How To Track Productive Time Spent on Tasks

Before figuring out how to track the time you and your team spend on routine tasks at work, it may be helpful to understand what time tracking is and how it can drastically improve both your work and your personal life. Therefore, let us start with the fundamentals before diving in.

What does time tracking mean?

Time tracking involves keeping track of the amount of time spent on various projects or activities throughout the day, whether they are for work or pleasure.

It can be carried out manually with a notebook or spreadsheet or automatically with Employee time-tracking software tools made specifically for this purpose, depending on your preferences.

The extent to which time-tracking can assist you with your daily tasks, the various time-tracking methods that are available, and the importance of incorporating time-tracking into your daily routine are all covered in more detail in this article. So, keep reading if you are curious to learn more about how to track work-related time!

Four Ways to Keep Track of How Much Time You Spend on Tasks

Time can be tracked and measured in a variety of ways, from traditional manual methods that require manually entering start and end times to using sophisticated time-tracking tools and project management software.

When it comes to time tracking, it is critical to keep track of the hours spent at work as well as the specific tasks you and your team work on each day, the clients you serve, and the projects you successfully finished.

Here are a few strategies for monitoring the time your team spends working on tasks:

Time Tracking Apps:

There are numerous specialized automated time-tracking apps and programs, like TrackOlap , that provide features intended specifically for time tracking.

For instance, in Trackolap, you and your team can keep track of as many activities as you like, add notes, reuse old time entries for quicker documentation, set reminders, create customized reports, export them, and more.

Manual Time Tracking:

The start and end times of tasks are manually entered for this type of time tracking. You can make use of instruments like a notebook, a spreadsheet, or email. To accomplish this, you must set a timer that you must stop when the task is completed.

However manual tracking comes with manifold disadvantages such as:

● Costly

● Error-prone

● Subjectivity

● Time-consuming

● Limited scalability

● Lack of real-time updates

● Inefficiency in repetitive tasks

● Reduced precision and resolution

● Difficulty in handling large datasets

● Inability to handle complex patterns

● Dependency on human availability and resources

● Inconsistent data quality across different operators

● Lack of automation and integration with other systems

Project Management Tools:

Excellent project management tools can help you better organize and manage the work of your team. Employee Time-tracking Software features are frequently included in most project management tools.

However, the majority of the team we speak with does not find those time trackers to be user-friendly.

Because of this, they frequently use Trackolap's tools to integrate it with those project management tools. Your team will be able to assign time estimates to tasks this way and keep track of how much time is spent on each task inside the project management software.

Calendar Integration:

Even though it is less common, you can easily add time tracking to your calendar by creating distinct events for each task or project.

Establish the start and end times for the events, and then check your calendar at the end of the day to see how much time was spent on each activity. Easy!

The most crucial thing is that you decide which approach suits you the most in light of your preferences and requirements. Regardless of the method you choose, accuracy and consistency are the keys to effective time management.

How Do Time Tracking Tools Make It Simpler to Track Time on Tasks?

We already know that time tracking has many advantages, including increased efficiency, better time management, precise billing, progress tracking, and many more. But precisely how do time-tracking solutions make it simpler to track time spent on tasks?

The fact is that time tracking tools make it easier to track time spent on tasks by offering a variety of features and advantages, including:

● Built-in timers:

The great thing about time tracking tools is that they frequently come equipped with timers or start/stop buttons that automatically record how long your tasks take to complete. Your life will be easier because manual calculations will no longer be necessary and tracking will be more precise.

● Task categorization:

You can assign tasks using time-tracking software to particular clients, projects, or categories. Your time spent on various types of work can be organized and analyzed with the help of this categorization.

● Integrations:

The majority of time-tracking tools are compatible with collaborative platforms, calendar apps, and project management software. Through automatic syncing of task information, time entries, and project data, this integration streamlines the workflow.

For instance, the Trackolap app integrates with many of the most widely used programs, including Jira, Toggl, Harvest, Slack, and numerous others.

