Why Every Freelancer Should Be Tracking Their Time
Tracking my time comes as easily to me as anything else in my business. My very first translation client paid me by the hour for my work, meaning I had to track every minute I spent on projects for him. I soon started tracking time for all of my client work, regardless of whether they were paying me by the hour, by the word, or a project rate. In the end, that morphed into tracking pretty much everything I do in my business, including admin, social media, writing blog posts, and anything else you can think of.
I’m totally convinced of the benefits of time tracking, and it’s the very first thing I get my mentees to do when we start working together. But it can be difficult to get into the habit. This post gives some insights from my mentees to explain some of the results you might see and how to actually go about it.
Confidence when quoting
The main reason I recommend tracking your time is that the data is invaluable when it comes to setting your rates. If you know how long a given task usually takes you, you can ensure that the price you charge your client is enough.
“I’m able to quote more confidently for copywriting projects, having a better idea of how long they'll take.” - Katie Uniacke
“I’ve realised how little time I dedicate to paid work vs. the time dedicated to other business-related tasks. I’ve also started to think that most of this unpaid time should be paid - taken into account when I set my rates.” - Iria Carballo
“Getting to know and be able to predict how long a project may take me has improved my ability and confidence in providing quotations, resulting in better value for money for my clients AND for me. It's a 'reactive' way of taking proactive action and preparing for future jobs.” - Eleni Markopoulou
Greater awareness about your time
The second benefit I see on a weekly basis from tracking my time is a better ability to plan ahead. I know how long I can expect to spend on each of the different tasks I need to complete, so I can put together a to-do list for each day that feels manageable.
“I know now without a doubt which are my peak hours of productivity. I have also noticed that my billable time (time spent on paid client work) is less than I previously thought.” - Gabriella Aldeman
“I’m now generally more aware of the value of my time.” - Katie Uniacke
“I now challenge myself to work more efficiently, to complete the same jobs faster (to the same quality) and thus improve value/hourly rates.” - Eleni Markopoulou
“Now I end my day knowing exactly how much time I have invested in my clients and my business over the course of the working day.” - Nicole Fenwick
An increase in focus
The third benefit is that it’s harder to procrastinate when you see the clock ticking away in front of you. When you know that every minute counts towards the data you’ll be using to make decisions in the future, you don’t want to waste a second. Plus it’s impossible to multi-task, as it’s pretty tricky to track time for two things at once, so it encourages you to concentrate on one thing at a time.
“For me, the biggest benefit has been an increase in focus as I'm less likely to get sidetracked or needlessly spend ages on a task that should only take a few minutes.” - Matthew Dykes
“It’s helped me to focus my mind on the task at hand, as well as giving me that much needed nudge during the 3pm slump.” - Nicole Fenwick
“I think I'm more productive just by tracking my time. I'm able to focus more on what I'm doing.” - Iria Carballo
How to get started
I hope you’re now convinced that you need to start tracking your time, but how do you actually go about it? When I first started, I used the timer on my phone and noted down all the times when I started and stopped working. That’s the most basic way to track your time, but it’s also a lot messier than it needs to be. If you do it this way, make sure you enter all the timings into a spreadsheet so you have an overview - if it isn’t easy to use that data, you won’t get as much value from the process as you could.
I now use a tool called Toggl, and the free version suits my needs perfectly. There’s a browser version (which I normally use), a desktop version, and a mobile app. The good news is that your timings sync across devices, so you can turn the timer on from one place and turn it off from another. You can also view reports of the work you’ve done on different projects, or for particular clients, or even by searching on a keyword.
You might find that you don’t like Toggl, and there are lots of other time-tracking applications out there that you can try. One of my mentees uses RescueTime and likes that, so try out a few and see which you prefer. The key is to be consistent in this practice, so it’s important to find a tool you’re happy with.
Whether you already track your time or would like to get started, I can help you use your time-tracking data to support your business in the long term. If you’d like to join my mentees in feeling confident every time you send a quote to a client, you might be interested in my Charge with Confidence programme, during which I show participants how to use their data to set their rates and price their projects.
Hi, I’m Susie
I mentor freelancers on pricing so you can earn a decent living doing what you love.
I’m a translator, editor, chocoholic, crochet addict, animal lover, and budding gardener (get it?) who loves empowering others to achieve their goals.
