Even if you’re a one-person business, tracking your time can be the key to working smarter, not harder.
Ah, timesheets. The very word sends shivers down spines, conjuring up images of corporate drones staring blankly at an Excel sheet, desperately trying to remember what they did at 10:37 AM last Tuesday. But here’s the thing—timesheets aren’t just for large teams drowning in bureaucracy.
Your Time Is Your Most Valuable Asset
When you’re a solo operator, every hour counts. You don’t have the luxury of hiding inefficiencies behind a team. Whether you’re a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, tracking your time helps you see where it goes. Spoiler: it’s probably not where you think.
Ever feel like you’ve been “working all day” but only have a couple of billable hours to show for it? Time tracking helps you see the reality—maybe admin work, social media scrolling, or impromptu snack breaks are eating into your productivity.
Know Your True Hourly Rate
If you’re not tracking time, you might be undercharging. Let’s say you charge $1,000 for a project. Sounds great, right? But if it takes you 25 hours to complete, suddenly you’re earning $40 per hour—far less than you expected.
By logging your time, you get a realistic picture of how long different tasks take, allowing you to price your services accordingly. It also helps you spot patterns: maybe some clients or projects consistently take more time than expected, meaning it’s time to adjust your rates or your workflow.
Better Project Estimates = Happier Clients
Nothing erodes trust like consistently underestimating project timelines. If you track your time, you’ll build a database of past work durations, making it easier to give accurate estimates. Clients love realistic deadlines, and you’ll love avoiding last-minute crunches.
Spot the Productivity Black Holes
Think of time tracking as a personal audit. Where are the inefficiencies? Maybe you spend an hour on emails every morning when 30 minutes would suffice. Maybe you get caught in an endless loop of revisions for that one overly demanding client. With data in hand, you can make informed changes—perhaps batching emails, setting clearer boundaries, or automating repetitive tasks.
Work-Life Balance Starts with Awareness
Solo business owners often blur the line between work and personal time. You tell yourself you’re working “just a little more,” but suddenly it’s 9 PM, and dinner is a distant memory. By tracking your hours, you can set clear work limits and make sure you’re not overworking—or underworking.
It’s Not Just for Billable Hours
Even if you don’t charge by the hour, tracking time is useful. How much time do you spend on marketing? Networking? Business development? The things that don’t immediately bring in money are still critical, and knowing how much time they take helps you allocate resources wisely.
Future You Will Thank You
If you ever plan to grow your business or hire help, having a clear record of how time is spent will be invaluable. You’ll know what tasks take up most of your day and which ones could be outsourced or streamlined.
How to Start Tracking Time (Without Hating It)
Use a free app like Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest, or a job management system such as WorkGuru or Projectworks to make time tracking effortless. Set categories to break down tasks into meaningful groups (client work, admin, marketing, etc.), and do a quick review each week to spot inefficiencies. The goal isn’t to micromanage yourself—it’s to make your business work for you.
The following content was originally published by BOMA. We have updated some of this article for our readers.