Do you count your hours at work?

[SkyBlue1987]

I don’t really and if you do what’s the best way of keeping track of them. I have a flexible job where I WFH a lot, in the office occasionally. I also fit my job in between school drop off pick up - so sometimes work in the evening/nap times etc/do laundry when I WFH etc. Basically my hours are all over the place so I don’t track them - seems a lot of work to track. Rather I just focus on getting done what needs to be done. Anyone else the same?

Surely it depends on what your employer requires and whether you get overtime/flexitime etc?

I used to have to record every 6 minutes of my time. For about 15 years. It broke me. Much happier now in a job that is results-oriented not time based. But it’s up to me to watch that the hours are not getting out of control if I have a spate of having to work late.

I do, because I am freelance and bill my clients by the quarter-hour. My husband is salaried and does not.

I have to do time sheets but I put my hours in for the days not at what times I did them if that makes sense.

Many years ago I also had to do the every six minutes and that was fucking awful.

It is absolutely fine in a lot of jobs to focus on output. I don't track my hours.

I have to track my time as we charge clients for time spent on each project plus there are tasks within the project so sometimes have to track against different tasks/roles.

It's not every 6 minutes though, sometimes I can track a solid couple of hours on a project other times it could be 2 minutes per project!

We then have non billable tasks to track agains such as Admin, research, new business etc.

I work on site in a hospital. Zero flexibility and no wfh option. 0830-1630. I work those hours and no more. Ready to work for 0830 and computer off at 1630. I refuse to more as I don't get paid for it.

When we started working at home in lockdown they brought in time recording for the PAs (the fee earners already did time recording). They told us it was to ensure we took proper breaks and that it wouldn't count towards our pay rises or bonus (ahem). Surprise, surprise, we later found out that wasn't the case.....

I do but it's for my own benefit as I have a chronic illness and I'm monitoring how many hours I'm well enough to work as I want to work out whether I would be able to increase my hours. It's very easy to do with Toggl Track.

I don't. I actually don't have contracted total or working hours in my contract!

Very, very slow period ATM where I spend an ungodly amount of time on MN and work less hours than a typical 'full time' role - however I anticipate it'll be all go from April and I'll be doing 60 hour weeks so I'm enjoying it whilst I can!

We're output based, but I like the routine of knowing.

I have a couple of routines in a notebook, e.g.

9-5 1h lunch = 7h
8-6 2h lunch = 8h
1h evening

At the beginning of the week I spend 5m reviewing my calendar and paste a quick routine adding up to my hours so I have an idea of what I'm doing.

Strikes a balance between knowing what I'm doing and not overdoing the admin.