When you have a 9-5 and other responsibilities, every second matters.
In a previous essay, I talked about how prioritization and time blocking made taking on the 100 Days of Graphic Design challenge possible.
But time tracking has been just as essential for my continued success.
The trick, of course, starts with prioritization and time blocking. That’s why I mentioned my previous essay because to be successful, you must be working on those two skills first. But if these skills are already in your bag, time tracking is your next step.
How to track your time
Start by picking your digital tool of choice.
The reason I decided on using a digital tool over an analog tool is because digital tools allow you to create a report. You can gain data on your habits and work from there.
My tool of choice for time tracking is Toggl Track.
Of all the tools I have used to track my time, Toggl Track has by far been the most robust. Clockify is a close second, but I liked Toggl Track’s UI a little more, and their reports are easy to parse through.
Then, start tracking your time.
Before you start any task, regardless of that task, hit that little play button and track it. Do this for every task. Go about your day but track everything that you do for at least a week.
This may sound extreme, but understanding how long it takes you to complete a task will allow you to prioritize and time block better.
You’ll find out when you have the most energy and when you don’t.
All of this matters if you want to be more creative. If you hope to make time to draw, design, write, make music, etc. We humans are notoriously bad at estimating our time, so tracking it will enable you to make use of every second when you have a lot to get done.
Constantly look at your data.
Adjust and adapt.
This is how I was able to make time for my creative pursuits despite working a 9-to-5 and having familial responsibilities. I tracked my time, figured out how long it took me to get tasks done, and planned my week according to how long it took me to complete a task.
As stringent as this may seem, the freedom I have gained with my schedule has allowed me to work on my creative endeavors.
I’ve been able to write, draw, and design consistently. And though every day isn’t perfect, I’m making more art than I ever have before I decided to use productivity tools and techniques to my advantage.
For that reason, I highly recommend tracking your time and using that data to make time for your creative pursuits.
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