Be aware of your time-spending

Every freelancer has good and bad time management habits. The key is to be able to be honest with yourself about them. It’s from this self-awareness that you will be able to create the formula that works best for you and make sure your day is as much fun, as it is productive. Although time tracking apps are often linked with hourly billing, you don’t necessarily need to follow this method. In my opinion, it would be better to think about pricing your work based on the value that your client will derive from it instead. This is called value-based pricing. I therefore ignore that functionality in my time tracking app and use it instead for the following reasons.

Project analysis for delivery dates

For me, the app isn’t a mere clock-watcher; it’s my reliable companion in project analysis. Knowing the exact hours invested in projects and tasks allows me to fine-tune my workflow, while at the same time providing clients with accurate delivery timelines. When it comes to clients, the more accurate your estimate, the happier they will be when the delivery date is met. This avoids a lot of communication issues and makes you a trustworthy and reliable go-to. Clients aren’t just in pursuit of quality; they seek predictability as well.

Keep distractions at bay

Another great thing about tracking your time is that you can evaluate yourself. For example, it can unveil the ratio of productive hours to those lost in the abyss of distractions. It’s a blunt confrontation with the YouTube tutorial turned movie trailer saga we’ve all experienced. What happened? Your attention got stolen. We’re bombarded by online distractions everyday, it’s therefore a good habit to see how much time you’re loosing on rabbit holes, so to regain focus on what really matters to you. Acknowledging these distractions isn’t a judgment—it’s an opportunity for self-improvement which begins with a truth serum.

Delegate your tasks

Ever find yourself caught in hours of bookkeeping, social media wrangling, or the never-ending time-consuming quest for new clients? When tracking yourself, you might also end up noticing that it would be more cost-effective to delegate these tasks. As freelancers, time is also our currency. It is therefore natural to make good use of it!

Build time tracking into a habit with a time tracking app

Adopting the habit of time tracking wasn’t an instant hit for me—it took a bit of wrangling. Lunch breaks slipped through the cracks, and starting or stopping the timer became sporadic. Fast forward, and it’s seamlessly woven into my daily workflow. Don’t let the initial hiccups discourage you; it’s a simple habit that effortlessly becomes second nature.

Toggl: My decade-long time tracking companion

For over 10 years, Toggl has been my go-to time-tracking ally, and it has a version tailor-made for freelancers. I never have the need to look around for alternatives—their constant evolution, sleek design, and user-friendly interface keep me a loyal user.

As a freelancer you need functionalities, but not as many as a company with employees. Toggl strikes the perfect balance, offering simplicity paired with plentiful functionalities. Here are some standout features that make it my go-to app:

• Seamless mobility with a user-friendly mobile app
• Efficient grouping of similar time entries for streamlined tracking
• Visual reports: periodic, per client, per tag, or per project
• Handy notifications for extended (over 8 hours) time entries
• Weekly email overviews of tracked time for a quick pulse check
• Time-saving shortcuts for even more efficiency
• High customisation to cater to your specific needs
• Oh, and did I mention its awesome design?

These functionalities form my time-tracking foundation, but there is plenty more to play and work with. They’ve even thrown in a planning app that complements their time tracker flawlessly. The use of the Kanban method template makes it easy to create your tasks for every client and view them in a Timeline template to get a sneak peek of looming deadlines. I use both, and they dance in perfect harmony.

And here’s the icing on the cake—it’s free! Well, at least in terms of money. Like many apps today, Toggl operates on a data-for-use model. Before you dive in, know that in the App Store you will find a message stating that “data may be collected and linked to your identity.” Check this and ensure you’re comfortable with the terms.

Your private life deserves records too

Efficiently managing your time extends beyond work commitments can significantly enhance your personal life too. Cultivating mindfulness about how you allocate your precious 24 hours each day allows you to prioritise activities you genuinely love, steering clear of aimless moments or time-wasting pursuits. The whole “killing time” notion? About as odd to me as socks with sandals. While occasional idleness holds its own charm, there’s a stark distinction between purposefully relishing moments of leisure, as the Italians express with “la dolce far niente” (the sweetness of doing nothing), and drifting through time without direction.

In her insightful TedX talk, Laura Vanderkam emphasizes the ability to construct the lives we desire within the time available to us. Providing practical strategies, she guides us in reclaiming more time for what truly matters.

Conclusion

Now, I’m not suggesting you morph into a clock-watching automaton, meticulously tracking seconds like a time-travel enthusiast. But why not sprinkle some smart tools into your life mix? It’s not about becoming a Silicon Valley cyborg, but using nifty strategies and a time tracking app to beat stress and rule your day. Whether it’s managing household chores, engaging in physical exercise, or setting aside time for non-work-related learning, these activities consume time. Yet, the prospect becomes less overwhelming when you master the art of handling and utilising your time wisely.

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