<story><title>Ask HN: Hourly billers, do you bill for only focused work?</title><text>I have noticed that trying to bill at higher rates has been becoming more difficult and if I don&amp;#x27;t work a full 8 hours it appears that I am slacking off. The vast majority of software engineers do not do 8 hours of actual work, even including meetings.&lt;p&gt;However, I sometimes notice other contractors billing a full 40-hour work week and clients not batting an eye.&lt;p&gt;Am I being too honest, and should I continue billing for the fifteen minutes I go off reading HN, having lunch, or any other short break?&lt;p&gt;Edit: I guess what I meant to say, is lowering my rate by around 25%, but also being less picky on what I should bill so that I can earn the same amount, acceptable?</text></story><parent_chain><item><author>pm</author><text>Do yourself a favour, and bill by the day, rather than by the hour.  Engineering is creative work, and you&amp;#x27;re paid to think - code is just the end product.  Thinking happens consciously and unconsciously, at all times of the day.  Billing by the day will allow you to focus on the work rather than the administrivia.&lt;p&gt;Whatever you do, do not drop your rate: you&amp;#x27;ll just be undervalued by your clients.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>lawn</author><text>Indeed.&lt;p&gt;Many of my best ideas have come to me in the shower, on a walk and even in the middle of the night.&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#x27;s ridiculous to say you should have a stopwatch with you at all times, so daily billing it is.&lt;p&gt;If they don&amp;#x27;t want to that, just assign 8 hours as a full day and stop worrying of you reach them or not.</text></comment>
<story><title>Ask HN: Hourly billers, do you bill for only focused work?</title><text>I have noticed that trying to bill at higher rates has been becoming more difficult and if I don&amp;#x27;t work a full 8 hours it appears that I am slacking off. The vast majority of software engineers do not do 8 hours of actual work, even including meetings.&lt;p&gt;However, I sometimes notice other contractors billing a full 40-hour work week and clients not batting an eye.&lt;p&gt;Am I being too honest, and should I continue billing for the fifteen minutes I go off reading HN, having lunch, or any other short break?&lt;p&gt;Edit: I guess what I meant to say, is lowering my rate by around 25%, but also being less picky on what I should bill so that I can earn the same amount, acceptable?</text></story><parent_chain><item><author>pm</author><text>Do yourself a favour, and bill by the day, rather than by the hour.  Engineering is creative work, and you&amp;#x27;re paid to think - code is just the end product.  Thinking happens consciously and unconsciously, at all times of the day.  Billing by the day will allow you to focus on the work rather than the administrivia.&lt;p&gt;Whatever you do, do not drop your rate: you&amp;#x27;ll just be undervalued by your clients.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>newbYhrly</author><text>Yes, this. If I think it will take 2 days, I say 3 and hand off on day 3. Numbers are just examples.&lt;p&gt;I get half up front, half on delivery.&lt;p&gt;Trying to juggle a set of rules for when to run the clock is a distraction.</text></comment>