That $5 spreadsheet template I ignored for years finally saved my bacon

I used to just guess my rates based on vibes (terrible idea, I know). After getting burned on a $200 gig in Austin that took 14 hours, I finally tried a simple hourly tracking spreadsheet someone posted here for free. Turns out knowing exactly how long a task takes makes saying no to lowball offers way easier. What’s the one tool you ignored that ended up being a lifesaver?

4 comments

4 Comments

evan_grant7015d ago

That part about guessing based on vibes hit way too close to home, I did the same thing for way too long. The spreadsheet thing sounds simple but it really changes how you see your work, you realize some tasks that feel quick actually eat up hours and hours. For me it was actually a timer app I kept deleting because I thought I could just keep track in my head. Once I stuck with it for a week I saw I was way off on how long things took, like by 30 or 40 percent sometimes. Now I use it for everything and it makes turning down bad gigs feel like common sense instead of a gamble.

ray_burns15d ago

Did you ever try just checking your time at the end of the day and writing it down on paper? I get why a timer app works for some people, but I've always found it a little too strict for my style. For me, that kind of tracking made me anxious and I'd end up rushing through stuff just to beat a clock. Now I just jot down rough start and stop times for big tasks, and that gives me enough of a picture without feeling like I'm micromanaging myself.

michael80315d ago

Evan, that "30 or 40 percent off" part is huge. When I finally used a timer for a week, I found out I was spending almost an hour a day on what I thought was a 15 minute email catch up. The real shocker though was that the tasks I hated took way longer in my head than they actually did. So the timer helped me stop dreading certain work once I saw they only took like 10 minutes. Now I set a timer for even small stuff just to keep my brain honest.

kai83915d ago

Evan, did the timer ever change how you price things or just how you track the work itself? I'm wondering if knowing the exact minutes changed your rates or just your boundaries.