The question is based on the following: should freelancing be considered somewhat like a full-time office job or not.
If yes, then you are free to charge clients, when, for example, you are preparing for the project, you are going to the loo, or when you are making a cup of espresso and etc.
If no, then it is expected that you only track time when you are working. And always stop when not.
I'll give a practical example:
Before now, I was only tracking time when I either write code or thinking over the architecture. Or whatever related to that. I did not track time when was getting ready for the work and so on.
Now I think that it is legit to basically track any time of your activity that is aimed at the work to be done, etc:
- I will track time when setting up VirtualBox, opening PhotoShop there
- I will track time when opening folders, running terminal, running GruntJS, text editors, documentation
- I will track time when going away for 5-10 mins etc to have some rest or listen to music.
So basically will be tracking NOT ONLY the time when I directly do the job, but any activity that I do because of I am working.
So am, is my thing something legit or I am just ill and drunk?