The Billable Hour

Everyone hates the #billablehour and entering their time. What If I told you there's a way to make it painless and accurate? The difference between stressed-out time-keeping and seamless billing comes down to a simple system that I've perfected after years of 1800+ billable hour targets. 1. Start with a daily target. ↳ Break your annual target into a monthly, then weekly, then daily goal. 2. Track in real-time. ↳ Keep a log all day, as you go from task to task in real time (snag my log template below). 3. Block your calendar. ↳ Schedule "deep work" blocks for substantive tasks and protect this time from meetings. 4. Enter time daily--no exceptions. ↳ Spend 15 minutes at day's end transferring your real-time log into your timekeeper. 5. Reconcile weekly. ↳ Each Friday, review your weekly hours total against your goal and adjust the following week's target accordingly. This method is not just about keeping partners happy (or getting paid by clients). It is about giving yourself data to manage your practice and career strategically. When you know exactly where your hours stand, you eliminate the end-of-month (or end-of-year) panic. You can confidently take that hour, day, or week off when needed, and transform billing from your most dreaded task to a professional strength. What's your biggest time-tracking challenge? Drop it in the comments and let's solve it together. ❤️🔥✌🏻 ---- If you want to learn more about harnessing your POWER to build a sustainable career, follow me Emily Logan Stedman and repost to spread the word. #biglaw #professionalwomen #emilylitigates