Articles
Practical, honest guides about keeping your computer awake and active: sleep and lock settings, mouse jigglers, Teams and Slack status, remote desktop, and how to take real breaks when you work from home.
What is Hubstaff and what is it used for?
Hubstaff is time tracking and workforce management software for remote, office and field teams. What it does, its main features and who uses it.
What is Time Doctor and what is it used for?
Time Doctor is time tracking and workforce analytics software for remote and hybrid teams. What it does, its main features and who uses it.
Your employer requires a monitoring app? These are your rights
What remote employees should know when an employer asks them to install time tracking or monitoring software: notice, transparency, privacy and the right to disconnect in the US, Europe, Colombia and Brazil.
Mouse Jiggler and Move Mouse alternatives for Windows
Free and paid alternatives to Mouse Jiggler and Move Mouse on Windows 10 and 11: PowerToys Awake, Caffeine, built-in settings and Zuturno, and which one fits what you need.
Keep your computer awake vs. simulate activity
Keep-awake tools stop sleep; activity simulators generate mouse and keyboard input. What each one does on Windows and Mac, free options, and when you need which.
How to stop Windows 11 from sleeping or locking the screen
Step-by-step Windows 11 settings to stop sleep, screen-off and automatic lock, what to do on a work PC, and why time-tracking apps can still mark you idle.
How to stop your Mac from sleeping or locking the screen
macOS settings, caffeinate and free apps to stop your Mac from sleeping, turning off the display or locking, plus why time-tracking apps can still mark you idle.
Software vs. USB mouse jiggler
A USB mouse jiggler is a small device that moves the cursor; a software jiggler is an app. How each works on Windows and Mac, pros and cons, and when to use which.
Is a mouse jiggler safe? What to check before you install one
A mouse jiggler can control your mouse and keyboard, so it deserves a careful look. Where to download it, what permissions it needs, what data it sends and how to check.
Why Microsoft Teams shows you as Away
Teams switches you to Away when your computer locks, sleeps or sits idle. How presence works, how long it takes, and the legitimate ways to show the status you want.
Why Slack shows you as away
Slack sets you to away after 10 minutes of desktop inactivity or when you leave the mobile app. How availability works and the legitimate ways to show the status you want.
Can a mouse jiggler be detected?
Yes, often. How USB and software mouse jigglers can be identified, what time trackers and IT can see, and what that means before you use one at work.
Keep your computer awake for downloads, renders, backups and presentations
How to stop Windows or Mac from sleeping in the middle of a long download, render, backup or presentation, with built-in tools and free apps, and without changing your settings for good.
Why Remote Desktop or your VPN disconnects when idle, and what to do
Remote Desktop and VPN connections often drop after a period of inactivity. Where those time limits come from, what you can change on your own computer and when to ask IT.
How to take real breaks when you work from home
Working from home makes it easy to skip breaks or never fully switch off. Practical ways to plan short and long breaks, step away from the screen and come back ready.
Mouse activity is not work
Reading, thinking, calls and meetings barely move the mouse. Why input-based activity scores misread real work, and what teams and remote workers can do instead.