Let’s be sincere—at RescueTime, we will’t say sufficient good issues about time monitoring. That’s not as a result of we simply suppose it’s a fantastic 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 protecting 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 solutions to mitigate 7 of the most typical time monitoring challenges folks face. Let’s get cracking—I imply—monitoring.
The significance of correct time monitoring
Maintaining correct observe 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. Finest guesses usually are not sufficient.)
Right here’s why you would possibly wish to preserve observe 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 straightforward to overlook the truth that on the finish of the day, you’re nonetheless accountable to your self.
Once you procrastinate on an essential shopper undertaking or waste time scrolling by way of social media, it’s a must to reply to your self. And that reply typically comes within the type of late-night work periods or misplaced earnings—probably even a misplaced shopper in the event you’re actually not on time.
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 knowledge to make you’re feeling higher about how the day progressed. It’s all the time an sincere image of the way you spend your time, permitting you a strictly factual overview of your time administration and productiveness. The uncooked, sincere knowledge accessible from time-tracking software program gives extra consciousness about your work habits so you possibly can see when it’s time for a change.
Higher work/life stability
One survey discovered that 97% of small enterprise house owners typically or all the time work on the weekend. And positive, typically there’s a necessity for that. I’m at present penning 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 house owners really feel like they’re working an excessive amount of, and the results embody impatience, insomnia, forgetfulness, temper swings, and even indignant outbursts.
Correct knowledge
Once you’re working with purchasers on an hourly foundation, you could be tempted to reply a fast e mail or make a couple of 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 enable you see when work is creeping out of your unique scope.
Information-driven decision-making
The info supplied by correct time monitoring can enable you make selections about your schedule and your online business. Listed below are just some examples of what which may appear 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 embody time for a break at 2:30.
- You understand that when you accounted for a undertaking 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 fee 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.
Frequent time monitoring challenges AND doable options for every
In concept, time monitoring is a good behavior with many advantages. In actuality, it’s a type of issues that’s simpler stated than accomplished. Listed below are a few of the commonest hurdles you would possibly face:
Problem 1: Inaccuracy
Plenty of us are wanting on the means 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 straightforward to overlook to log your time or underestimate process durations. You’ll be able to attain 5 PM and understand you by no means logged a single process, forcing you to guesstimate how lengthy you spent on each.
Inaccurate time monitoring can in the end lead to poor undertaking planning, bother scaling your online business, 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 understand how a lot the duty—which could possibly 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 report 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 just overlook what you’ve been doing.
- Log your time everytime you transition from one process to a different.
- Finish every week with a overview of your time logs to audit entries for errors or missed actions.
- In the event you solely wish to observe 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
In contrast to a company worker, freelancers and entrepreneurs need to self-motivate to keep up consistency. Being your individual boss is empowering, however can be a slippery slope. Managing your schedule makes it tempting to prioritize shopper work or duties which may assist develop your online business over administrative duties like time monitoring.
Even in the event you’re beginning 2025 with a tough dedication to precisely observe your time, 94% of individuals abandon their New Yr’s resolutions inside two months. How are you going to keep up your dedication to see the long-term outcomes of this behavior?
Potential options:
- Recruit an accountability companion to examine in and be sure 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 a good time every win with a small reward to maintain the behavior satisfying.
Problem 3: Complexity of instruments
Overly sophisticated built-in instruments can rapidly deter your time monitoring efforts. Plenty of time monitoring instruments are designed for giant groups or firms. Navigating advanced software program will get overwhelming in a short time and might value you helpful time you possibly can be spending on precise work (See the irony?).
Potential options:
- Select time monitoring software program instruments with customizable options. Once you first begin out, you possibly can persist with the fundamentals earlier than you progress on to extra advanced options.
- Watch tutorials that stroll you thru how you can use all the instruments accessible along with your time monitoring software program so you possibly can reap the benefits of the total vary of options.
- Go for time-tracking instruments that provide mobile-friendly apps so you possibly can observe 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.)
Positive, knowledge in and of itself is nice, but it surely’s even higher when it has a little bit meat with it. Time-tracking instruments that categorize your time or enable you determine long-term traits are extra useful for discerning the modifications you’ll want to make.
It’s like attempting to place collectively a bookshelf from IKEA with out the directions. All the supplies you want are there, however you’re undecided how you can put them collectively for essentially 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 accessible further options to think about in the event you would possibly wish to improve to a extra superior or feature-heavy model earlier than you utterly soar ship to a brand new software.
Problem 5: Privateness considerations
Nobody needs to really feel like Large Brother is wanting over their shoulder. Firm-mandated time monitoring instruments make you aware of each second you spend pondering or brainstorming as an alternative of actively working in your laptop. Even with normal software program, you could fear about who can see your knowledge.
Potential options:
The way you method privateness considerations has lots to do with what degree of concern you might have.
- Go for a time monitoring software program that has clear knowledge and privateness insurance policies.
- Select a software that means that you can customise when/what you observe, so you possibly can log your skilled duties however preserve private knowledge 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 straightforward to deprioritize time monitoring in favor of extra pressing duties (extra irony).
Potential options:
- Decide to plans or occasions that power you to set a tough cease at a sure time. Being up in opposition to a clock might encourage you to raised 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 correctly.
- Gamify the method and reward your self with a small deal with now and again.
- Begin by monitoring work on a single undertaking 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 could be essentially the most tough. Typically we simply don’t wish to attempt one thing new. It may be straightforward to see time monitoring as pointless, particularly in the event you suppose you already understand how 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 info? Does your finances not have wiggle room for time monitoring software program? Naming the explanation you’re proof against time monitoring helps you tackle no matter core perception is stopping you from even attempting it.
In the event you really feel such as you would possibly wish 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 typically 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 earnings sees a lift
- releasing your schedule for private joys like studying/spending time with household/attempting a brand new pastime
- limiting or eliminating work you do outdoors of normal 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, providing you with a transparent image of the way you’re spending your time. A number of the most notable options embody—
- Aim-setting instruments that can assist you deal with key priorities.
- Detailed analytics and reviews that can assist you determine patterns of productiveness and distractions
- Focus Classes to reduce interruptions throughout your work
For added accountability, we provide dwell Guided Focus Classes all through the week. Work ‘side-by-side’ different distant employees in a digital co-working house for as much as 2 hours and watch how a lot you will get accomplished.
Nonetheless on the fence about the necessity to observe your time?
RescueTime is free on your first 14 days. Set a purpose to persistently observe your time for simply two weeks and see what sort of variations you discover by the top. Higher time administration is among the finest presents you can provide your self as we transition into a brand new yr.
