HOW TO MANAGE MULTIPLE PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME

In the field of project management, managing multiple projects is crucial. Juggling numerous responsibilities can sometimes be stressful for project managers.  It is even more challenging to keep track of all the moving parts if a person lacks professional project manager training. In this article, we will break down some key strategies for simultaneously managing multiple projects.   

The complexity of managing multiple projects

While managing a single project is difficult enough on its own, managing multiple projects simultaneously adds complexity. It can be challenging to ensure that the teams, objectives, and timetables of each project work seamlessly together. Not only is it hard to keep an eye on individual projects, but it's also hard to understand how they interact with one another. Because the success of one project can have an effect on the success of others, it is essential to keep a comprehensive perspective of the entire portfolio.

Tips for multiple projects

Prioritize the Important

Make a list of the most important aspects of each project you are responsible for first. If you don't have this foundation, you can work extremely fast all day and still feel like you're behind if you haven't worked on the right things. The tasks that are a part of your projects will also have different priorities than those of your projects themselves. What is truly necessary and what is merely useful? Find that right away. Then, you can prioritize the most important project tasks by allocating your own and your team's time accordingly.

Use the right technology

Attempting to manually manage multiple projects using spreadsheets is inefficient. Due to the many factors at play, manual labor can frequently result in numerous errors and inconsistencies. Find a system that was made to handle multiple projects. There are platforms that can be customized to meet your requirements, have automations that can speed up manual tasks, and connect to the tools you already use for your job.

Make room for complete concentration

What do you require to maintain focus? You can work on your projects more effectively if you make good use of your blocks of time. Additionally, this entails remaining focused on your most important activities. Avoid the urge to simply check social media to see what's going on. Keep to your tasks and save browsing the internet for later; just figure out what works best for you. Everyone is unique. 

Follow your actions and progress

It's easy to fall behind when you're handling multiple projects at once! Monitor how much time you spend doing each activity. Use the time tracking features in your project management software or make a note. You will soon realize if one project is consuming too much time and harming the others. Schedule a meeting each week where you are the only person present to review your progress and assess your position on each project.

Encourage your team's adaptability and flexibility

Even if you make an effort to plan your projects, you can still make mistakes. Promoting your team's adaptability and flexibility so that you can pivot whenever necessary is the best way to reduce the likelihood of potential issues delaying your projects. When starting new projects, make a note of which dates on your project schedule are more movable and which are fixed. You can play around with the timing if an emergency arises on another project. You can also use a change management process to make it easier to switch between projects and tasks. Managing the ups and downs of working on multiple projects can be made easier with a flexible attitude.

These are the most effective methods for managing multiple projects. Productivity comes from being efficient, focused, and honest when managing multiple projects with deadlines.