The Bill4Time Blog

Time is money. It’s a common belief. It makes sense. And for that, we use time tracking software or some other methods to make sure not a second of valuable billable time is missed. But what would our time tracker say if we tracked our time out of the office?

We can argue for the sake of recreation, but you know when you’re wasting time when you know you should be doing something else.

What kind of common time wasters are there? Here are a few stats:

• The average person spends 6.5 hours a week on Facebook. If you access Facebook on your mobile device, you’re probably averaging 13 hours a week.
• The average person spends 8 hours a week on video games. It includes those who do casual games like Bejewelled and Solitaire.
• In 2008, people spent about 2.75 hours a day watching TV. In 2009, it jumped to 5 hours. With the ongoing upward trend of TV watching, we can reasonably believe that now the average user spends more than 5 hours.

The Value of Time

So why care? Well, even though you are not working, you’re time is still valuable. But if you could put a monetary value on it, what would it be. It’s been known that:

• The average person waits about 30-45 minutes for a free ice cream cone (time valued at about $5/hr).
• The average car wash is about $10 for a 5 minute wash (time valued at $120/hr).
• The average time it takes to see a penny off the street and pick it up is 10 seconds (time valued at $3.60/hr).

So do you think it’s worth it to wash your car at home? Maybe it’s better to just buy the ice cream cone and go and spend your valuable time on other things. Perhaps you can leave that penny for someone else.

Some Things are Just Priceless

Time goes by but things add up. It can go both ways. The time wasters can slowly but surely destroy what you’ve worked so hard on. But things of higher value also add up. Try some of these time enrichers:

• Spend some extra time with your family. Something engaging and enjoyable where everyone participates. It could be as simple as baking, back-yard football, or even coloring with your little ones.
• Volunteer in your local community. There is always a non-profit organization that could use an extra pair of hands to help out others.
• Read up on your profession. There are a great many books, publications, and blogs out there than give you that extra edge at work.

Time is valuable. What will you do with yours?

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Bill4Time is proud to be part of the Kennedy & Mighell Report by Legal Talk Network. Here’s a little commentary to give you some insight into one of their podcasts.

Listening to the latest podcast by the Kennedy-Mighell Report, I realized the usefulness of lists. But more important is the usefulness of following. People can take this for granted, but if you think about it, it can save us a lot of time on the internet. One can easily be overwhelmed by the massive amounts of information on the internet. There are so many articles out there. And what about the amount of Twitter users?

• Who should you follow on Twitter?
• What articles should you read?
• What sites should you go to?

Try Following Others

Go to someone that you trust on the internet. Someone who knows what they’re talking about. Find those who have been on the internet long enough and have established themselves as an authority in their field.  Wouldn’t you want to just go to the place where they go? Wouldn’t you just want to read what they read and know what they know? Sure you can’t begin where they began, but what they value is what keeps them more informed and enriched in their profession, in the internet , and in the news.

That’s where you want to be.

Why Reinvent the Wheel?

For some it’s a fun journey to scour the internet, but for others, it’s not so fun of an exploration. Use your thought leaders as your guide. Who do you trust as a blogger, as an online writer, as an authority in your interests? Find out what they read, whom they look up to, whom they reference. It will save you a lot of time and you find the gold nuggets quicker that way.

When you go to Twitter, go to those that you follow the most and follow their Twitter lists. Check out their Follow Friday recommendations. Look into who they retweet. Maybe this is someone you should follow.

If you bookmark sites in Delicious or Digg, find those that bookmarked a lot of your same sites and then look through their bookmarks for anything interesting. One good indication of a thought leader is one who leaves an informative note/comment to a bookmark.

In the podcast, Kennedy and Mighell can give you more tips to following your thought leaders using lists. They will also show you how to get a group of relevant and useful information all at once. Even if you get one idea from this, it will save you a lot of time searching, and help you keep your thumb on the latest news and updates to what matters most to you on the internet.

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The new version of Bill4Time is out of beta and ready for all users! Here are the answers to some common questions regarding the new version of Bill4Time.

Is there a cost associated with the new version?

No. All updates to Bill4Time are always free.

Why should I switch to the new version?

The new version of Bill4Time is more efficient software for billing and time tracking management. Here are some benefits only found in the new version:

• iCal Integration
• Faster page loading times
• Improved, user-friendly layout
• Universal navigation
• Multiple timers
• More customization options

Do I have to switch to the new version?

No. The new version is not obligatory for current users. Because the new version is a substantial redesign, we want to give our users the chance to become familiar with it before removing the old version. The switch is only per user, so a company can have a mix of users on the new and old version at the same time. But we strongly encourage everyone to make the switch, especially as new features are added moving forward.

How do I switch?

After logging in, just click the link that says, “Switch to New Version” located under your name in the header.

Can I switch back to the old version?

