Anyone ever see positive results from using RescueTime?

dchuk

dchuk

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Oct 30, 2008
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I am god awful at tracking my time, I tend to get absorbed in what I'm doing and then look back 8 hours later and realize I don't really have any idea how much time I spent on each task. I'm thinking about experimenting with the pomodoro system a bit again (I used to a while ago, but haven't lately) and am thinking combining that with RescueTime might be a nice combo to both plan and track my efforts.

Anyone have any success stories with using RescueTime to track what they've done (and optimizing your habits based on that data)?
 


No sir I has never used time effiectivelies, I only knoes not walking dogs leads to producivities.

Good luck brah.

(disclaimer, drinking != good use of time)
 
I've used RescueTime and Klok and Chrometta. They help a little bit, but not a whole lot. I kind of liked using Klok the best for measuring because it wasn't automatic, but it was kind of hard to track tasks where I wasn't on the computer. That's kind of where I don't like most of these programs is that it's hard to track what you're doing if you aren't on the computer, but are still working and what not.

It was mostly for figuring out where I was wasting time and not how much time I was spending working on what specifically. I'd imagine some sort of phone+desktop/laptop combo would work the best.

Out of those three apps, I would probably use RescueTime and either Chrometta or Klok for extra tracking.
 
Read Agile Results Getting Results the Agile Way Table of Contents - Getting Results | The Book

It explains time boxing very well...plus it was developed by a guy that works at Microsoft so its very engineering oriented which is what you need.

The way I do it is use Workflowy..you can use whatever text thing and just write down what I am doing and how much time it should take....then three things can happen.

I make it on time...great...write the next thing and go.

Make it sooner than I thought, albeit rare I use it as a reward to either have a break or try to fit something quick, like reading email.

Run out of time. Here is when Agile results taught me that ok. Its called versioning. After you run out of time you either re-write down what you are doing and another time spot or write down something else...and then revisit your project later.

The problem I have with Pomodoro is when you code you can't stop every 25 minutes, it almost messes with your rhythm.
 
I like how it has the ability to block certain websites at certain time's, like this one, so even if you decided to fuck off while using rescuetime it won't let you. This looks like something I would like to try out. Thanks for the share
 
Here's the system I developed for myself that works great for me.

Block every time-wasting website on your laptop 100%. None of this leechblock shit. I only access Reddit and other time-wasting sites on my iPad. What happens is overtime I "condition" myself so that my laptop is for work only.

My day's planned and scheduled the night before. I wake up at 7am and get working on my morning routine / work. I use timeboxing / pomodoros extensively. By 2pm I've done more work than most affiliates do all day.

I also read an hour, meditate, hit the gym, have an active social life, travel every 2 weeks, post retarded shit on twitter all day, etc. People focus too much on "time" management and not enough on "energy" management. I rather work 8 focused and solid hours a day, than 14 hrs a day where I'm sleep deprived and running on 6 cups of coffee.

I've outsourced a lot of my real life. I have laundry service and a maid comes twice a week. I have a guy run errands and grab shit for me. I have meal delivery services that bring me healthy shit everyday. All that adds up to xx hours saved a week.

Anyways good luck bros
 
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alarm app + big whiteboard should do it. Each hour take a break to get up and stretch/eat/pee/etc and make a note of what you've been working on. Good way of motivating yourself to get shit done too, last thing you want is for somebody to come over at 12 and see that you've spent the entire morning checking your facebook, watching youtube videos, and fapping.
 
What I like most in rescuetime is its Background Time Tracking Feature, it tracks everything in the background – and not just web browsing, chatting, etc, but also which specific websites I visit. But you can opt out this feature if you want.
 
I use RescueTime to track employees and it does a very very good job at that.

I use Toggl for tracking my own time (and that has done a very good job at helping me optimize my productivity). It isn't automated like RescueTime is but RescueTime doesn't show what files I'm editing in Netbeans which makes it pretty useless for me.
 
Dr_Ngo said:
Here's the system I developed for myself that works great for me.

Block every time-wasting website on your laptop 100%. None of this leechblock shit. I only access Reddit and other time-wasting sites on my iPad. What happens is overtime I "condition" myself so that my laptop is for work only.

My day's planned and scheduled the night before. I wake up at 7am and get working on my morning routine / work. I use timeboxing / pomodoros extensively. By 2pm I've done more work than most affiliates do all day.

I also read an hour, meditate, hit the gym, have an active social life, travel every 2 weeks, post retarded shit on twitter all day, etc. People focus too much on "time" management and not enough on "energy" management. I rather work 8 focused and solid hours a day, than 14 hrs a day where I'm sleep deprived and running on 6 cups of coffee.

I've outsourced a lot of my real life. I have laundry service and a maid comes twice a week. I have a guy run errands and grab shit for me. I have meal delivery services that bring me healthy shit everyday. All that adds up to xx hours saved a week.

Anyways good luck bros
Click to expand...

This is literally my dream "life management" situation. Slowly but surely getting there.
 
Dr_Ngo said:
Here's the system I developed for myself that works great for me.

Block every time-wasting website on your laptop 100%. None of this leechblock shit. I only access Reddit and other time-wasting sites on my iPad. What happens is overtime I "condition" myself so that my laptop is for work only.

My day's planned and scheduled the night before. I wake up at 7am and get working on my morning routine / work. I use timeboxing / pomodoros extensively. By 2pm I've done more work than most affiliates do all day.

I also read an hour, meditate, hit the gym, have an active social life, travel every 2 weeks, post retarded shit on twitter all day, etc. People focus too much on "time" management and not enough on "energy" management. I rather work 8 focused and solid hours a day, than 14 hrs a day where I'm sleep deprived and running on 6 cups of coffee.

I've outsourced a lot of my real life. I have laundry service and a maid comes twice a week. I have a guy run errands and grab shit for me. I have meal delivery services that bring me healthy shit everyday. All that adds up to xx hours saved a week.

Anyways good luck bros
Click to expand...

I wish more people would try and make using pomodoros second nature. Instant productivity upgrade.
 
Dr_Ngo said:
Here's the system I developed for myself that works great for me.

Block every time-wasting website on your laptop 100%. None of this leechblock shit. I only access Reddit and other time-wasting sites on my iPad. What happens is overtime I "condition" myself so that my laptop is for work only.

My day's planned and scheduled the night before. I wake up at 7am and get working on my morning routine / work. I use timeboxing / pomodoros extensively. By 2pm I've done more work than most affiliates do all day.

I also read an hour, meditate, hit the gym, have an active social life, travel every 2 weeks, post retarded shit on twitter all day, etc. People focus too much on "time" management and not enough on "energy" management. I rather work 8 focused and solid hours a day, than 14 hrs a day where I'm sleep deprived and running on 6 cups of coffee.

I've outsourced a lot of my real life. I have laundry service and a maid comes twice a week. I have a guy run errands and grab shit for me. I have meal delivery services that bring me healthy shit everyday. All that adds up to xx hours saved a week.

Anyways good luck bros
Click to expand...

I love it...! This is where I want to be... You say you wake up at 7 am... When you go to sleep? Every night same time?
 
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