This of course depends on the flexibility of your working hour window. I see a lot of fairly complicated answers but for me, having a simple punch clock app so that I know exactly how long I have worked for the day, every day, works.
Some scenarios with my approach:
1) No flexibility, chair sitting required from 9 to 5.
With paid overtime, I would be there for 8 hours and never 10 minutes longer, unless the project was ending in two days and was not finished or the production was burning down.
Without paid overtime, I would be there for 8 hours and consider staying a little longer if production is burning down.
2) Flexible (meaning it does not matter if you work from 8 to 4 while skipping lunch, 10 to 6 or you don't show up at all - this is my situation now).
I will still track my time down to a minute.
The overtime rules stay (unless I am really having fun with something and know I will get paid 150% of hourly for it).
As for daily hours - usually I will work longer hours whenever required (within reason), at least at the beginning of the month.
Since my hours are flexible and I know exactly how long I have worked so far, I can easily stay there for 9-10 hours one week and leave after 6-7 hours the next, depending on the workload / situation.
I have noticed that some people, unless they are contractors with billable hours, look down on tracking your time or "punch clocks" as if it is beneath them.
For me personally, it brings me the peace of mind. I don't have to ever debate myself whether I am working too much or too little since I have the exact numbers.
Some scenarios with my approach:
1) No flexibility, chair sitting required from 9 to 5.
With paid overtime, I would be there for 8 hours and never 10 minutes longer, unless the project was ending in two days and was not finished or the production was burning down.
Without paid overtime, I would be there for 8 hours and consider staying a little longer if production is burning down.
2) Flexible (meaning it does not matter if you work from 8 to 4 while skipping lunch, 10 to 6 or you don't show up at all - this is my situation now).
I will still track my time down to a minute. The overtime rules stay (unless I am really having fun with something and know I will get paid 150% of hourly for it). As for daily hours - usually I will work longer hours whenever required (within reason), at least at the beginning of the month.
Since my hours are flexible and I know exactly how long I have worked so far, I can easily stay there for 9-10 hours one week and leave after 6-7 hours the next, depending on the workload / situation.
I have noticed that some people, unless they are contractors with billable hours, look down on tracking your time or "punch clocks" as if it is beneath them. For me personally, it brings me the peace of mind. I don't have to ever debate myself whether I am working too much or too little since I have the exact numbers.