Question Looking for a tool to track my activity history

[jhsachs]

I'm looking for a utility to track my activity on my (Windows 10) computer. I'm posting to ask for suggestions.

A little searching has shown me that what I mean by "track my activity" is different from what Microsoft means or most users mean. I want a tool that tells me at a glance when I was using my computer and when I was not. Put another way, I want it to tell me when and for how long I have been interrupted (have not been using the computer) as a first step to managing the interruptions.

I imagine an application that would keep track of time periods during which I did/didn't enter keystrokes or mouse clicks above a chosen frequency threshold. Then it would let me display the information on a time line for any period of time I choose. Ideally it would let me add annotations identifying particular time periods as "meal," "non-work phone call," etc.

 

[punkncat]

IDK if Focus Assist might have the functionality for that. I don't think it is exactly what you mean but surely a good place to start since it is built in to Windows.

One would think with all the work at home stuff and the employer "spying" that there would be articles online about what is being used for that.

 

[Ralston18]

The key is to establish or identify some "flag" or "flags" that indicates whether the computer is being used or not.

I.e., the computer goes into sleep/powersaving mode or the screen is manually locked. There could be multiple flags.

One possible way would be to use Powershell to glean information via Windows Event Viewer (log).

FYI:

https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/Windows-event-log

Powershell can easily output data to a spreadsheet or database with additional columns for the user to annotate as necessary regarding the event that occurred.

However, that said, it is likely to be a demanding bit of script.

For example the script logs that the computer went to sleep at 12:10 p.m. and was awakened at 1:15 p.m.. You find the logged entry annotate the entry with "Went to lunch".

There are a number of timesheets and other activity tracking logs that are used by legal services, employers, etc. where billing may be done by some fractional parts of an hour.

Those are highly dependent on the end user to make the applicable and correct entries with respect to date, time(s), activity. Human/user input always being the weak link in the chain.

Setting up a script to capture and log what a computer is doing (or not doing) at any given time is viable.

Could be cumbersome depending on the level of detail that needs to be captured and annotated.

Powershell could be one way. Python could also be used.

Most straightforward approach likely being to just capture when the computer is sleeping or not. Just as a start.

Other ways could include checking for active tasks and/or processes.

Is this a DIY requirement or is there some IT staff or programming/coding resources available to help?