Time tracking

What It Means

Time tracking is keeping a record of how long you spend on each task or kind of work. (1) As a personal habit, you log time for a week or two to see where your hours actually go, then compare that with where you meant them to go. (2) At work, it's the record of hours worked that pay is based on; for covered nonexempt workers, U.S. employers must keep records of hours worked each workday and each workweek, according to the Department of Labor.

How People Say It

• "Where did the afternoon go?"
• "I tracked it, and email ate 11 hours this week."
• "Don't forget to put your hours in by Friday."

The Breakdown

Worked example (Buhata's own numbers). One person plans a 40-hour week, tracks it, and compares:

What the result means. The total matched, but the mix didn't: messages and meetings took 7 hours from project work. That's the gap to act on, for example by blocking two mornings for the project and checkingChecking accountA bank or credit union account for everyday money going in and out, used by debit card, checks, transfers and direct deposit. See more email at set times. One week is a small sample, so track two before changing much.

How to track a week

1. Pick three to five categories that cover your day.
2. Every time you switch, write the time and the new category, or run a timer.
3. Each evening, add up the minutes per category.
4. When the week ends, compare the totals with what you planned.
5. Change one thing, then track another week to see if it worked.

Good to Know

If you're paid by the hour, the hours record matters for your pay. The Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #21 says employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act must keep records of hours worked each day and each week for covered nonexempt workers, and they may use any method that's complete and accurate, including a time clock or having workers write down their own times. Keeping your own log alongside the employer's is Buhata's own suggestion, since it gives you something to check a paycheck against. For questions about your pay, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is the place to ask.

Related Terms and Categories

• Planning fallacy

  The tendency to underestimate how long a task will take, even when similar tasks have run late before.

• Weekly review

  A regular session, usually weekly, where you clear your inboxes, bring your lists and calendar up to date and decide what matters next.

Productivity methods and focus