Yes. However, you will not have access to the new features. You can switch back to the old version at any time by clicking the “Switch to the Old Version” link in the footer.

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Bill4Time is proud to be part of the Kennedy & Mighell Report by Legal Talk Network. Here’s a little commentary to give you some insight into one of their podcasts.

[wpaudio url="http://www.bill4time.com/assets/legaltalk-02.mp3" text="Click here to listen to the podcast!"]

The legal technology duo is at it again! In this podcast, they respond to the reality of how most lawyers are still not using computers for note-taking. The legal pad is still prominent in the court houses and conferences. Maybe touch screen technology is a good contender.

In Defense of the Computer

The greatest benefit to using a computer when taking notes is the fact that your notes are already digitalized. And this opens a flood of benefits:

• You don’t have to go back and retype your notes.
• You can quickly copy and paste little tidbits of the conference and Tweet them.
• You can quickly extract the most important parts of your notes.
• You have all your information condensed in a single place.
• You can transfer your notes quickly to a spreadsheet, a flash drive, email, etc.
• And if you’re tracking your time, you have it right there on your screen!

Read more…

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The creators and developers of Bill4Time’s time tracking software have been working feverously for many moons to bring you the 2.0. And it is almost here! Around the office, we are doing some internal beta testing – and that includes everybody! Now I’m not a web architect or a developer. I’m just a regular user who’s attention span is only so long (or short). If I find something beneficial, such as good time management, I will take the time to learn something. But after a while, I’d need a little rest. Sound familiar?

However, the new version of Bill4Time is pretty easy to navigate through! I actually had a bit of fun with it. A lot of it is pretty straight forward, though there will be upcoming video tutorials, articles, and tips to help everyone become familiar with it. With only one session with the beta version, I feel like I’ve had a deeper understanding of this time tracking software. It does more than just track your billable time, it’s a project management tool, an invoicing machine, and a valuable business efficiency assistant.

Mind you, this is only a peak into the 2.0. It’s not at its final stage but I’m far too excited not to let you in on the great things to come.

Read more…

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Bill4Time is proud to be part of the Kennedy & Mighell Report by Legal Talk Network. Here’s a little commentary to give you some insight into one of their podcasts.

[wpaudio url="http://www.bill4time.com/assets/legaltalk-01.mp3" text="Click here to listen to the podcast!"]

Lawyers are pretty fearless. They do a lot of the dirty work that we find intimidating in the courtroom. It can be pretty cut-throat and ruthless out there. For the rest of us non-lawyers, those tough dramatic scenes you see in the movies is enough to make your blood pressure go up a few notches.

But there are only a few things lawyers find a bit intimidating. One of them is technology (so I’ve been told). It encompasses the complicated – such as HTML, C++ and JavaScript – to the very simple, namely social media. Or is it that simple? Not according to thousands of lawyers who have talked to Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell, legal technology experts from LegalTalkNetwork.com. Each social media site seems like a completely different social planet: you have different configurations, features, and communicating vehicles to new a few.

Read more…

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Did you know that the difference between a bike ride and a car ride over a 4 mile commute is 15 pounds of pollutants? That’s right, according to the League of American Bicyclists, a single person can make this kind of impact on the environment. And a realization of this kind of environmental influence has been spreading to more people through the years. According to the Seattle Department of Transportation, the number of U.S. bicyclists has increased by 100% since 1985. As it continues to rise, the need for more bike lines, trails, and facilities also rise.

And Morris is at it again! Well, it’s more like one more charity before the ALYN Hospital Wheels of Love Bike Ride. If we could integrate our time tracking software with his bike, I’m sure he’d be riding 24/7. This time, the charity was to help Transportation Alternatives in New York City, a bicycling advocacy group. Last Sunday, September 13th, the NYC Century Bike Tour held its annual event. Proceeds from it will go to improve and develop new bike lanes and greenways in the city. New York City is notorious for bumper to bumper traffic so every cyclist counts!

We at Bill4Time encourage you to do your part in helping your community – whether it be taking alternative means of transportation, volunteering, or donating to a nonprofit organization. Every effort counts.

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Time is Money

There once was a wise man who said, “Remember that time is money.” We remember it every time we look to the clocks in the office. But let’s take it a step further – time is more important than money. With money you can always get it back somehow.  With time, it’s never the case.

In a recession like this, you need to take inventory of your assets.  One of your greatest ones is time. It’s something no one can ultimately take away from you since we’re all given the same amount. In a way, it’s the great equalizer. No one is given more or less than 24 hours a day.

Now, let’s assume that you are using it wisely. Let’s skip to the part where you already know your priorities and are practicing good time management.

The next question is: how do you account for the time? Just as it takes money to make money, it takes time to manage time. But if this discourages you, think of it this way: the more strategic your time accountability, the less time it takes to maintain it! If time is money, better efficiency means more money.

Now let’s take this a step even further…

Read more…

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