For translators: The benefits of time tracking

In this article we will share a simple yet effective tip to enhance professional translators’ and linguists’ workflows by tracking the time they work on projects. 

Some of you already do it, others don’t – and perhaps because the idea has never occurred to you. If you belong to the latter group, you may want to take a moment to consider the benefits that time tracking could offer for your freelance business.

First of all, it’s safe to say that there is a trend towards hourly billing based on time tracking for freelance professionals in general, especially in digital fields – also for freelance linguists. This is due to the fact that the very nature of linguistic tasks is changing due to technological developments. Units like words, pages etc. no longer reliably reflect the time actually required for completing a given task.

Why should you track your time? What are the benefits?

Freelance translators and linguists are increasingly aware that the consistent use of electronic time tracking has the following benefits:

• Fairer compensation: Hourly billing based on time tracking ensures that research, quality assurance – and anything else you do around your linguistic tasks – are properly accounted for. Complex projects sometimes just don’t fit into a per-word pricing model. Transcreation, proofreading in context, and video translation projects are just a few examples.
• More accurate information and insights for yourself: Time-tracking software allows you to track your time by the minute. With just a click, you can accurately capture foreseen and unforeseen pauses and interruptions. This can help you to develop a better understanding of how long a task really takes and how much time you spend on pauses and interruptions – you might be surprised when looking at your records at the end of a day or week!
• Greater transparency: If you can provide clear, trackable work records, you are in a better position to show how long you needed to complete a job. There’s no more guesswork, but transparency for everyone.
• Contributing to better estimates: By tracking your time accurately, you can help us identify potential discrepancies between our time estimates and the actual time you spend on our jobs.

Speaking of estimates:
We at Gemino strive to estimate the time frame for a job as accurately as possible, based on testing and prior input from linguists working in the various languages we handle. Of course, some people are faster or slower than others, and we cannot accommodate all individual work paces in our estimates. However, we try to ascertain an average throughput that is realistic and feasible for a linguist experienced in the field. In any case, your input as an expert in your language helps us adjust our estimates, if necessary, and make them more accurate in the long run.

This requires two things: mutual trust on the one hand and solid documentation on the other. That’s where time tracking comes in handy.

Another interesting aspect of time tracking is that some people tend to stay more focused when they are under a certain (controlled) level of pressure – the awareness of time ticking by helps them eliminate procrastination and distractions, along with their negative consequences.

Did you know that, after an interruption, such as drifting off to perform unrelated internet searches, it can take you more than 20 minutes to regain full concentration on your task?

Easy-to-use tools for translators

If you haven’t tried electronic time tracking yet, you may want to explore a few user-friendly tools suitable for freelancers. Some popular options include:

• Clocko:do
  “Online time tracker made in Germany.” Once the free test period is over, usage remains permanently free for freelancers – with limited functions compared to a pro version, but it should be enough for freelance purposes. New projects can be created directly in the app and started immediately. Nothing is lost, even if you lose your internet connection: Clocko:do saves all entries offline and synchronizes them automatically as soon as you’re back online.
• Clockify
  Available for free as a mobile app, web app, desktop app, and browser extension. Offers unlimited time tracking and an easy-to-use timer (start–stop). Includes the option to create a timesheet or a calendar view of the tracked entries. You can find an explainer video on the website. Just like Clocko:do, Clockify saves all entries offline and synchronizes them automatically as soon as you’re back online.
• Myhours
  Available for free as a mobile app, web app, desktop app, and browser extension. Offers unlimited time tracking and an easy-to-use timer (start–stop). Includes advanced reporting features as well as an option to export tracked entries as PDF or XLS.
• Toggl Track
  Free version for freelancers with unlimited time tracking, exportable reports, and Google and Outlook calendar integration. Can be integrated with more than 100 different tools, allowing it to fit into existing workflows.

These tools, along with many others, are simple to set up and free to use – so you have nothing to lose. We encourage you to explore these options and see how they can benefit your work.

Key takeaway

Tracking your time gives you valuable insights into where your time actually goes. It may help you to use your time more efficiently and stay focused.