Preparedness is one of the key ingredients of project management success. This same philosophy also applies to every individual who spends their days working or studying and also it’s a survival kit for getting our life together. People have their own different ways to prepare whether they’re going to work, travel in another country, or even a picnic. Simply put, you cannot achieve what outcome you desire unless you have all the preparations in order.
If you work in the field of project management, surely being prepared is now part of your value that is also practiced by the organization and the project. Project management success doesn’t just start or occur during project planning or processing; even you are at home, you still need to do the necessary tasks so you won’t feel overwhelmed with pending work on your desk.
The things on the list are little and somewhat mundane, but do not underestimate the power of being prepared.
Keep Your Files in a Cabinet…or somewhere You Think It Will Be safe :
And make sure you’ll remember where you put it. Since project management is all about monitoring and controlling in the execution stage, you have to ensure that you have all the necessary and important files handy—make a backup copy as well in case something inevitable will happen. Project management success relies on these documents and they are part of the project’s strong foundation.
Free Your Workspace From Clutter :
Papers. Papers everywhere. With so many of them piling on your desk, it’s no wonder you are going to get lost on what you’re supposed to do the minute you arrived at the office. Devote a time to clear these papers and organized them into folders or envelopes, dividing them based on their categories. Label these folders so you will know when to look for that update report regarding that SWOT analysis. Trash should belong in the bin, and items that you don’t even use should belong in your desk drawer or a box.
Keep Your Inbox Organized
A full inbox is such a pain to look at. To save time, open them immediately once you received them. That way, you know which ones are important and which ones are just e-mail newsletters from that website you subscribed to. Thanks to Gmail, you can now divide your received messages using folders you can customize and tabs that automatically classify your incoming messages. Most of the time you will receive updates from your colleagues or senior manager via email about a project, and if you have too many pending messages, you might end up sidetracked and your project management success as well.
Check Your Calendar :
It’s crucial to check your timetable, especially if your plate is full. Project management success is nothing if schedules are not utilized properly. Neglecting your calendar by not organizing what needs to be done on that day isn’t going to do any favors for yourself and your project management success. When you are in charge of the project, your calendar is your best friend—it will help you track the project progress as well as the deadlines that you need to meet and tasks that you need to prioritize.
Multitask :
Take an opportunity to check your emails while commuting to work or make phone calls while in your car and stuck in traffic. Doing these activities will help you visualize your next course of action when you arrived to work and make you become more productive to manage the project at hand.
Jot Down Your Top Three Priorities :
Ah, priorities. They are usually so confusing when you are aiming for project management success. But having a priority list will help you identify urgent tasks clearly. Choosing your top three is the way to go rather than taking all of them up, which is going to mess up the flow of your preparation. You can achieve project management success easily if you know what you’re going to do.
These are some basic tips to keep yourself in control. Like what has stated above, people have different ways to prepare for project management success. If you think these methods work for you, by all means, use them—but if you want to put a personal spin on it, go ahead. It’s all about what makes comfortable and at ease.
But remember that project management success is better prepared if you make your methods simple and easy so you won’t have a hard time managing tasks, your team, and the project resources.