Which is better – a productivity log or a time tracker? To answer this question, you need to understand your specific needs and goals. After all, both tools have their advantages and can be used together or separately, depending on your preferences and requirements.
What is a productivity log?
A productivity log is a record of the tasks and activities you perform over a period of time, along with information about the time you spend on each task and any important notes about the task. It can be created by using a spreadsheet, planner, or any other method that allows you to keep track of your activities.
The benefits of using a productivity diary are the following:
- Improved time management. By tracking the time you spend on each task, you can identify areas where you spend too much time and make adjustments to your schedule to become more efficient.
- Increase motivation. Seeing your record of accomplishments can be a powerful motivator that encourages you to continue to be productive.
- Better prioritization. By keeping track of your tasks, you can better prioritize and focus on the most important ones.
- Increased focus. A productivity log helps you to stay focused on the current task because you know you’re monitoring your progress, which means you can see what you’ve accomplished and what you need to work on.
- Increased accountability. By monitoring your or your employees’ performance, you or your employees become more accountable to yourself and can better identify areas where they may need to improve.
What is a time tracker?
A time tracker is a tool or software that helps you monitor the working hours you usually spend on various tasks and activities throughout the day. However, it can be used to track work time as well as project time or any other personal activity.
The benefits of using a time tracker are the following:
- Increased productivity. When you track your time, you become more aware of how much time you spend on each task, which can help you identify areas where you’re wasting time and make adjustments to become more productive.
- Better time management. With a time tracker, you can better manage your time by allocating a certain amount of time to each task and ensuring that you are using your time efficiently.
- More accurate and transparent billing. If you’re a freelancer, a time tracker can help you accurately bill clients for the time you spend on their projects. Or, if you’re a manager working with remote employees, a time tracker can help you fairly evaluate the work of employees, paying only for the work actually done without overpaying for wasted time.
- Increased concentration. By tracking your time, you become more focused on the task at hand because you know you’re tracking your progress.
- Better work-life balance. A time tracker can help you strike a work-life balance, ensuring that you don’t spend too much time on work tasks and neglect your leisure time.
- Improved reporting. With a time tracker, you can see the exact number of hours you spend working, as well as the number of tasks or projects you’ve completed. Seeing this information clearly makes it much easier for you to generate reports. It also makes you more accountable for your time and allows you to better identify areas where you may need to improve.eas where you may need to improve.
But what if you combine all this functionality and don’t have to choose one thing?
It’s possible, because there is Yaware.TimeTracker – a software that is a great employee monitoring solution designed to help businesses increase employee productivity. Its powerful features allow employees to use the tools they need to get the job done without violating their personal space and respecting their privacy. Yaware makes it easy for managers to see what their teams are working on, stay in touch with their employees, and help them when needed.
Key features of the Yaware platform:
- Activity log allows you to monitor all online activities of your employees, including what they are working on and what resources they are using.
- Screenshots and webcam features help you make sure that there are no outside activities at the workplace. It also helps to check that people are working and not on their phones.
- More than 18 reports help managers analyze employee productivity, determine whether the workload is evenly distributed in teams, and identify those who violate the rules for using commercial information.
- Automatic accounting – all statistics are automatically entered into the report card, which can be viewed or downloaded to a computer for further data processing.
- Project and task management – the entire scope of planned work in one place, after which you can calculate the cost of tasks, hours of work, and assess how much the result paid off.
- Personal statistics – an opportunity for employees to independently analyze their work.
Use only good time tracking software, such as Yaware.TimeTracker, and you won’t face any problems. Only solutions!