Take charge of your workday by using the Recorded Time Tracking (RTT) spec today!
A professional time entry needs three ingredients to be "chef's kiss" perfection: Project Name + Task Category + Detailed Description
1. Project Name
Keep it consistent with your SFN! If you’re working on the Nursing Logo, your project in the timer app should be: Mgd1011_CookieM-NursingLogo
2. Task Categories (The "What")
We don’t just "design" for 10 hours straight. We break it down so we can see the patterns. Use these tags:
Research/Discovery: Moodboarding and stalking the competition.
Ideation: Sketching, brainstorming, and that "aha!" moment.
Production: Moving anchors, pushing pixels, and making the magic happen.
Revision: Fixing things based on feedback (or your own second thoughts).
Admin: Organizing files, exporting, and getting that .zip ready.
3. Detailed Description (The "How")
"Working" is too vague. "Refining vector paths on primary logo mark" is professional. Be specific so if a client (or instructor) asks what you did Tuesday at 2:00 PM, you have the answer!
Take charge of your workday by using the Recorded Time Tracking (RTT) spec today!
The RTT spec is all about proving your worth and seeing exactly where your creative energy goes. Instead of guessing how long that logo took, we use a digital timer (like Toggl Track or Clockify) to keep a play-by-play of your progress.
If Cookie Monster is logging time for his Photoshop class, a single entry might look like this:
Project: Mgd1011_CookieM-NursingLogo Category: Production Description: Applying layer masks and non-destructive adjustments to the stethoscope icon.
When you submit your project archive, you’ll include a "receipt" of your hard work. This is usually a Summary Report exported from your tracking app as a .pdf. Use your SFN skills to name it: Mgd1011_CookieM-NursingLogo_RTT.pdf
NOTE: 99% of the time, trying to remember your hours at the end of the week leads to "creative math" (and a headache). Start the timer when you start the work!
PRO TIP: If you find yourself spending 80% of your time in "Production" and 0% in "Ideation," your final designs might come out looking a bit half-baked. Use your RTT data to see if you're giving your brain enough time to actually think before you start clicking.
Using the RTT spec, you can look at your workload and confidently say, “I know exactly where my time went!”
Thanks for tracking!