How To Track Time Like A Boss To Make Room For Yourself
Unless you start to track time like a boss, you’re killing your chances to be more successful. Find out why!
I didn’t always track time like a boss. Even though, I always loved anything planning-related.
From paper planners to apps, I like to give everything I can get my hands on a try.
It’s something I enjoy so much I made it my job.
But let’s be 100% sincere.
People don’t plan for the sake of planning.
Even if you’re like me, who enjoys spending time with Erin Condren, there’s a difference.
How many people do you know who adore planning but yet procrastinate?
A lot, don’t you?
Maybe you’re even one of them…
It happens because making plans and planning efficiently are two entirely different things.
The first is about writing things as we do with lists.
We need/want/have to do something. Then, we add it to our calendar.
There’s no availability check or prioritization.
The latter is about structuring your days in a way we achieve our goals without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
What’s the gap between them?
Not knowing how they spend their time!
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Why you need to track time like a boss
When we were students, we had our class schedule.
Beforehand, we knew what subjects we’d study and which class we’d attend (or skip).
But once this phase of our life is over, this habit goes away for most of us.
Except for meetings and appointments, only very few of us know what they’re doing and when in advance.
Life happens to us and we don’t have any control of it.
Still, from time to time we hear stories (almost like fairytales) of people who have the same 24 hours as we do, but they manage to accomplish so much more.
If we had the chance to talk to every single one of them, we’d find out they know exactly what their day looks like. Inside out!
Knowledge is power.
Also when it comes to organizing your day.
And if you’re wondering how you can find out what’s going on with your time, the answer is
Start to track time like a boss!
How I got into time-tracking for life
Notice that you don’t necessarily need to be in deep chaos to start to track time.
I do it every single day.
While I also had lost the habit for years, two things got me back on track:
- my thesis
- project management
My thesis
I did my college internship at one of the Big Four.
The theme of my thesis? Their new time tracking software.
Needless to say, I dug in!
What? Why? How?
While my focus was on the software, there was a lot to learn about the process itself.
Things went so well and I was even given the chance to teaching newcomers how to use it.
Time tracking? Saving time? Helping others? I’m in!
Loved the experience.
Project management
Fast forward some years.
I had changed jobs and company.
My team was going through some reorganization. Thus, it was necessary that we started measuring our work.
What? Why? How long?
Do I need to tell you how much I enjoyed the exercise? 😉
In fact, this time around was so “enlightening” I realized I had to keep on doing it, also in my private life.
But don’t worry. I don’t take it to extremes of measuring EVERYTHING.
Busy work isn’t my thing.
Why you need to track time if you want to improve your lifestyle. #coaching #MindfulPlanning Click To TweetI just discovered that the more clarity I have about my time, the better I can use it.
Tools to track time
There are many different ways you can track your time.
In my course, 5 Days To Mindful Planning, I talk more in depth about my favorite tools.
But there’s one that is such a no-brainer there’s absolutely no reason for you not to get it right now.
It’s RescueTime!
Why do I like it so much?
You install it once and it does all the work for you.
It’s this simple!
I also use ATracker when I’m doing specific measurements and analysis (based on the steps of my methodology). However, it requires manual intervention.
Yes, it’s just touching the screen, but it’s so easy to forget it sometimes.
For example, I started writing this blog post and then I remember it was time for me to attend a webinar.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pause the “write blog post” task.
Not a big deal, for sure. Still, not my intention either.
With RescueTime, though, such slip-ups NEVER happen.
If you want to check it out (and I can’t recommend it enough), RescueTime offers a free and a paid version.
See it for yourself and let me know what you think.
I’ve been using the paid version for years, and I don’t regret the investment.
Discover how to achieve more every day with time tracking. #coaching #MindfulPlanning Click To TweetTrack time like a boss
The advantages of tracking time are that you:
- have clarity about your day
- discover time-wasters
- find out where you can save time
- learn how to prioritize
- spot procrastination
Even if it takes you a while to get accustomed to it (I mean, if you don’t use RescueTime), don’t give it up.
Because you need time tracking if you want to be more efficient.
But since it’s a habit, you’ll have to take it one day at a time.
That’s why, to help you stay on track, I want to invite you to my [ninja-popup ID=11356]FREE VIP Tribe.[/ninja-popup]
Join a group of like-minded achievers for support, accountability, and motivation.
I’m sure you’ll love it!
52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You
I’m hosting a 52-week productivity challenge on my Facebook Group #PlanWithDebbie.
You can read everything about the challenge here.
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How the 52-week productivity challenge works
First of all, grab a copy of the list [ninja-popup ID=11356]52 Things That Are Killing Your Productivity.[/ninja-popup]
After signing up, you’ll be invited to join the Facebook group #PlanWithDebbie.
On the group, I’ll share daily prompts during the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You.
I’ll guide you through a brand-new topic each week.
From Monday through Friday, you’ll learn how you can use Mindful Planning™ to:
- Become more efficient
- Save time
- Manage stress
- Achieve your goals
You can start the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You at any moment of the year.
And you choose whether to follow every single week or to focus on your personal pain points.
If you miss anything, you can always refer to older posts for catch-up or review.
All that FOR FREE!
See you at the challenge
The method I apply to the challenge is exactly the same one I use with my clients: Mindful Planning™.
It’s a 5-step method you can use to all aspects of your life become more productive one day at a time without added stress.
Come and join the 52-Week Challenge For A More Productive You today.
I’m looking forward guiding you towards a successful year and beyond!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. However, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you, in advance for your support!
