Let’s be trustworthy—at RescueTime, we will’t say sufficient good issues about time monitoring. That’s not as a result of we simply suppose it’s an amazing behavior, however as a result of we’ve seen its advantages play out for greater than 2 million customers.
At this level, you realize that point monitoring comes with quite a lot of benefits, however perhaps you’ve hit a wall. One thing is maintaining you from committing to precisely monitoring your time and having fun with the outcomes that accompany the behavior.
I’m right here to remind you why time monitoring is definitely worth the effort and supply recommendations to mitigate 7 of the most typical time monitoring challenges individuals face. Let’s get cracking—I imply—monitoring.
The significance of correct time monitoring
Conserving correct monitor of your time is sweet for you as an individual and good for you as a enterprise proprietor. (The important thing phrase right here is correct. Greatest guesses are usually not sufficient.)
Right here’s why you would possibly need to hold monitor of your time all through the workday:
Accountability
As a freelancer or entrepreneur, there’s a way of freedom in being your individual boss. That makes it simple to neglect the truth that on the finish of the day, you’re nonetheless accountable to your self.
While you procrastinate on an vital shopper mission or waste time scrolling by way of social media, you must reply to your self. And that reply usually comes within the type of late-night work classes or misplaced revenue—probably even a misplaced shopper if you happen to’re actually delayed.
Correct time monitoring forces you to note these 80 minutes you misplaced to time wasters like Fb or YouTube. It additionally places the highlight on the hours you spent working when your schedule dictated it ought to have been private time.
Improved self-awareness
Time-tracking software program doesn’t sugarcoat its information to make you’re feeling higher about how the day progressed. It’s at all times an trustworthy image of the way you spend your time, permitting you a strictly factual overview of your time administration and productiveness. The uncooked, trustworthy information obtainable from time-tracking software program offers extra consciousness about your work habits so you may see when it’s time for a change.
Higher work/life steadiness
One survey discovered that 97% of small enterprise homeowners usually or at all times work on the weekend. And certain, generally there’s a necessity for that. I’m at present scripting this from an area espresso store on a Saturday as a result of the vacations have disrupted my regular working hours. Nonetheless, the identical survey discovered that 4 out of 5 small enterprise homeowners really feel like they’re working an excessive amount of, and the results embrace impatience, insomnia, forgetfulness, temper swings, and even offended outbursts.
Correct information
While you’re working with shoppers on an hourly foundation, you is likely to be tempted to reply a fast e mail or make just a few small tweaks to your work with out logging these billable hours. Correct time monitoring accounts for all these little minutes that would add up to a couple hundred {dollars} a month or show you how to see when work is creeping out of your unique scope.
Knowledge-driven decision-making
The information supplied by correct time monitoring can show you how to make choices about your schedule and what you are promoting. Listed here are only a few examples of what that may seem like:
- You discover your productiveness drops round 2 pm on daily basis, so that you dedicate that point to much less thought-intensive duties like answering emails and embrace time for a break at 2:30.
- You notice that when you accounted for a mission to take 5 hours per week, you’re dedicating 7-8 hours per week to it. Sooner or later, you’ll know to cost the next charge for comparable work.
- After working 4 Saturdays in a row, you begin blocking out your Friday mornings for catch-up time, so the week’s work doesn’t spill into your weekend.
Widespread time monitoring challenges AND potential options for every
In principle, time monitoring is a good behavior with many advantages. In actuality, it’s a kind of issues that’s simpler stated than completed. Listed here are a few of the commonest hurdles you would possibly face:
Problem 1: Inaccuracy
Plenty of us are trying on the manner we spend our time by way of rose-colored glasses. We overestimate how productive we’ve been and underestimate how a lot time we’ve wasted.
It’s additionally simple to neglect to log your time or underestimate process durations. You possibly can attain 5 PM and notice you by no means logged a single process, forcing you to guesstimate how lengthy you spent on each.
Inaccurate time monitoring can finally lead to poor mission planning, bother scaling what you are promoting, and missed alternatives to optimize sure duties. Let’s say you suppose you spend 2 hours sending proposals every week, however realistically, it’s nearer to five. With out correct time monitoring you received’t notice how a lot the duty—which may very well be outsourced or optimized—is spilling into different areas of your work.
Potential options:
- Use time-tracking software program that logs your on-line hours for you.
- Set an alarm to file your actions in chunks all through the day. Each 1-2 hours offers you adequate time to finish centered work however not so lengthy that you simply neglect what you’ve been doing.
- Log your time everytime you transition from one process to a different.
- Finish every week with a assessment of your time logs to audit entries for errors or missed actions.
- In case you solely need to monitor time for billing functions, dedicate a part of the day to shopper work, and deal with monitoring these hours as an alternative of all of your exercise for the day.
Problem 2: Dedication
Not like a company worker, freelancers and entrepreneurs should self-motivate to take care of consistency. Being your individual boss is empowering, however may also be a slippery slope. Managing your schedule makes it tempting to prioritize shopper work or duties that may assist develop what you are promoting over administrative duties like time monitoring.
Even if you happen to’re beginning 2025 with a tough dedication to precisely monitor your time, 94% of individuals abandon their New Yr’s resolutions inside two months. How are you going to take care of your dedication to see the long-term outcomes of this behavior?
