<div style="background-color: #FFFFED; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid #DDDDDD;">
<h1 style="color: #666666;">🌞 3 Key Takeaways
<p style="color: #666666;">
<h2 style="color: #666666;">1. 🌞 Most of us are terrible at guessing where our time goes, and overestimating productive work and underestimating distractions.
<h2 style="color: #666666;">2. 🌞 Using a time tracker like ActivityWatch can help you cut 20% of wasted time and improve your productivity without sacrificing your work-life balance.
<h2 style="color: #666666;">3. 🌞 Being intentional with your time is key, and using a time tracker can help you make better decisions about how you spend your time.
</div>How I Used ActivityWatch to Improve My Productivity by 20% (Without Sacrificing My Work-Life Balance)
Last month, I discovered something that shocked me. Despite using every productivity app under the sun – from A.I. to Obsidian second brain – I was wasting nearly 2 hours every day on YouTube and random web browsing. I know what you’re thinking: “That’s not me.” But here’s the thing – I thought the same until I saw the cold, hard data.
Time audit
I’ve been doing alot of audits in my life. Like how I finally tracked all my expenses using actual budget and did a financial audit. I’m now doing a time audit to see where I spend my time. I think most people will be shocked at how much is being wasted. I highly recommend doing one.
Why I Ditched RescueTime for This Open-Source Alternative
I used RescueTime for years. It was fine, but I never felt great about my personal data sitting on someone else’s servers. Then I found ActivityWatch – a free, open-source time tracker that lets you keep your data private. The best part? It took me 5 minutes to set up, and I didn’t need to mess with any complex tech stuff.
My 30-Day Time Audit Showed These Eye-Opening Patterns
Here’s what my first month revealed:
- YouTube: 1 hour daily (mostly during work hours)
- Random web browsing: 45 minutes
- Social media: 30 minutes
- Email checking: 40 minutes
- Chat apps: 35 minutes
Total daily time leak: 3 hours and 30 minutes. That’s almost half a workday!
3 Simple Steps to Track Your Own Time
- Download ActivityWatch from their website
- Install the browser extension for Chrome or Firefox
- Let it run in the background for at least a week
Pro tip: Don’t change your habits during the first week. You want to see your real patterns, not your ideal behavior.
How I Cut 20% of Wasted Time
I started small:
- Blocked YouTube during work hours (except for work-related videos)
- Set specific times for email (10am and 4pm only)
- Used Focus Mode on my phone during deep work
- Created “mindless browsing” alerts after 15 minutes
The result? I gained back 1.5 hours per day without feeling restricted.
The Unexpected Benefits Beyond Productivity
This wasn’t just about working more. The data helped me make better decisions about my time. I now take real breaks instead of those “quick” YouTube sessions that turned into hour-long binges. My energy levels are better, and I actually enjoy my free time more.
Your 7-Day Action Plan
Day 1: Install ActivityWatch
Day 2-6: Let it track everything (don’t change your habits yet)
Day 7: Review your data and pick ONE thing to change
Remember: The goal isn’t to become a productivity robot. It’s about being intentional with your time so you can do more of what matters to you.
Start with ActivityWatch today. In one week, you’ll know exactly where your time goes. In one month, you might just find those extra hours you’ve been looking for.
