When you have a project deadline approaching, don't you start panicking? Well, one of the easiest ways to get out of this situation is to keep track of your time. You can always use a time-tracking tool to finish your tasks on time.
Around 17% of employees agree that they track their time regularly for improved productivity. Moreover, time-tracking practices also play an important role in increasing your efficiency. Using a time-tracking tool allows you to finish all your projects faster, so you don't have to get into panic mode.
How to Get Started with Time Tracking
Time tracking is an essential skill, often hailed as the main requirement for completing projects on time. Whether you're working individually or within a group, tracking your time can be useful.
Do you want to start time tracking? Here is what you need to follow:
Write Down the Tasks
One of the most important parts of project time tracking is to know what tasks you need to complete. Therefore, you must note down all the tasks that are to be done during the day. Keeping a note of all the tasks makes it easier for you to work. Fortunately, there are many project management solutions and workplace tools that allow you to easily track tasks online.
Prioritise What to Do First
Once you are done writing down what tasks are to be done, you must prioritise them accordingly. Not all tasks are going to be important to you and need to be completed at the beginning. Thus, in situations like these, you must prepare a priority list of what should be done. You can prioritise the tasks in terms of their urgency or difficulty level. Prioritise tasks based on their deadlines, impact on your goals, urgency, and importance, giving precedence to critical projects, impending deadlines, and high-impact activities.
Turn a Stopwatch and Focus on Work
Using a stopwatch can play an important role in helping you understand how you're going to approach your tasks. A stopwatch is one of the most prominent ways to complete all tasks on time. A stopwatch provides you with an exact idea of how much time you're using to complete one task. This will give you an upper hand in recording your time management skills and improve your speed.
Take a Break at Regular Intervals
If you're continuing to work at a regular pace or speed, there is a high chance that you will feel burned out. Therefore, to avoid the risk of being burned out, you must constantly take regular breaks. If you're taking regular breaks amidst your tasks, project time tracking will allow you to stay proactive. As a result, you will be able to complete all your tasks faster or on time.
Choosing the Right Time-Tracking Tool
As one of the most important business tools, time tracking tools make an important effort to note down the time taken to complete the tasks. Considering that numerous tools are available today, it is extremely crucial that you choose one that is most appropriate for you. It is important to note that not all time-tracking tools will suit your requirements. Therefore, some important factors to look into while choosing the time-tracking tool are as follows:
Compatibility
Is the time-tracking tool compatible with its use? In terms of compatibility, you must determine what your requirements are. This can include whether it has all the features you are looking for or is fast enough for you. Before you download the tool to your device, read the reviews related to it. This is to ensure that there are no gaps in using the tool. Moreover, it will also help you understand whether the tool will malfunction or lag while you're using it. Using it would be efficient and convenient, as long as the tool doesn't break down. This is more important when you have a remote team. If the tool is compatible, your teammates can collaborate, work, and beat off unproductiveness.
Ease of Use
What is the purpose of using a time-tracking tool if it is not easy? People have often complained about getting a time-tracking tool that does not function properly. Well, most of the time, it is because these people are unable to use it. The tool's interface must be good enough to be used efficiently for different time-tracking methods. You must have the benefit of navigating through the software so that you can learn more about its features.
Automation
While manual efforts are great, sometimes, they can pose the risk of errors. As a result, you must consider choosing a tool that provides the benefit of automation for time-tracking practices. If the tool automates repetitive tasks, you will not have to worry about doing certain tasks repetitively. This will certainly help you save some more time. In addition, Businesses contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing paper waste through paperless practices. Paperless processes with time-tracking tools and electronic signatures enhance efficiency by eliminating the need for physical paperwork.
Customisable
If a time-tracking tool is customisable, you can always mold it to your benefit. As a result, you can work on the tool and use it to your advantage. There are numerous tools available that will help you customise different aspects. Therefore, time tracking becomes easy, and you get to set the tool at your convenience. When the tracking tool works at your convenience, you can use it to your advantage to complete the tasks.
Using Time Tracking to Finish Projects Faster
Time-tracking tools can greatly help you finish all your projects on time. Once you have chosen the perfect tool, it will be easier for you to work. This will also help in avoiding any unwanted risks.
Time-tracking tools have paved the way for measuring your time spent completing a task. Therefore, anytime you want to get any of the jobs done, you can just look at an estimate of how long it would take for you to wrap up the task.
Here are some important points to consider when using time tracking tools to finish your project:
Better Time Management: Around 69% of employees believe that they do not track time efficiently. A time tracking tool will enable you to check how much time you’re spending completing a particular task and then allot the time effectively. As a result, it helps eliminate wasting time and provides attention to tasks that need more time.
Identify Bottlenecks: When you have time tracking tools, you can identify bottlenecks and avoid slow projects. Multitasking can reduce productivity up to 40%. By addressing the bottlenecks, you will be able to complete the projects on time.
Set Realistic Deadline: The time tracking tool provides data that helps in setting realistic and accurate deadlines. As a result, the smooth flow of the project is maintained throughout.
No Wasting Time: With the help of time tracking, you’d be able to cut down on unnecessary meetings and unproductive activities. With optimization, you will be able to improve productivity. Better time tracking will eventually help in reducing productivity leaks by 80%.
Boost Accountability: When time is tracked, the team members will have a sense of accountability. This will therefore play an important role in meeting deadlines. The use of accounting software allows for precise and efficient time monitoring, making it easier to identify potential bottlenecks and allocate resources effectively. Companies that follow time tracking in payroll are 44% less likely to make any major errors.
Best Time-Tracking Tools
If you're planning to use the best time-tracking tools to your advantage, here are a few you can look into:
RoundPie
RoundPie allows you to keep up with time-tracking best practices. It is an extremely efficient tool for personal and professional use. This free time tracker will help boost your productivity. Furthermore, it will help you track your time reliably and systematically. You can enter your to-do lists, and the app will customize the schedule and track your work.
TimeCamp
If you are in search of a feature-rich yet simple time-tracking tool, TimeCamp should be your go-to tool. This tool for time tracking for employees will allow them to gain insight into all the projects and tasks and understand how to complete them by the deadline. The employees can collaborate and track how much they have progressed with the project.
Conclusion
The various time-tracking tools have made it easier to get the tasks done. Since you already have access to most of the details regarding your project, you can just enter those details into the app. With a time tracker available right at your fingertips, it becomes easier to get your jobs done without the risk of delay. However, it is advisable that you download the RoundPie, a time-efficient time-tracking tool that ticks all your checkboxes.
About the author:
Shweta Gupta is a growth marketing specialist who is working with 2xSaS. She creates content that converts website visitors into paying customers for SaaS companies. In her free time, she likes driving around the city & hanging out with her friends.
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