RescueTime Introduces Workers to Like-Minded Companies

Did you ever read the book Cheaper by the Dozen?  In it the book, Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey tell the story of what it’s like to always worry about efficiency above all else.  The story tells about the household of twelve children growing up with efficiency experts Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.  One memorable example was the moment in which the father teaches everyone the most time-effective way to lather up when taking a shower.  The premise is that over a lifetime, small adjustments to one’s routine can save hours or days or weeks of one’s time.

These efficiency experts were concerned with cutting physical movements that were unnecessary.  But in this new era, plenty of time is not wasted by exhausting leg muscles or overextending arms.  The culprit for wasted time is often the consumption of computerized media.  While bosses try to adjust to a workforce whose jobs require them to sit in front of a highly seductive distraction all day, some companies have tried to find ways for workers to take personal responsibility for their time.

The company RescueTime claims that “On average RescueTime recover 3 hours and 54 minutes worth of productive time per week per person.”  If you choose to use the services on the site, the company tracks how much time you are spending on different websites.  Users are then welcomed to adjust their habits on the internet in order to have more time for finishing other work,  getting to know other employees, or soaking up a little extra vitamin D during lunch.

RescueTime is introducing a new tool in which users of their time tracking system can be introduced to likely employees.  For instance, people at RescueTime might notice that one person who uses Aquamacs a lot might really benefit from an introduction to a company that needs a new computer programmer. RescueTime assures potential users that it prioritizes privacy and always consults users before sharing information with any companies.