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Statistics/data on productivity
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Posted by Dellu
Jun 18, 2018 at 10:32 AM
I have been using Qbserve for over a year. The collected data is quite instructive about my productivity; about myself really.
Here is mine that I collected over the years using Qbserve.
It is very embarrassing. I always consider myself to have a stronger will-power: that I can manage myself very well. But, the actual data is on the opposite.
If I remove the “sleeping” from the productive category, my productivity would plummet to 30-40%. This is really disturbing fact/lesson about myself.
Do you guys use Qbserve or Timing?
What have you learned from your data? can you share it?
Posted by Dr Andus
Jun 18, 2018 at 01:43 PM
I manually log my working time (and the given task) and break time in a Google Sheet that is always open.
I progressively add up the totals of both, so I can see how things evolve cumulatively during the day.
I’m mainly interested in making sure the break times don’t get out of control and that I reach my daily “pure productive work time” goal (which is based on the average observed over years of doing this).
It also works as a work diary of sorts, and it helps me write my diary at the end of the day.
And of course it remains an archive of my working life.
It does not give me any end-of-the-year summaries (in which I’m not all that interested). I’m mainly just focusing on the given day, and at most on the week (or a project that might span several weeks).
Posted by Dellu
Jun 18, 2018 at 02:10 PM
I totally agree with your strategy of focusing on the week or the project. I also do that.
But, I am very skeptic of your manual logging: I don’t think that is a reliable, object means of acquiring data. It might be better than nothing; but nowhere close to the reality.
Ego always comes into play; minimizing digressions, trivializing small chats (that probably spanned longer than you thought).
The independent tool tells you the true story.
Posted by Paul Korm
Jun 18, 2018 at 03:22 PM
I didn’t look at your report, since that seems private.
I’ve used Timings occasionally, and Vitamin-R2, which is a different approach. I’ve found Vitamin-R2 useful, as is the Pomodoro method that Vitamin-R2 is an extension of. Timings was less useful. First, it seemed to be constantly nattering me to report—which broke attention.
But, I get my work done. I already know I put far more tasks on my todo lists than I could ever act on. And my major challenge is always scheduling the work day around the constant interruptions of calls, emails demanding immediate attention, meetings, and commuting. My executive clients drive my schedule, I don’t, and I don’t think Findings would help much with that.
Maybe I’m wrong? I might have misunderstood the proper use of the software, but I found the process to be more annoying and stressful than necessary.
Posted by Dellu
Jun 18, 2018 at 06:13 PM
Paul Korm wrote:
, I don’t, and I don’t think Findings
>would help much with that.
>
>Maybe I’m wrong? I might have misunderstood the proper use of the
>software, but I found the process to be more annoying and stressful than
>necessary.
>
Do you mean Qbserve?
My understanding of myself is pretty misguided. Strong ego always tells that I am efficient, and doing good. The data from Qbserve is pretty an eye opener because I can look it just like any scientific data.
Apart from that, Qbserve is not like Vitamin R that helps you control/program your time. It simply collects the data on the background. But, it can execute Shell scripts (AppleScript): but, that is it.