From Tedious to Transformative: How Time Tracking Became My Secret Weapon
Back in my agency days, I loathed the task of tracking my time. It felt like an exercise in futility—a tedious chore that always seemed to reveal uncomfortable truths. I’d spend an hour caught up in tiny back-and-forths with teammates while the major wins, the ones that truly moved the needle, often came from just a few minutes of focused effort.
Worse, I became obsessed with dissecting where every precious moment went, fixated on making each second “count” for the company. The irony? It left me feeling more overwhelmed than productive.
Fast forward to today. Now that I’m running my own business, I see time tracking in a whole new light. Instead of a burden, it’s become a powerful tool that helps me reclaim control of my most valuable resource: my time.
Reclaiming Ownership Over My Time
As a business owner, every minute of my day belongs to me—and I get to decide its value. This shift in perspective was liberating. Tracking my time is no longer about accountability to someone else; it’s about empowering myself. It allows me to see clearly where my efforts are going and make intentional decisions about how to spend my time.
Instead of feeling like I’m under a microscope, time tracking gives me clarity. It shows me which tasks energize me, which ones drain me, and which are worth delegating.
The Tool That Changed the Game
My go-to app for time tracking is Toggl, a free and user-friendly tool that has become an essential part of my workflow. Toggl allows me to:
Label projects: I can clearly see how much time I’m dedicating to each area of my business.
Mark time as billable or non-billable: This helps me keep tabs on client work versus internal projects.
Add hashtags: These let me categorize tasks further, like #admin, #creative, or #learning.
With Toggl, I’ve turned what used to feel like a chore into a valuable habit that provides actionable insights.
Why Time Tracking Matters More Than Ever
Time tracking has helped me do three transformative things:
Focus on What I Love
By analyzing where my time goes, I’ve been able to dedicate more hours to the tasks I enjoy most—the ones that light me up and make me excited to start my day. For me, that’s creative strategy, brainstorming with clients, and building out new ideas.Identify Tasks to Delegate
Some tasks just aren’t my jam, and that’s okay. Time tracking shows me exactly how long these tasks take and whether their value justifies the time spent. With this clarity, I can confidently outsource them to someone who enjoys them more—and likely does them faster!Cut the Noise
Not everything we do is worth doing. Time tracking reveals the activities that don’t align with my goals or add value. With this insight, I’ve learned to let go of distractions and focus on what truly matters.
Making Every Moment Count
Tracking my time isn’t just about productivity; it’s about purpose. It’s a way to ensure that my days align with my priorities, my passions, and my vision for the future. It’s helped me see time not as something to squeeze more out of, but as a resource to nurture and invest wisely.
If you’re looking to gain more clarity and control over your time, I can’t recommend time tracking enough. Whether you’re a solopreneur like me, a freelancer, or simply someone who wants to get more intentional about how you spend your days, it’s a game-changer.
Because when you own your time, you own your life—and that’s the kind of power that’s worth tracking.
Disclaimer: After writing this post, I went to toggl and found they offered affiliate links. So naturally, I switched my link for an affiliate link. If you upgrade to a paid version of toggl, Marvelous Marketing Studio will get a bounty of your paid price. This money will go to continue to offer support to our community.
