Managing multiple projects at once be incredibly overwhelming. Regardless of your role we could all benefit from being able to successfully manage multiple projects at one time.
How to manage multiple projects
It’s important to know how to manage multiple projects well so you are able to maintain quality work. If you are having a hard time staying organize and on top of all of your priorities, allow these tips to help you strategize and complete everything that manages to come your way.
Eliminate
You may have habits that have stuck around while working on projects, but you realize those things are not directly contributing to the work at hand. Evaluate your processes and delegate what you are unable to get too successfully. This will streamline your effort and free up your time for the things that are more important.
Plan Ahead
One of the best things you can do for yourself as a person with a hefty to-do list is to plan ahead. Spend each morning carefully evaluating what you need to accomplish that day. Organize your tasks in order for things such as as due dates and importance. This will help you prioritize and better understand what needs to be completed within specific timeframes.
Don’t Multi-Task
It’s hard to escape multi-tasking. But overdoing it can result in an exercise in futility: doing a little here, a little there and never completing anything significant. We all have our own way of thinking and working. However, studies show that multi-tasking is actually not as productive as you think it is.
When we split our focus, our brains actually give less attention to each task than they would were we to focus fully on one thing at a time.
Set Expectations
Setting and understanding expectations is a huge part of managing multiple projects at once. You need to know what everyone is expecting in order to deliver the quality product or service you’ve promised.
Expectations will look different depending on your role and industry.
Communicate
Communication is an issue at many, if not most, organizations. We simply haven’t cracked the code of how to get dozens of colleagues with various personalities and working styles to openly and transparently say what they think, feel, and need.
Avoid Distractions
Similar to eliminating the phrase “multi-tasking” from your memory, part of juggling multiple projects is learning how to focus well and zero-in on one thing at a time.
We live in an incredibly hectic time period with app notifications, Slack messages, emails, calls from Mom, and more piling in minute by minute. If you’re having trouble with your workload, it could be because you’re too distracted. I advise you to pick one task and put everything else away. Maybe even set a timer for 30-45 minutes and focus on your chosen assignment completely for that amount of time.
Utilize Pagico
A Project Management software is necessary for those who are in the midst of multiple projects at once. Pagico is able to help with the scheduling of Projects and Tasks, and increases transparency into how other team members are performing.
This takes a lot of the manual labor out of managing your schedule and in addition, your priorities.
It’s impossible to be perfect, and you’ll always have those days or weeks where it just doesn’t feel like it can all get done. And some days it really can’t all get done. In that scenario, it’s important to have patience with yourself, to go home and recharge, and try again the next day.