Time Tracking: The Key to Unlocking Productivity
When it comes to staying productive, many people think about time management. But today, let’s take a step back and focus on something even more fundamental—time tracking. This isn’t about blocking off hours on your calendar or mastering your schedule just yet. The first step is simply understanding where your time is going.
Start by Tracking in 30-Minute Intervals
If you’re new to time tracking, a great way to begin is by breaking your day into 30-minute intervals. This simple method will help you see exactly where you’re spending your time. Whether you’re a business professional, realtor, or lender, it’s incredibly revealing—and sometimes humbling—to see how much time slips through the cracks.
The Tools You Need to Get Started
You don’t need fancy apps or software to start tracking your time. I personally use a blank graph paper notebook that I found on Amazon for around $18. Every day gets its own page, and I break it down by hour, from 8 AM to 6 PM, with blank spaces to represent the 30-minute intervals.
If paper isn’t your thing, you can also use an Excel or Google Sheet. I’ll include a link to a sample sheet where you can write down your planned activities and then check off what you actually did. But again, I recommend printing it out—it helps to have it in front of you.
Plan on the Left, Track on the Right
Here’s how the system works: on the left side of the page or sheet, write down what you plan to do during the day. On the right side, you’ll track what you actually did. For example, at 8 AM, you might check your email, at 8:30, return calls, and by 9, start prospecting. As you go through your day, check off tasks you completed or make notes for anything that came up unexpectedly.
Here’s a Google Sheet link for the Time Tracking Basics.
Flex Time and Green Time: What They Mean
As you plan your day, it’s important to build in flex time—those little breaks where you refill your water, take a breather, or catch up on an urgent email. But here’s the key: focus on maximizing your green time—the hours dedicated to revenue-generating activities, like making prospecting calls or meeting with clients. These are the activities that directly impact your business growth.
If you want to take it up a notch, grab a green highlighter and mark the sections of your day that qualify as green time. You can also color-code other parts of your day, like meetings with your team (I use blue for this). This way, you’ll have a visual map of where your productive time is going.
What to Do When the Unexpected Happens
Let’s face it—no day goes exactly as planned. Maybe at 9 AM, your team sends you a 911 text, and now you’re putting out fires instead of making prospecting calls. That’s fine—just write it down. It’s important to note when these interruptions happen, and who’s behind them. Over time, you may start to see patterns that help you manage those interruptions more effectively.
Review Your Time After Two Weeks
After tracking your time for two weeks, take a step back and review. If you’re a lender, how much green time did you accumulate? Are you spending your days prospecting, working on files, or buried in admin work? For realtors, how much time is dedicated to writing contracts or following up with leads versus handling emails and marketing?
The goal is to uncover where your time is truly going. If you find you’re only spending 30 minutes a day on prospecting, it’s no wonder your business might feel like it’s plateauing. Understanding this can be a real wake-up call and might even signal that it’s time to hire help.
Segment Your Time for Maximum Efficiency
You can break down your tasks into a few key categories. For example:
- Prospecting: Revenue-generating activities, like making calls or meeting with potential clients.
- Admin Work: Emails, paperwork, and other operational tasks.
- Marketing: Time spent promoting your business or managing social media.
- Team Management: If you’re in a leadership position, time spent coaching or managing your team.
The more you can segment your time, the clearer the picture becomes. But in the beginning, keep it simple. Focus on just a few obvious categories so you can see where your time is going.
The Bottom Line: Green Time Equals Growth
The ultimate goal is to spend more time in green time, which leads directly to business growth. Once you’re in the habit of tracking your time, you’ll see a powerful shift in how you manage your day. You’ll also have a clearer sense of where you might need to outsource tasks or delegate responsibilities.
For now, though, focus on getting started. Tracking your time is a great first step toward improving productivity and making sure you’re focusing on the right activities.
Reach out if you have any questions or if we can help you track your time more effectively. Remember, green time is money—make sure you’re spending yours wisely.