How Time on Task Strategy Boosts Productivity in Work & Life

"Time on task"– what does that term really mean? As a self-professed "word nerd," workplace jargon gives me “the ick”. Terms like "drilling down" or "moving the needle" have me itching to "table the conversation" before I metaphorically leap "over the wall." Often, such lingo is convoluted, oblique, and counterproductive.

By comparison, terms like "time on task" are refreshingly straightforward. Unlike jargon, it’s not just a buzzword; it’s a meaningful performance metric that tells you exactly what you want to know: how much time is spent actively working on a specific task. Fortunately, the strategy is just as simple to implement.

Initially devised as a personal learning aid by J.B. Carroll in 1963, the time on task methodology has fast become a workplace staple. Why? Because savvy folks are increasingly seeing its power to boost productivity and efficiency. And given reports that “The average office employee is productive for only 2 hours and 53 minutes (31%) of an 8-hour workday”, keeping track of time has never been more important.

So, without further ado, here’s a rundown of what we’ll outline in this “game-changing” blog.

What is time on task?

Simply put, "time on task" is the term used to showcase the amount of time a person spends actively engaged on – yes, you guessed it – a task. 

As for why you might track time on task? It helps you to hone in on:

• Specific areas in need of tweaking
• Processes that require further streamlining (because we all have functioning documented processes in place at this point, yes?)
• How you can enhance productivity overall

So, to clarify, time on task is observing the amount of time spent actively engaged in a specific activity. It’s seen as an invaluable metric used in productivity and efficiency studies to measure how long it takes to complete any given activity. 

Benefits of time on task

As for the benefits of observing time on task? They include just some of the following:

Now that you know what it is, and the benefits, let’s have a look at how it works.

How the time on task strategy works

In essence, "Time on task" is a strategy for dedicating focused blocks of times to certain tasks. A simpler way of seeing it is a technique to manage your workload. Either way, the desired result remains the same – that being optimized time management and increased efficiency! 

Here are some key ways to employ the strategy across your day-to-day.

1. Define your goals 

Start by setting clear, measurable objectives for each task that’s deemed an “on-task” activity. Then, ensure everyone involved understands their responsibilities and the required deadlines. If in doubt, be SMART about it.

2. Track your time

Obviously, a key component to any time on task strategy is tracking time itself. There are a number of ways to achieve this but one of the best ways of tracking time spent on tasks involves not having to do anything. 

Here's a snippet of how it works - Memtime has recorded me logging into Chrome, then working on a copywriting task in Google Docs, then, it went on to record time away from the computer, and classified it as Offline time, like a true Memory Aid 🙂

3. Analyze your data

Now that you’ve effortlessly collated your data (via Memtime, naturally) you can identify those precious patterns and pesky bottlenecks. Not only can you see which tasks suck the most time but if you connect it to a project management software, like Asana or another one from the vast selection of integrations, you can also identify which team members are most productive at certain tasks.

4. Fudge it

If you routinely find yourself misjudging how long a task will take then employ the fudge ratio. You can calculate this by dividing the number of hours it took you to complete a task by the number of hours you assumed it would take. You then multiply this ratio to get a better estimate.

5. Build that buffer

It's a good idea to overestimate your time requirements. You could do this by adding 25–50% to your estimate, thus giving you a higher chance of having an accurate estimation of the time you actually need. Don't forget to retroactively check your schedule to amend things you've already planned.

6. Improve those processes

Again, there is no such thing as a perfect process. There is – however – always room for breaking and streamlining further. This can only be done with good time tracking data.

7. Seek feedback and adjust

Regularly reviewing time on task data allows businesses to adapt to changes, make those necessary improvements consistently, and provide feedback to employees. They, in turn, can give you their insights. Listen, I know it’s hard to receive constructive criticism – but it’s necessary for progress. Communication is a two-way street.

Everyday time on task examples

By focusing on analyzing how your employees spend their time (and getting them involved in the process to ensure buy-in from the offset), your business can boost efficiency, plan to scale, and *whispers* even increase your bottom line. 

So, by way of example, let's look at how this works in fast-paced industries like marketing, law, and consulting, where time is literally money.

Marketing agencies

While marketing agencies are all about devising ideas and breathing life into bold campaigns, you still need to keep things organized and efficient. From crafting creative content to keeping an array of clients happy, you’re spinning ALL the plates. 

By understanding how your team spends their time, your marketing agency can strike the perfect balance between creativity and productivity. For example, a copywriter might spend a large wedge of time brainstorming the perfect tagline. By tracking this, you can see if they need a more balanced approach or perhaps tweak their workflow to glean better results.

In addition to time on task managing your creative development process, some further examples include: 

• Client management: Efficient client management requires balancing time between meetings outlining what they want and then delivering the actual creative work. Time on task can ensure you’re striking that equilibrium. 
• Campaign execution: Implementing and monitoring campaigns siphons a lot of time. You need to track this to ensure your projects stay on schedule and, by extension, within budget.
• Administrative tasks: Effective management and/or automation of these necessary tasks prevents them from overshadowing your core responsibilities as a marketing agency.

Follow me over this way to see how Memtime can work for your marketing agency. 

Law firms

Let’s say your area is in law. Time on task is crucial for managing caseloads and ensuring clients receive timely and effective legal representation. Attorneys and support staff engage in activities like case preparation, legal research, and client consultations. Tracking time helps law firms allocate resources efficiently, manage client expectations, and ensure compliance with billing practices.

For example, an attorney preparing for a trial needs to meticulously research legal precedents, draft motions, and meet with clients. By analyzing how much time is spent on each task, the firm can ensure that attorneys don’t get overwhelmed and that each case receives the required attention.

Other areas time on task could be directly applied in this industry includes all facets of case preparation, monitoring protracted client consultations, and tracking the time spent prepping and representing clients in court. Then, of course, there are the seemingly endless administrative duties (file management, billing, and compliance) that need tracking before you can streamline.

Fret not, for Memtime has been bringing clarity to busy lawyers. See how it could help you here. 

Consultancies

Consultancies are all about deploying expert advice and solving complex problems. To do this, you could spend endless hours researching, analyzing data, and honing strategic recommendations – but you also need to ensure your clients are getting the attention and quality they deserve. 

For instance, a consultant could spend substantial time pouring over market trends or cobbling together reports. By understanding the time invested in these efforts, you and your consultancy business can allocate those resources more effectively, improve those processes, and deliver results.

As with any industry, consultancies also have a slew of administrative tasks to juggle, like reporting and scheduling. When implemented right (like partnering with Memtime for your time on task endeavors) your productivity will be supported, allowing consultants to focus on more high-value activities.

The common thread throughout industries is efficiency. By focusing on how time is used, service-oriented businesses can bolster productivity, make more informed decisions, and stay ahead of competitors.

Wrapping up

Again, the use cases we outline above are just a few ways you can apply time on task across various facets of business. The common through line is having clear, usable data that’s completely private and doesn’t impact upon your working day – and that’s obviously where we at Memtime can help. If you’d like to see how it can work for you, there’s always our 14-day zero strings trial. 

Irrespective of what time management tool you use, the bottom line is this: by tracking and analyzing time on task across various business functions, you spot any prevalent or not-so-obvious inefficiencies. This leads to optimized processes, and increase overall productivity, and the growth of your business.