Potential options:
- Recruit an accountability companion to verify in and ensure you’re staying dedicated to time monitoring.
- Go public along with your option to decide to time monitoring and share what you be taught all through the method on LinkedIn.
- Set small milestones, like monitoring for a full week, then construct as much as bigger milestones, like staying constant for the whole month. Have fun every win with a small reward to maintain the behavior satisfying.
Problem 3: Complexity of instruments
Overly difficult built-in instruments can shortly deter your time monitoring efforts. Plenty of time monitoring instruments are designed for giant groups or companies. Navigating complicated software program will get overwhelming in a short time and may price you helpful time you could possibly be spending on precise work (See the irony?).
Potential options:
- Select time monitoring software program instruments with customizable options. While you first begin out, you may stick with the fundamentals earlier than you progress on to extra complicated options.
- Watch tutorials that stroll you thru find out how to use all the instruments obtainable along with your time monitoring software program so you may reap the benefits of the total vary of options.
- Go for time-tracking instruments that supply mobile-friendly apps so you may monitor time on the go with out including complexity.
Problem 4: Simplicity of instruments
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, some time-tracking instruments are so easy that they don’t supply sufficient options for long-term use. (We’re taking a look at you, paper logs and spreadsheets.)
Certain, information in and of itself is nice, nevertheless it’s even higher when it has just a little meat with it. Time-tracking instruments that categorize your time or show you how to determine long-term tendencies are extra useful for discerning the modifications you’ll want to make.
It’s like making an attempt to place collectively a bookshelf from IKEA with out the directions. All the supplies you want are there, however you’re undecided find out how to put them collectively for probably the most optimum outcomes.
Potential options:
- In case your paper and pencil time log isn’t reducing it anymore, take into account upgrading to a time-tracking software program that categorizes your actions for you.
- Break duties into subcategories in your easy report so you continue to get a extra helpful overview of your time.
- In case your time-tracking software doesn’t really feel superior sufficient, check out any obtainable further options to think about if you happen to would possibly need to improve to a extra superior or feature-heavy model earlier than you utterly soar ship to a brand new software.
Problem 5: Privateness issues
Nobody desires to really feel like Huge Brother is trying over their shoulder. Firm-mandated time monitoring instruments make you acutely aware of each second you spend considering or brainstorming as an alternative of actively working in your pc. Even with common software program, you could fear about who can see your information.
Potential options:
The way you strategy privateness issues has loads to do with what stage of concern you might have.
- Go for a time monitoring software program that has clear information and privateness insurance policies.
- Select a software that permits you to customise when/what you monitor, so you may log your skilled duties however hold private information separate.
- For these with a Ron Swanson-esque want for privateness, take into account desktop-only trackers that don’t sync to the cloud.
Problem 6: Lack of motivation
With out instantly seen outcomes, it’s simple to deprioritize time monitoring in favor of extra pressing duties (extra irony).
Potential options:
- Decide to plans or occasions that drive you to set a tough cease at a sure time. Being up towards a clock might encourage you to higher monitor and handle your time.
- Begin transferring deadlines nearer so that you’re much less more likely to procrastinate and also you’re “compelled” to make use of your time properly.
- Gamify the method and reward your self with a small deal with once in a while.
- Begin by monitoring work on a single mission or shopper to ease your self into the behavior with out feeling overwhelmed.
Problem 7: Resistance
Of on a regular basis monitoring challenges, acknowledging this one may be probably the most tough. Typically we simply don’t need to strive one thing new. It may be simple to see time monitoring as pointless, particularly if you happen to suppose you already know the way you spend your time.
Potential options:
Begin by figuring out the why behind your resistance. Does time monitoring appear pointless? Do you’re feeling such as you received’t use the information? Does your finances not have wiggle room for time monitoring software program? Naming the rationale you’re immune to time monitoring helps you tackle no matter core perception is stopping you from even making an attempt it.
In case you really feel such as you would possibly need to take into account time monitoring, however one thing appears to be holding you again, take into account that point monitoring and improved time administration usually go hand-in-hand. Make a listing of particular advantages you would possibly expertise from higher time use, like:
- bettering your effectivity in order that your revenue sees a lift
- liberating your schedule for private joys like studying/spending time with household/making an attempt a brand new pastime
- limiting or eliminating work you do exterior of ordinary work hours
- spending extra time with household and buddies
RescueTime: A software that can assist you overcome your time-tracking challenges
RescueTime tracks your digital exercise throughout a number of units with out guide enter, supplying you with a transparent image of the way you’re spending your time. A number of the most notable options embrace—
- Aim-setting instruments that can assist you deal with key priorities.
- Detailed analytics and studies that can assist you determine patterns of productiveness and distractions
- Focus Classes to attenuate interruptions throughout your work
For extra accountability, we provide dwell Guided Focus Classes all through the week. Work ‘side-by-side’ different distant staff in a digital co-working area for as much as 2 hours and watch how a lot you will get completed.
Nonetheless on the fence about the necessity to monitor your time?
RescueTime is free on your first 14 days. Set a objective to persistently monitor your time for simply two weeks and see what sort of variations you discover by the top. Higher time administration is likely one of the finest items you may give your self as we transition into a brand new yr.