Timing Your Performance

Jimlad

Well-Known Member
Ready, set, go!

Do you time any part of your work? I never used to, but I was single and had nothing better to do than work or go to the pub. Now I find monitoring how long I work (either to make up for days off or to actually make sure I take one) is becoming quite useful. I never charge by the hour, always on a project-by-project basis, so it's not for that reason. I just like knowing exactly how much I've gotten done in a day or how much I need to do another day. I don't even time myself by project, it's literally hours clocked per day.

Although I sometimes time a task, so I can predict it more accurately in future... seems I've underestimated how long things take in the past!

Do you use anything to time yourself? I'm hopeless at timing myself accurately without some sort of app, it seems. I've tried a load of free (read: complicated and unusable) apps but have eventually found blissful simplicity in a £2.99 app called Tic Toc. It sits up in the tool bar without the need for any obtrusive windows and lets me see my time at a glance. Which is nice.

Anyway, discuss. If you've got time, obviously.
 
Sort of, like you I charge for the job but I normally take notes of how long it took to help judge prices for future jobs.

Example with a 3d render. I take note of the number of parts, material choices, lighting and how long it took to render (it literally tells me the render time when it's done :)) etc. These can be used to help work out how long something will roughly take to supply to a client. I do have a little disclaimer about renders saying it's only an estimate and may take longer just in case though :)
 
Recently I've been working on things that I need to calculate my hours but I only take a rough mental note and I round down quite considerably.

I'm crap at things like that. :(
 
Honestly, Scotty, I recommend getting an app. You'll be amazed at how much you actually work. Plus you can export the info as a handy dandy spreadsheet too.
 
I ought to even if just out of interest.

I reckon it's scare the shit out of my clients though. :nod:
 
I am using a software called Time doctor ( its paid) . it really helping me. so i can spend my time on right things.
 
If you're open to an online option take a look at solo if you have your own server, it's free and features more than just a timer tool, there's even a paid version called duet which features a few more features (iirc Sean might have told me about this)
 
Yeah, I'm using one called TeamWork at the moment, which has an integrated project task timer. Pretty cool.
 
Back
Top