So since I started using askubuntu.com I've spent entirely too much time here answering other people's questions. Now maybe someone could help me with that by answering this one. I'm looking for time management software for Ubuntu.
There are a number of these programs floating around for Windows. RescueTime is one that is very popular. The key features that I'd like to see in a linux app that RescueTime has are:
Automatically records what application you are using, including what websites you visit.
Reports and graphs on your time usage.
Notifications for when you have spent too much time on "distractions."
While RescueTime doesn't officially support linux, there is an open source RescueTime Linux Uploader. Unfortunately, it seems to only support Firefox and Epiphany for website tracking. I'm a Chromium user.
The other major drawback to RescueTime is that it is a web service. I'd much rather not upload detailed information about how I spend my time to some third party. Google already knows too much about me as it is.
Project Hamster, a GNOME time management app, comes so close. Sadly, it does not automatically track what you are doing. If I had enough discipline to manually report to an applet what I was up to, I doubt I'd need this. (How cool would it be if they provided some Zeitgeist integration to handle that part?)
Hamster doesn't automatically track your actions, but it can be set to remind you every few minutes, which I actually find more useful. You can ask yourself every n minutes "am I still doing what I was planning to do?", "should I stop now?", "why am I not doing what I planned to be doing?" Then you can change course right away, rather than at the end of the day finding you spent three hours on askubuntu. :-)
Ultimately I want to develop more mindfulness of where I'm using my time, and these questions help.
Project Hamster as you said is great, and while it cant track what you are doing, it can track what workspace you are using, and switch the time spent on it on your project; I have 12 workspaces, 1 for graphic, 1 for code development, 1 for testing, 1 for email and web surfing, and so on..
I bet if you just need to configure how do you use workspaces and Hamster.
Another suggestion may be Makesometime.com, but this is a web service and doesnt do nothing automagically, so i dont think it fits you
I have just found a program named "arbtt". It can be installed via the Ubuntu repos. For further information have a look at its webpage. To put it in a nutshell arbtt records your open active and inactive windows (don't worry, it distinguishes between the current state^^) and then stores the log locally. Then the information can be read by arbtt-stats which can be configured to your needs by a simple language. Haven't tried it out yet, but definitely will as this sounds really interesting.
I also believe that time management tools are essential in order to stay productive. One way to stay productive is to avoid distractions, which will allows you to limit wasted time. Airplane Mode is a great way to avoid distraction when working. With this mode you need to turn off all your gadgets like your mobile phone. This will avoid you getting distracted by text messages and phone calls.
For managing people working from home plus for recording hours worked http://www.timedoctor.com is a fantastic program as it will give you an email every day with a list of your team and what they have done, plus a list of tasks they are working on. There are multiple time management principles that are used in the software to increase productivity. You should try it.
Can't comment on the Zeitgeist answer, so I have to write this in a new one:
There is a tool called Activity Journal written by the Zeitgeist developers. It can at least show you, what you did when at the day and does this automatically. Additionally it provides you fast access to the files you used as they are not only listed but also clickable so you can open them directly from Activity Journal.
Atm it lacks real productivity features, but I bet it can be extended to include these. At least it's a real helpful tool to quickly gain information on what you did when and jump to these files.
I use the rescuetime linux uploader and RescueTime. Unlike other which require you to report what task you are working on, it tracks what program is open and tells you how much time you spend off task or on task. Sign up for rescue time and they give you a link to the linux uploader (independantly maintained).
The released version comes with a firefox and epiphany plug in, if you need a chrome plug in use the expiremental or chrome test version.
In the meantime, RescueTime has released their own client.
Hmm...
Automatically records what application you are using, including what websites you visit.
Reports and graphs on your time usage.
Why you not using zeitgeist?
I use http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/PlannerMode. I think one of the main advantages is that Emacs is not going anywhere anytime soon and some of the other PIM's my get forked into something else or may die altogether. Plus if you use it already it just adds that much more value to Emacs.