How do you manage multiple projects with ease?

There is a lot of good data suggesting that humans are terrible multi-taskers. I have learned to embrace this and fully acknowledge that I am no good at it. (I have to laugh when people tell me that they have master this and are good at juggling multiple efforts - all this means is you are unfocused on several things at once!) Knowing that I cannot easily go back and forth, I set time aside to focus completely on one effort/project at a time. The trick is knowing which effort is of the highest priority, but if you are able to correctly set priorities, you can focus individually and get more done.

My favorite part of planning is truly getting to know the team I'm working with, the way the process works now, and the way it should be working. I need to hear the ins and outs of the process including upstream and downstream impacts because we all know projects have a tendency to affect those processes even if they fix the one we're focused on. Additionally, the more you get to understand the entire organization you're supporting and their processes, the easier it is to identify potential risks and roadblocks, as well as offer input on solutions they might not be considering.

I have the idea to share the plan with the team and make time to test the goals and success criteria. with them. buy in to the plan! also i realise now i don’t know how many of them understand PM principles which might be worth going through.

Make sure to plan ahead, prioritize effectively, break tasks down, communicate/collaborate, practice time management, adapt and learn. Use tools like Asana/Trello, Eisenhower Matrix, Kanban boards. Stay organized, focused, and deliver successful outcomes. Good luck!

I use Jira to manage and prioritise my projects. As soon as the tasks and sub tasks are set in Jira, I delegate the stakeholders for approving the tasks and use the plan board to monitor the progress. I also use Dashboard to keep track of their daily progress which helps me follow up with them and ensure they deliver on time.

Communication is your secret weapon. Stay connected with your A-team, stakeholders, and cherished clients. Update them regularly, keeping them engaged and in the loop. Clear the path ahead by sharing changes, addressing issues, and embracing feedback. Choose your communication tools wisely, tailoring them to fit the purpose and audience. Strike a balance; don't drown them in information overload. Be the maestro of concise, focused, and relevant messages. Nurture a culture of open dialogue and active listening. Remember, effective communication is the catalyst for collaboration, quashing misunderstandings, and fueling project success. Let your passion for communication inspire those around you to talk more!

I agree that communication holds a major key to the successful delivery of a project. I use daily standup meets with my key stakeholders to ensure we are on track with our milestones and keep the customers updated periodically with updates. It is also the role of a PM / DM to ensure that they don’t have unnecessary calls as it would not add much value and at times cause confusion amongst the team. Also the focus is lost at times if we have prolonged meets with little outcomes. Meeting times should be short, focusing on the tasks highlighting achievements, blocks and how to address them. Emails should have clear points of communication and targeting audience should know what their actions are.

When it comes to working with multiple projects, especially with different tasks, I often look for patterns before proceeding. This helps manage time and stress without much trouble. For instance, if suppose multiple tasks are related to same/common objectives within the same topic or same project realm, then strategizing would work, which helps me look out for some opportunity or way to complete quicker. In essence, completing tasks in fields related to project management follows the same principles for completing tasks in other types of jobs. As mentioned in the passage, it is advisable to stay focus on manageable chunks.

Transparency and accountability are most important for this step. Project teams should be selected from people that can get the job done, but just as importantly, take responsibility and can handle feedback and correction. Addressing a missed deadline is one thing in a private setting, but by addressing and requesting justification in a larger setting with a broader audience is a wonderful motivator as people do not want to be on the spot or singled out for a negative reason. This may sound a bit harsh, but as long as handled professionally, holding team members accountable is not a bad thing and if used more, would help correct a lot of complacency and entitlement in the workplace. I know this as this is my method and it is very successful

To handle multiple projects simultaneously, you need to adopt some effective strategies besides the ones which are mentioned. First, Delegate. But also monitor progress and provide feedback. Second, Set small and realistic goals for yourself every day, which will help you stay focused and motivated. Third, you should retrospect your work and as a team regularly, and identify what went well and what can be improved.

Remember you are not alone in your projects. It is key to build rapport with your project colleagues, nurrish them, give feedback and share the success as well as the failures, so you can learn together. Then, you have a projec team you can rely on and can help share the load of the multiple projects.