. By doing this, you will be able to get the most out of the 4Ds of time management technique. You can log your time manually, by writing down your activities or you can use a time software for PC, like Insightful.


The advantage of using time software for PC instead of writing down your activities is that the process is almost fully automatic and autonomous. All you need to do is type out the task that you are doing and the time software for PC will do the rest. In addition to making the time tracking process easier, Insightful can also tell you how exactly you are spending your time by showing you which software and websites you are using the most and whether or not the software and websites you are using are making you productive or helping you procrastinate.


After you understand how you spend your time and where the 4Ds fit into your life, you will be well on your way to mastering time management. By mastering your time, you will be able to achieve much more in less time.


Final Thoughts


The 4Ds of time management is a simple, yet powerful time management technique that only requires you to take a harder look at how you spend your time and if your tasks can be dropped, delegated to someone else, scheduled to a later date, or need to be done right away.


By knowing exactly what tasks you need to work on, you will not have to be anxious about your work anymore. Without feeling overwhelmed by your work, your focus, efficiency, and productivity are likely to improve as well.


We’ve reserved a 7-day free trial for you….

Want your hybrid or remote team to be more productive?

Claim your free 7-Day full feature trial of Insightful today. Insightful’s actionable work insights make your team more productive, efficient and accountable.

Ready to Take Full Control Of Your Workplace?

Try the simplest solution today…

Start Free Trial
Time Tracking

How Can the 4Ds of Time Management Help You Be More Productive?

Written by
Vojin Deronjic
Published on
June 15, 2020

Since time never stops, it can be hard to monitor and control. Once the time has slipped away, you can never get it back. For a company, losing time usually means losing money. But how can you stop losing your company’s money because of lost time?


The trick is to organize your time and what you have to do more effectively so that you can get more done each day. Better time management can have many benefits – from lower stress levels to better productivity, which could result in better business results.


Different time management techniques work for different people. The key is to find the one that works for your specific needs and schedule. 


One of the easiest ways to get started with time management is to try the 4Ds of time management.


What Are the 4Ds of Time Management?


The 4Ds of time management is a technique that encourages you to, before acting on requests, first filter that request through the 4Ds. The 4Ds are:

  • Delete
  • Delegate
  • Defer
  • Do


And we’ll explore all of them in more detail below.


Delete


Delete is also known as "drop", but the premise is the same. First, you should discard all the unnecessary and unimportant professional and personal obligations. At first, you may feel anxious about not committing to something. However, you do not have to drop everything from your life. 


All you have to do is take some time to figure out what is important for your personal and professional life and what is wasting your time and then remove those obligations that are just wasting your time. 


Delegate


If there is something on your schedule that has to be done but is a waste of your time, then you need to assign that task to someone else. 


For example, if you have to write some code and you know how, but that time you would spend on coding could be used for  a more pressing matter, you should delegate that task to someone on your team.


Defer


If you have a task that you have to do and only you can do that task but do not have the time to do, you should defer that task to when you have more time. By deferring tasks to a later date, you can free up time for those tasks that you have to do right away. Figuring out what can be put off for later can be though, especially when everything you do seems to be urgent or important, at least from your perspective. 


If you’re having a hard time figuring out what’s the priority on your task list, take it to your team. Have an open discussion about priorities and defer the tasks afterwards. 


Do


The fourth and the final D of the 4Ds of time management is Do. It refers to any tasks that can be done quickly, in a couple of minutes. Make sure you do not let those tasks pile up, just do them. The "do" also refers to the tasks you have filtered through the previous 3Ds – to those tasks that are important, that you cannot delegate to anyone else and that you need to do right away.

How to Get the Most out of the 4Ds of Time Management?


To get the most out of the 4Ds of time management, you first need to see exactly how are you spending your time – how much time certain tasks take and how much of your time are you wasting. By doing this, you will be able to get the most out of the 4Ds of time management technique. You can log your time manually, by writing down your activities or you can use a time software for PC, like Insightful.


The advantage of using time software for PC instead of writing down your activities is that the process is almost fully automatic and autonomous. All you need to do is type out the task that you are doing and the time software for PC will do the rest. In addition to making the time tracking process easier, Insightful can also tell you how exactly you are spending your time by showing you which software and websites you are using the most and whether or not the software and websites you are using are making you productive or helping you procrastinate.


After you understand how you spend your time and where the 4Ds fit into your life, you will be well on your way to mastering time management. By mastering your time, you will be able to achieve much more in less time.


Final Thoughts


The 4Ds of time management is a simple, yet powerful time management technique that only requires you to take a harder look at how you spend your time and if your tasks can be dropped, delegated to someone else, scheduled to a later date, or need to be done right away.


By knowing exactly what tasks you need to work on, you will not have to be anxious about your work anymore. Without feeling overwhelmed by your work, your focus, efficiency, and productivity are likely to improve as well.