If you are a Virtual Assistant who charges by the hour, it’s imperative that you have an easy-to-use, accurate, time tracking program. With over 5 years in the virtual assistant industry, I have tried a variety of ways to track my time. Heck, I have even tried using a kitchen timer once! I don’t recommend it unless you want to almost pee your pants when it goes off! 😉
There’s an easier option that doesn’t make you jump out of your seat. It’s called a time tracking app, and there are many on the market. Some are wonderful and some are meh. Some are very simple and others are a hassle. Some are free and some cost a fee.
First of all, I don’t recommend paying. There are many free options that work just as well as the paid ones. So, there’s no reason to have more business expenses than you have to as a VA.
Today, I want to tell you about my top 3 time tracking apps, even though there are probably a dozen that I like really well, but for the sake of space and time, I’m picking three.
- Clockify. This one is kind of new to me, but is my absolute favorite now. I have only been using it for about a month, but I really like it. Super simple, easy-to-use, accurate, and free. This is an all-inclusive time tracking program with an extensive reporting system. This time tracker offers tracking time while you work, manual time entry, you can also add your time in a time sheet, and includes features that help you organize the time you log. The Reports section also offers weekly reports, if you choose to use them.
- Toggl. This is the one I have used the most in the past. It was built for speed and easy to use. It has a simple interface that is easy to navigate and learn quickly. It is also free, but there is an advanced paid option, but I did just fine without the paid version. You basically clock in and out on this app as well. You can access it from your desktop or phone. You can also use the data to organize time sheets.
- Time Camp. This one also has a free version. It has automatic time tracking with comprehensive and detailed reports. It also has time sheets and can separate by categories. I’ve used a few times and it was pretty simple and easy to use.
When I thought about all the ones I’ve tried, these 3 stood out to me the most as ones I would recommend. It’s important as a VA to make sure you are tracking your time correctly if you charge by the hour. Not only is this for the benefit of the client to make sure you are not charging more than you are actually working, but this is important for you to use a time tracker to make sure you aren’t undercharging for your time.
If you are an employer or have recently contracted out a virtual assistant, these would be good options to use or recommend to them to make sure productivity is what it needs to be. If you yourself are a virtual assistant, any of these would be a great way to help track your time accurately.
If you are a busy small business owner and maybe need a virtual assistant to help take care of some things for you, please schedule an appointment with me for a free 15 minute consultation to see if we are a good match! You can do that HERE.
Genean Roberts – Life By Design VA Services
