Pandan For Mac

The older you get, the more you start to understand the value of regular breaks when using a computer. Our eyes, hands, and back weren't really made for this kind of work, and there are plenty of apps out there that remind you to take it easy. However, they are usually quite strict and intrusive, which may not be your cup of tea.

Pandan takes a slightly different approach, trusting the user to manage their work schedule while simply informing them of the time spent using their Mac or providing unobtrusive reminders.

As with all menu bar apps, Pandan is fairly minimalistic. The icon displays the time passed in the current session or total work time for the day. If you click it, you get a more detailed breakdown listing all sessions and total time spent in front of your Mac.

You can start a new session at any time if you wish to track a specific task, but the app can monitor user input automatically and stop the current session if you have been away from your Mac for a certain amount of time. You can also continue the previous session if you prefer.

Pandan comes with an optional feature that delivers "gentle" reminders at specified intervals. These can be shown in a popover, as a notification, in the center of the screen, or just in the menu bar.

The app has support for Shortcuts, allowing you to create and run custom scripts when a notification is displayed. Some ideas include playing custom sounds, launching a web page, locking the screen, and more. You can find some interesting examples on the developer's website.

Pandan is a tool minimalists will love, as well as users who don't like overly-strict break reminders. It keeps you informed while still giving you the freedom to work at your own pace, and it has plenty of customization options, along with support for Shortcuts.