November 9, 2023
Every day, $7.4 billion is lost due to unrecorded work activities. To improve time management and productivity, employers and workers have turned to time tracking platforms, such as Toggl, Harvest, and Everhour. With the help of these tools and management strategies, on-site employees and remote workers can increase productivity and satisfaction in their work.
To learn more, check out the infographic below created by the Washington State University’s Online MBA program.
Studies indicate employees spend just a little over two hours working per day. The rest of their time is spent browsing the internet and social media, socializing with co-workers, calling people outside work, texting/instant messaging, or taking breaks.
According to a 2017 survey by TSheets, half of all employees either track their time via a time tracking application, paper, or time sheet. The other half track their time via touch screen, kiosk, timecard, biometrics, point-of-sale system, texting, or email.
One of the more effective time tracking tools employees can use is Toggl. The tool features several ways for employees to track time efficiently, such as one-click timers, tracking reminders, calendar integration, and scheduled alerts for projects.
Another handy time tracking device is Harvest. This tool allows employees to track time, expenses, and projects, enter invoicing information, obtain overviews of team members’ workloads, and receive automatic reminders for tracking budgets.
A third time tracking tool, Everhour, features ways for employees to track time and utilize a timecard calculator as well as a weekly time sheet template. It also contains features related to project budgeting, expense tracking, and visual planning.
FreshBooks is another time tracking tool that employees can utilize. In addition to expense and time tracking, it also contains invoice reminders and features designed for project management.
Finally, Timely features staff dashboards, time sheets, and rosters. It also has several marketing features, as well as business administration components to help individuals manage cash, control user permissions, and manage teams across multiple locations.
By making simple changes to daily habits, employees can enjoy improved focus and increased productivity.
One of the tactics employees can utilize to work more efficiently is to rethink the concept of the “to do” list. One way to do this is to use 3.5 index cards to help shorten their lists and keep them focused on important tasks.
Another key time management tactic is to stop multitasking. The reason for this is because multitasking splits attention between tasks, which can lead to lower-quality work and wasted time.
Cultivating “deep work” is a tactic that employees can deploy to help improve their time management capacity. To do this, employees can schedule work that requires 100 percent of their attention for the same time each day.
Employees can also set deadlines for all their tasks to work with greater efficiency. Adding a time limit to a project can help motivate employees to complete a task.
Additionally, employees can build up better work efficiency by maintaining a distraction list. This is done by writing down things that distract while also coming up with ways to minimize their effect.
Finishing what’s been started is another time management-improving concept that employees can utilize. This tactic works because leaving something half done will cause stress and become a distraction.
Finally, employees prioritizing their own well-being can be important to work efficiency. Making sure to get enough sleep, eating healthy, taking time to exercise, and enjoying hobbies can be all provide a big efficiency boost.
Unlike on-site employees, remote workers may not have a strict schedule for beginning or ending the workday. This can make it difficult to stay motivated and focused.
The first productivity-improving tactic remote workers can utilize is to organize and declutter their workspace. This can be achieved by setting aside time to clean and organize their workspace before finishing the workday.
Secondly, it can be key for remote employees to track results, not hours. Sitting at a desk until a certain time can lead to inefficiency and anxiety.
Thirdly, remote productivity can be boosted by grouping similar tasks together. Blocking out time during the day to check emails and social accounts can reduce the impact of shifting their focus.
Another productivity booster can be to work within ultradian rhythms. When a remote worker’s energy levels are down, they can focus on less important tasks or take a break.
Remote workers can also use the two-hour solution to plan their work. This is done by taking two hours to divide up goals for the week. This could be divided into metrics such as activities that earn money, activities that support money-making, time to deal with the unexpected, and recreation time.
Listening to white noise is another way remote that workers can boost production. This is because white noise can help sustain concentration and improve productivity.
Finally, it can be important to spend some time standing while working. Alternating between sitting and standing can help improve a remote worker’s mood and energy levels.
Proactive time management will not only boost employee performance, but also help increase an organization’s revenue. Taking time management seriously will help employees improve their chances of receiving rewards and promotions and, as a result, fast-track their careers.
Sources
Entrepreneur, "24 Time Management Strategies to Be More Efficient"
Everhour
FinancesOnline, 40+ Critical Time Tracking Statistics: 2020 Market Share Analysis & Data
FreshBooks
Harvest, Features
Timely, Features
Toggl, Features
TSheets, Workplace Time Tracking Habits Revealed