KeanAsta

If you're interested in finding a computer application to help you organize your time, manage tasks, build concise schedules, handle projects, and set reminders in a simple, no-nonsense manner, then zPlanner is probably exactly what you're looking for!

 

zPlanner is a small application that employs different, interrelated methods to help you manage your time. Although its Graphical User Interface (GUI) is very plain and its functions are not very intuitive, it doesn't take long to master them and put them to good use. Once you've read its Help Section and played around with it for some time, you'll totally get the hang of it.

 

Since zPlanner supports multiple users, you start by entering a User Name. Once you do that, you're taken to your User Home, where you can access all the time planning and management features available.

 

zPlanner works by categorizing everything you do during a day into either Projects or Activities. Projects are things you do which have a start and end dates - e.g. a self-study course, redecorating the house, a trip, etc. - while activities are things you do regularly, whether daily, weekly, monthly, or otherwise - e.g. sleeping, going to the gym, reading, etc.

 

When you plan a project, you get the option of dividing it into Tasks. This is a universal method of project management, recommended by virtually every time management speaker or guidebook, and it has many benefits - but this is not the place for a detailed discussion. You can take a look at McGraw Hill's book entitled Time Management for more details.

 

Whether you're planning tasks or activities, you get to set Time Frames for them. This is basically setting when you're going to start and finish.

 

After setting time frames, you're presented with a Schedule which uses all the information you've entered so far to give you a visual representation of what your day, week, or month will be like. This is very useful since it gives you a chance to have a Big Picture or a Bird's Eye view, so you can make changes when something doesn't seem convenient or doable. You can also print the schedule so that you have with you whenever you need it.

 

You can also set Reminders. These reminders can be single or recurrent, and you can set them daily, weekly, monthly, or annually for any task or activity you have entered. Actually, I have only tested the reminder feature once during my initial tour of the application, but I haven't used it in real life time management yet. But during the test, it seemed very easy and useful.

 

All in all, I find zPlanner an indispensable tool in my everyday life. It helps me manage my time very efficiently, and I find that everything I read in time management books and manuals can be easily applied and integrated into the program. Sometimes it takes me a minute or two to figure out a way to do that, but it's usually pretty straight-forward.

 

zPlanner is freeware graciously given away by http://www.2-0.biz/, and can be downloaded from Download.com at the following link:

 

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

excellent.... has anyone tried time doctor software?

 

 

I've just been asked to install it. Time Doctor is harsh. It records every of time worked, including www-sites like twitter. I'm personally using it. Is it legal in Australia to ask people to work with this sort of software?

 

any advice welcome

My kids have had a laptop for a while but up to now they have been happy using the bookmarks I have set up to go to the likes of CBBC, CITV, Etc. However, now my eldest is getting better at reading, writing and spelling I'm starting to get concerned about stuff he might come across on the web. We try where ever possible to be with him when he's surfing anyway so we can keep an eye on things but it's just not possible to be able to be there 100% of the time.

 

I've been looking at this Parental Controls and wondered if anyone has any experience of this or an alternative they can suggest?

Hi,

 

I think you need a screenshots monitoring software, webwatcher and staffcop is what I recommend. These softwares is capable in monitoring the websites that your child often hang out when he/she surfing the net. It also monitors the keystoke logging and email monitoring.