Measure your effectiveness – With Google Desktop it’s possible to perform a virtual audit with the built-in “Browse Timeline” feature.
Key to maximizing personal effectiveness is the ability to obtain a clear picture of the activities that lead to your outcomes. If your not satisfied with your results, it’s possible that you’re not making the best use your time. Time cards have been around for ages and were meant to serve that pupose for the boss…as long as you weren’t able to break free from the chains to your desk. The decentralized nature of work today makes such a scheme mostly obsolete. Not to fear, Google Desktop is here.
Open any of the Google Desktop pages open in your browser, navigate to “Google Desktop Home” (there’s usually a link at the bottom of the page). Once there, you’ll see a link for “Browse Timeline.” Whether online or off, Google creates a blow-by-blow record of your usage – you’ll be able to see exactly what you were doing at almost any moment.
This may be a secret you’ll want to keep from the boss, but it can certainly be a useful tool to use for your own benefit. There are other programs that serve similar functions (see TimeSnapper et.al.), but if you’re already using GDS, you may as well keep the load on your pc as light as possible. Be more productive.