3.1.26 Billable Hours

Monday March 2 -- first business day of the month? Let's check those hours.

My firm expects partners to track 2400 hours all in--a mix of billable (client) work and non-billable/investment/productive time (see Saturday's post for a list that contains examples of what counts for this (not everything on that list, but a lot of it)).

To stay on track, I break that down into monthly (200 hours), weekly, and daily goals.

Every month, I look at the month ahead and ask:

How many days will I bill (or track) a full day's hours?

How many days will I bill a half day's hours?

How many days will I bill no hours?

March is a long month.

I see 22 full days on my calendar.

200 hours, divided by 22 full days, means 9.1 hours tracked on those days is my goal.

The good news? I can catch up on weekends, if needed.

When I hit 9.1, great, hold steady.

When I miss 9.1, great, add the missed hours to the next day, across the rest of the week, across the rest of the month.

When I exceed 9.1, great, take hours off the next day, off the rest of the week, off the rest of the month--or, hold steady, banking hours for missed hours later, or vacation days, or sick days, or life-being-life days.

The billable hour isn't for everyone, and that's okay.

I'm here to say: if this is your reality, there is a way to live within it that is not burdensome, that allows you to have a positive (or neutral) mindset about it.

Think of it like clocking in and out--I wouldn't love that life, but I would do it, if it was required.

That's what the billable hour is--a work requirement and something you can learn to live within in a not-negative, not-begrudging, not-once-a-month whirlwind.

Track it like this + know where you stand.

Enter it near-daily + don't have it looming over you at the time-entry deadline.

Track everything + meet the billable and productive time requirements (.1s add up, quickly).

Off to it.

♥️🔥✌🏻