If you’re a designer—whether freelance or part of a creative team—you’ve probably struggled with one of the industry’s least glamorous but most necessary tasks: logging time. It’s not exactly the fun part of the job. You’d much rather be diving into wireframes or choosing color palettes than remembering whether that client call was 42 minutes or closer to an hour. But time tracking isn’t just a billing issue—it’s a productivity tool, a workflow optimizer, and often, a sanity-saver.
Over the years, I’ve gone from scribbling rough estimates on Post-it notes to spreadsheets that were riddled with errors. None of them worked well for long. The solution finally came when I found the right time tracking app for designers—something built with our specific needs in mind. And yes, the difference it made was huge.
In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned about time logging from a designer’s perspective, including how to find a method that doesn’t interrupt your flow and why the right app can make it almost effortless.
Why Time Logging Matters More Than You Think
Let’s start with a truth that many of us resist: accurate time tracking is essential. Not just for billing, although that’s a big part of it. It’s also about understanding how long tasks actually take. Design is notoriously hard to estimate—what starts as a two-hour logo tweak can balloon into a full-day exercise in pixel perfection. If you’re not logging your hours, you’ll never know where your time is really going.
Good time tracking gives you data. Data you can use to price your work more accurately, balance your workload, or show a client why a project is taking longer than expected. Without it, you’re flying blind.
The Common Time Tracking Challenges Designers Face
Before we talk solutions, it’s worth identifying the pain points. Most designers I know (myself included) run into one or more of these issues:
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Forgetting to start or stop the timer.
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Not knowing how to categorize time accurately.
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Losing track of time when multitasking.
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Hating the idea of logging time in general—it just feels tedious.
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Using tools that weren’t built with creatives in mind.
These hurdles are very real. And they often cause designers to give up on time tracking altogether. That’s why the key to success is not just forcing yourself to do it, but making it easy.
What Makes a Time Logging Method “Easy”?
“Easy” is subjective, but for me and many designers I’ve spoken to, it comes down to a few core qualities:
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Minimal interruption to your creative process. The best methods are ones that don’t pull you out of flow.
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Automation where possible. The less you have to remember, the better.
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Clarity and simplicity. It should be obvious where your time is going when you look back at your records.
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Flexibility. Whether you’re freelancing, working in an agency, or juggling multiple roles, the tool should fit your workflow.
The easiest way to log time, then, is to find a time tracking app for designers that checks these boxes. Thankfully, a few standout apps are designed with our unique working style in mind.
Choosing the Right Time Tracking App for Designers
Over the past few years, I’ve tried and tested several apps that promised to make time tracking simpler. Some were decent. A few were a complete mismatch. But eventually, I found that the most effective time tracking apps for designers tend to share a few features:
1. Intuitive Interface
Designers appreciate clean, user-friendly UI—it’s what we create, after all. If an app looks like it was built in 2003, I’m immediately turned off. The best ones feel modern, frictionless, and pleasant to use.
2. Automatic Time Detection
Some apps use intelligent tracking, identifying when you’re working in certain software (like Figma, Adobe XD, or Photoshop) and logging that time for you. It’s surprisingly accurate and completely eliminates the need to remember to hit “Start.”
3. Project and Client Tagging
Designers often work on multiple projects across several clients. A good app lets you assign time blocks to specific projects or clients with a single click.
4. Integration with Design Tools or Project Management Software
If your time tracker syncs with tools like Trello, Asana, or Slack, you can log time directly within your existing workflow. It’s seamless and saves time.
5. Reports and Visual Summaries
I love being able to view my time data in graphs or weekly breakdowns. It’s a great way to spot trends and understand how I’m spending my time. Plus, clients appreciate detailed, professional-looking reports.
Real-World Example: How I Use Time Tracking Daily
Here’s a glimpse into how I use a time tracking app in my own design routine. I typically start my day with a few key projects already outlined in my project management board. As I dive into work, I open my time tracking app—personally, I use one that integrates with my calendar and auto-detects what software I’m working in.
If I’m designing a UI in Figma, it tracks it automatically. When I switch over to emails or admin tasks, I can quickly adjust the task category. At the end of the week, I get a report showing how much time went into design, meetings, revisions, and admin.
The beauty of it? I barely have to think about it. It runs in the background and helps me stay accountable—not just to clients, but to myself.
Why Designers Should Avoid General Time Trackers
There are plenty of generic time tracking tools on the market, but many of them are made with corporate teams or developers in mind. They’re often rigid, overly complex, or just don’t reflect the nonlinear way we work as creatives.
A time tracking app for designers specifically takes into account the kind of work we do. Design time isn’t always consistent. You might spend an hour staring at a blank screen before having a breakthrough. A good app understands this ebb and flow.
Plus, when the interface is designed well, it feels like an extension of your creative tools, not a separate chore.
Tips to Build a Habit of Time Logging Without the Headache
Even with the best tools, you need a few strategies to make time logging second nature:
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Keep the app open or pinned to your workspace. Visibility helps you remember it’s there.
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Log as you go, not at the end of the day. Waiting until the evening to recall what you worked on is a recipe for inaccuracy.
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Use notifications smartly. Some apps will remind you if you’ve been idle or haven’t tracked anything yet—these gentle nudges are helpful.
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Review your time weekly. A quick glance at your reports helps reinforce the value of tracking, especially when it shows you just how much you’ve accomplished.
Freelancers vs. In-House Designers: Does the Approach Differ?
Freelancers often rely on time tracking for billing, while in-house designers may need it for internal project management or reporting. But the core benefit—knowing how your time is spent—remains the same.
Freelancers may want apps that include invoicing features or integration with accounting software. In-house designers might prefer tools that align with team-based platforms or support multiple users for collaborative tracking.
In either case, the goal is simplicity and consistency. When you make time logging a natural part of your workflow, it becomes second nature.
Final Thoughts: Time Tracking Doesn’t Have to Be a Burden
I used to think of time tracking as a boring administrative task that stood between me and creativity. Now, I see it as a creative tool in itself—one that helps me understand my workflow, optimize my process, and ultimately make better business decisions.
The easiest way for designers to log time is to embrace a system that works with your creativity, not against it. A well-designed time tracking app for designers removes the guesswork, lightens the mental load, and lets you focus on what you do best: creating great design.
So if you’re still relying on memory or manually jotting down hours, give a purpose-built app a try. Your future self—and your clients—will thank you.
