John Livingston is a senior consultant at Well Built Construction Consulting, a Baltimore-based firm that delivers strategic consulting, facilitation services and peer roundtables for construction executives. Opinions are the author’s own.
Construction professionals often find themselves juggling numerous tasks, deadlines and responsibilities. The concept of keeping track of how each day is spent can seem like an additional burden in an already hectic schedule.
However, understanding and implementing effective time tracking is not just about recording hours; it’s about gaining valuable insights into how you allocate your most precious resource: your time. By focusing on foundational tasks, time tracking can significantly reduce stress and enhance overall well-being.
To start, think of your workday as a detailed blueprint. Each section of the blueprint represents different tasks and activities. The foundational elements are your most important, high-priority tasks — the ones that truly move your projects forward and contribute significantly to your professional success.
John Livingston
Permission granted by Well Built Construction Consulting
The secondary elements represent less critical tasks, while the minor details symbolize the smaller, often time-consuming activities that can fill your day.
If you focus too much on the minor details first, the foundational elements may not receive the attention they need. Similarly, if you spend your time on low-value tasks, you’ll struggle to fit in your most important work. By tracking your time, you gain a clear picture of how you’re filling your blueprint, allowing you to prioritize those crucial elements effectively.
Time tracking provides a mirror to your work habits, revealing where your hours are truly spent. Many project managers and estimators are surprised to discover how much time they dedicate to less critical tasks, often at the expense of their most important responsibilities. This awareness is the first step toward more effective time management.
By consistently tracking your time, you’ll start to recognize patterns. Perhaps you’re spending an inordinate amount of time on administrative tasks that could be delegated or streamlined. Or maybe you’re underestimating the time required for crucial project planning, leading to rushed decisions later.
This knowledge empowers you to make informed adjustments to your work routine, ultimately reducing the stress that comes from feeling overwhelmed by unfinished tasks.
Time allocation
In construction, it’s common for tasks to become urgent due to poor time management. A project deadline that seemed far off suddenly looms large, or a minor issue neglected early on escalates into a major problem. Time tracking helps you allocate sufficient time to important tasks before they become urgent crises.
By dedicating appropriate time to your foundational elements early on — whether it’s thorough project planning, risk assessment or client communication — you reduce the likelihood of last-minute scrambles and the stress they bring. This proactive approach not only improves the quality of your work but also enhances your professional reputation and personal well-being.
For example, you might discover that you’re spending excessive time in unproductive meetings. Armed with this information, you can work to make meetings more efficient or reduce their frequency.
The result? More time for substantive work that drives project success and less stress from feeling pulled in multiple directions.
In addition, accurate time tracking provides invaluable data for future project planning and estimates. By understanding how long tasks take, you can create more realistic schedules and budgets. This not only improves your efficiency but also enhances your credibility with clients and team members.
Over time, this data allows you to refine your estimates, leading to more accurate bids and proposals. In the competitive construction industry, this precision can be a significant advantage, helping you win contracts while ensuring profitability and reducing the stress associated with financial uncertainty.
Where to start
Despite these benefits, many construction professionals resist keeping track of their work days, viewing it as an administrative burden. However, modern time tracking tools have significantly reduced the effort required.
Many apps and software solutions offer user-friendly interfaces and even automated tracking features, minimizing the time needed to record your activities.
The key is to start small. Begin by tracking your time for just one week. The insights gained from this brief period often provide enough motivation to continue the practice.
As you become more comfortable with time tracking, you can refine your approach and explore more advanced features of your chosen tracking tool.
In the complex world of construction, effective time management is crucial for success. It is not about constraining your workday or micromanaging every minute. Instead, it’s about gaining the insights needed to focus on the tasks and responsibilities that truly drive your projects and career forward.
By embracing time tracking, you empower yourself to make informed decisions about how you allocate your most valuable resource. You’ll be better equipped to prioritize important tasks, prevent urgent crises and continuously improve your professional skills.
Most importantly, by focusing on what truly matters, you can significantly reduce stress and enhance your job satisfaction. In an industry where time often equals money, mastering your time through effective tracking can be the key to unlocking new levels of success in your construction career.