● Reporting:

You can produce thorough reports and analytics using these tools based on the tracked data. With the help of these reports, you can pinpoint areas for improvement and come to wise decisions by getting precise insights into your productivity, project status, and time allocation.

● Invoicing And Billing:

Many time tracking programs have automatic invoicing and billing features that let you create invoices for customers or projects based on the time that has been recorded.

This streamlines the billing procedure, especially if you work with multiple clients, guarantees accurate invoicing, and strengthens the relationship of trust between you and the client.

● Mobile Convenience:

You can track your time anywhere, at any time, by using employee tracking apps on your phone. With the ability to start, pause, and stop timers from your tablet or smartphone, you can record precise time information even when you are not at your computer.

If you frequently work outside of the office, this may be advantageous. Having the app on your phone can be very helpful if your job does not involve sitting at a desk and requires you to travel frequently or move around during the day.

● Team Management:

By enabling team members to keep track of their time and participate in joint projects, time-tracking tools are also excellent for fostering team collaboration.

Managers can then produce extensive team-wide reports, keep an eye on team members' advancement, and more effectively allocate resources.

Use An automated Tracker to Keep Track of Time

One of the most user-friendly project-tracking apps available is Trackolap, which we highly recommend if you are looking for the best app for teams. For teams, organizations, consultants, and lawyers, Trackolap is among the most easily accessible time-tracking software.

The tool offers thorough team time management, thorough billable tracking, and detailed reports. To ensure that your team maintains its concentration while working and tracking various activities, the Trackolap makes time tracking much simpler and more intuitive.

Trackolap maximizes productivity, profitability, and efficient time management because of how easily teams can input incredibly accurate time entries.

Why Is It Important to Keep Track of Task Time?

It is no longer a surprise that time tracking can help your company, as well as the overall management of teams and projects. The following are the main advantages of keeping track of how much time is spent on tasks:

Boosting Output and Effectiveness:

Understanding how you use your time and identifying all the areas where you can increase productivity and efficiency are both facilitated by time tracking. By identifying tasks that take longer than expected or do not fit with your goals, you can make the necessary adjustments and prioritize your work as effectively as possible.

Precise Planning:

When you start keeping track of the time spent on tasks, you can collect information that will enable you to develop plans and goals that are more precise. You can establish reasonable deadlines and manage client expectations more successfully by analyzing historical time data because it enables you to predict the length of similar tasks or projects with greater accuracy.

Monitoring progress:

You feel more accountable when you keep track of your time. You can continuously check your progress about deadlines by keeping a time log, ensuring that you stay on track and reach your ultimate objectives. Additionally, it enhances your ability to report and communicate about the status and development of your projects.

Identifying Time Wasters:

Even though we want to be as productive as we can, there are so many things that can divert our attention from what matters. When you keep track of your time, it is much simpler to spot distractions or inefficiencies that can be fixed to improve workflow as well as activities or tasks that take up too much time without providing much value.

Resource Allocation:

Employee time tracking provides useful information about how resources are allocated, including how much time is spent by employees. Balancing workloads and deciding on your team's and project's assignments with knowledge, helps to optimize resource allocation.

Billing And Invoicing:

The ability to fairly bill clients and generate invoices based on your worked hours depends on accurate time tracking. It offers professionalism, transparency, and accountability. In most situations, doing both at once is a way to increase billable hours.

Work-Life Balance:

Last but not least, time management can support a healthy work-life balance. You can spot areas where you might be working too hard or shirking your obligations to spend time on yourself by being conscious of how you spend your time. Achieving a healthy work-life balance can help you feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally, which will improve both your professional and personal lives.

Conclusion

As we have seen, there are numerous methods for tracking time spent on tasks. Tracking time spent on tasks is beneficial for increasing productivity and achieving a better work-life balance.

Specialized time-tracking apps, allows you to identify inefficiencies, set realistic goals, and allocate resources effectively.

Gaining insight into how you spend your time daily allows you to optimize your workflow, prioritize tasks, and make informed personal and professional growth decisions with TrackOlap - the best employee tracking software.

Making time tracking a habit allows you to stay organized and focused, allowing you to achieve your goals more efficiently.