Time Tracking: My Productivity Secret
Have you ever noticed that tracking your progress on certain tasks can exponentially increase your success? Whether you’re tracking your calories, your water intake, your exercise, your money, or your time, the process of monitoring your progress is a big productivity booster.
One of the most beneficial things I did for my business in 2018 was to start tracking my time while proofreading. I’ve reaped so many benefits from this one habit, and I want to share my experience with you in hopes that you, too, will benefit from tracking your time.
Why I track my time
1. Using a timer encourages me to stay on task.
I’ve determined not to let distractions interrupt my workflow. I talked more about staying focused in this post.
2. My proofreading speed has increased.
Some of this speed increase is due to experience, but I truly believe that keeping track of my time has helped me improve my skill.
Let me add a disclaimer here. I do not condone proofreading faster just for the sake of reading faster. If reading faster causes me to miss errors, it does me no good as a proofreader.
3. I know whether I can accept a job from a client who needs a quick turnaround.
Because I’ve been tracking my time, I know my average proofreading speed for each of my clients, and I can determine whether I have time to complete the job by the deadline. I can also adjust my scheduled time blocks accordingly and move a rush job to the front of the queue.
4. I have become more intentional about finding uninterrupted blocks of time.
It’s not ideal to start and stop the timer multiple times during a job. I have a hard time getting back into the flow of the job if I keep getting interrupted. This inspires me to make sure I have taken care of all possible interruptions before I start the timer.
For example, if my washing machine is going to finish a cycle in 10 minutes, it would be better to find a 10-minute household task to accomplish during that time, rather than start proofreading, only to have to stop in 10 minutes and lose all momentum that I had gained on that job.
How to track your time:
1. Find a timer that works best for your workflow.
I use Timer+ on my iPad because it allows me to run multiple timers at the same time. I can have one countdown-style timer running to keep me focused for a certain period of time (an hour, for example) and a separate stopwatch-style timer to track my proofreading speed on a transcript.
I can also customize the title of each timer. For example, I type my client's first name and the name of the witness whose transcript I'm reading. This keeps me organized when I have multiple proofreading jobs for multiple clients.
Use whatever timer works for you. Depending on the type of work you do, choose a smartphone app or simply use the timer built into your phone. You can also find timers on websites like timeanddate.com/timer or online-timers.com.
2. Find an uninterrupted block of time before you begin the timer.
Don’t begin until you can dedicate an extended period to your work. See #4 above.
3. Start and stop the timer as needed.
Let’s face it: interruptions are a part of life. Train yourself to stop the timer when an interruption occurs and remember to start it again when you resume working. Again, it’s better to find a block of uninterrupted time before you begin, but life happens.
4. Do the math.
When you’re finished with the job, tally up the number of minutes it took you (rounded to the nearest minute). Then divide the number of pages by the number of minutes to determine the number of pages per minute.
What to do with your time-tracking data:
1. Record your time in a spreadsheet.
I use Airtable to record all of my proofreading jobs. The screenshot below shows the various pieces of information I collect for each job. Other tool options are Excel or Google Sheets. Find one that allows you to average all of your times.
2. Determine your average speed for each client.
Use the average number to estimate how long it will take to complete a job for that client. For example, if I’m able to proofread 1 page per minute for a client and she asks me to proofread 100 pages, I can estimate that the job will take me approximately 100 minutes (an hour and 40 minutes). Just divide the number of pages by your average pages-per-minute speed.
3. Chart your progress.
On a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, yearly), average your times and document your speed. As your skill grows, your speed should gradually improve too. Set a goal to increase your speed each year.
If you aren’t a proofreader but wonder if tracking your time could help your productivity, I challenge you to try it! Tracking your time can help your business, your family, and your personal productivity!
*This post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up for Airtable using my link, I will receive Airtable credit.
About Julie Corbett
A veteran proofreader of 25 years, Julie is passionate about the English language and teaching others to use it correctly. When she’s not proofreading court transcripts, she’s writing blog content, reading about productivity, or spending time with her family. Contact Julie here.