MacBook Pro M1: Non-Safari apps stop loading after 2 hours

There are many problems that need to be addressed, but with respect to "Non-Safari apps stop loading after 2 hours", what stands out is

Low disk space – This computer is running critically low on free hard drive [sic] space.

Like many other modern operating systems, macOS is designed so that to a certain extent, it can keep running even if the system and applications want to use more RAM than your Mac actually has. It does this by swapping out data to "compressed RAM" and/or your startup disk (your M1 MacBook Pro's internal SSD).

If you are out of RAM and you are out of drive space, too, there may be no way for macOS to satisfy the demand for RAM from your applications. (Especially if you are running applications that have memory leaks – that is, they take RAM, but never give it back even after they are finished with it, leaving macOS unable to safely reclaim the RAM (or swap space) until you quit or force-quit the misbehaving applications.)

Filling a drive to the brim is also bad, because it makes it much harder for the computer to manage remaining space in a way that does not translate to a perceived performance hit. And you really don't want to fill a disk completely – in the worst case, you might make the machine unmanageable, and be forced to erase the disk and reinstall macOS.

If as is implied you have spoken about this issue

It must have been over 120 days ( 3 months ) ago

I reach this by observing your subscriptions which shows only this current question

As for the Etrecheck Report visa vie the Screen Shot

That Screen Shot is Not the Full Report

Working with what has been supplied, it will not be a full analysis without the full report

1 - The battery needs servicing

2 - The computer is running critically low on free space

3 - There is no apparent Backup Strategy in place

4 - This computer may have configuration profiles installed.

5 - There are external drives connected that could be affecting performance.

6 - From Within the Application >> Share Report >> Copy report , then  paste  >>>> using the Additional Text Icon  <<<<

From the report

A lot of work is needed including having the Battery Serviced by Apple or Apple Certified Service Centre

1 - Battery failure - Your battery is reporting that it needs to be serviced.

1A - High battery cycle count - Your battery may be losing capacity.

1B -  Battery: Health = Service Battery - Cycle count = 1259

2 -  Low disk space - This computer is running critically low on free hard drive space.

2 A- disk0 - APPLE SSD AP0512Q 500.28 GB (Solid State - TRIM: Yes) 

   Used: 437.03 GB

   Size: 494.38 GB

  Free: 17.96 GB

Available: 19.81 GB

3 - No Time Machine backup - Time Machine backup not found.

4 - Configuration profiles found - This computer may have configuration profiles installed.

5 -External drives and performance - There are external drives connected that could be affecting performance.

6 -   macOS Tahoe 26.0 (25A354) 

  Installed 2025-09-20

   Current version is Tahoe 26.2 released Dec 12, 2025

 7 - Configuration Profiles:

  com.apple.applicationaccess

    forceAutomaticDateAndTime

com.apple.applicationaccess

    allowSafariPrivateBrowsing

    allowSafariHistoryClearing

  com.apple.familycontrols.contentfilter

    restrictWeb

    useContentFilter

8 - com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake.plist (Google LLC - installed 2025-12-02)

    Command: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater/Current/GoogleUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleUpdater --wake-all --enable-logging --vmodule=*/components/update_client/*=2,*/chrome/enterprise_companion/*=2,*/chrome/updater/*=2

Short and unpopular suggestion for some

 https://chromeisbad.com

May consider an alternative https://brave.com which is essentially Google Chrome without the Google baggage 

Refer to the Posting by Respected Contributor @ John Galt 

Application memory error on my MacBook Pro - Apple Community

Refer to the Posting by Respected Contributor @ Kurt Lang

etrecheck... Mac running slow - Apple Community

If you do not have a recent local, disk-based backup, your computer is like a ticking Time bomb. You are only one disk failure, one mainboard failure, one crazy software, or one "oops" away from losing EVERYTHING! Drives do not last forever. It is not a question of IF it will fail, only WHEN it will fail. In addition, you never know when crazy software or Pilot Error throws away far more than you intended.

If you are using another direct-to-disk backup method that you prefer, and you currently have a recent disk-based backup, that is great. If not, you should consider using Built-in Time Machine. Take steps to acquire an external drive as soon as possible. If you buy one, a drive 2 to 3 times or larger than your the amount of data to be backed up is preferable for long term trouble-free operation. Do not pay extra for a drive that is fast.  (You can get by for a while with a "found" smaller drive if necessary, but it will eventually become annoying).

Attach your external drive and use

Settings > General > Time machine ...

... to turn on Time Machine and specify what drive to store your Backups on.  It may ask to initialize the new drive, and that is as expected. APFS format is default format if running MacOS 11 Big Sur or later.

Time machine works quietly and automatically in the background, without interrupting your regular work, and only saves the incremental changes (after the first full backup). Time machine backs up your machine — including every connected drive that is in a Mac compatible format. it can not back up Windows format drives.

Time Machine's "claim to fame" is that it is the backup that gets done. It does not ruin performance of the rest of the computer while doing its backup operations. You do not have to set aside a "Special Time" when you only do backups. When you need it, your Time machine Backup is much more likely to be there and be current.

How to use Time Machine to Backup or Restore your Mac:

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Reducing System/Volume/Data is a common question. 

1 -  System data taking too much in MacOS Sono… - Apple Community

2 - Time Machine Local Snapshot won't delete - Apple Community

3 - Over 60% storage blocked by System Data - Apple Community

How to free up ‘System Data’ and other storage on your Mac from a fellow colleague  @ neuroanatomist

Use another application to see where space is being used  Storeograph  on the Apple Apps Store 

View APFS snapshots in Disk Utility on Mac

Suggest getting an External SSD Drive and start moving your Pictures, Videos, Music and any other large files you have control over, OFF the Internal drive and Onto the External

Understanding iCloud Drive from a well written User Tip from @ Richard.Taylor

There are  two effective ways to remedy this issue:

1. Quick Fix Actions:

For Apple Silicon computers, use Disk Utility to erase a Mac.

Always make a Time Machine backup before proceeding.

Migrate only the user account, not the entire system.

Reinstall only the necessary applications from the Apple App Store or directly from the developers.