The Solopreneurs Guide to Project Management
The Solopreneurs Guide to Project Management
As a solopreneur, small business owner, or small organization, project management is one of the most challenging aspects to tackle. It can be hard to juggle all of your responsibilities without someone telling you what needs to get done and when. For this reason, project management has become a big part of my work as a technical consultant for nonprofit and social impact organizations. In this blog post, I want to share with you some tips about project management that have helped me over the past year or so since being in business for myself--tips that will apply whether you're an entrepreneur or not!
1. Keep your to-do list organized.
One aspect of project management that I struggle with is keeping my to-do list organized. It can be overwhelming when you're juggling multiple projects and priorities, so it's crucial to find a way for your tasks and deadlines to stay on track. In the past year or so, one thing that has helped me was moving away from using an email inbox as my primary project management tool--even though I often work with many different people over email! Instead, I use Google Calendar Events alongside Asana boards (both free tools) to keep on top of everything happening at once.
A great tip for ensuring your project stays on time is by including due dates into each task/event created within your project management tool. Including deadlines will help you stay on track and give your project a sense of urgency, which can be hard to do when working alone.
Here are some other tips that have helped me:
- Label each task with the project it belongs in--it's easy to lose track if they're all listed as "to-do" tasks or something generic like "work."
- Keep meetings short. It may seem counterintuitive, but I find it helpful for meeting attendees to keep things concise because then there is less time wasted by having people leave early due to lack of interest/boredom. Being concise allows information to be shared at once instead of detail by detail.
2. Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Another project management tip I have is to break large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces--even if it seems like you'll be able to finish the task in one sitting! It can help so much with clarity of mind and getting things done on time.
An example would be a project that takes two hours per day for three days. Instead of thinking, "I need six hours," try breaking down what needs to happen during those six hours:
- One hour checking email/responding to messages each morning
- Two hours working on project X (or whatever your current task is) from 11 am - 12 pm
- Four hours work project Y from 12 pm - 03 pm
"Setting aside time every day for project planning and strategizing is a great way to stay motivated." - Candace M. Clark, Founder of Hi Tech Consulting
3. Don't be afraid to delegate tasks when you need help with a project.
Don’t be afraid of delegating tasks when needed! There may be times where you need help completing a project, and you shouldn’t feel bad about asking others for assistance--especially if they are excited to take on the project themselves.*
There have been many occasions this past year where people reached out to work together in some capacity. Whenever possible, I've made sure to create another task within my project management tool just for them so we can stay organized. If everything isn’t accounted for, it becomes unnecessarily confusing later down the line!"
4. Set aside time every day for planning and strategizing new projects.
Setting aside time every day for project planning and strategizing is a great way to stay motivated, as well! There are times where I find myself getting stuck on an idea or project, so just taking some time out of my busy schedule (things like brainstorming breaks) has helped me get back into a groove.*
It's important to not forget about these small tasks--especially those that may seem insignificant but can help you later down the line when your project takes off. These days it seems daunting to keep up with all of the new ideas popping up in our minds, so having a solid strategy can mean everything!
5. Make sure you have enough resources - whether it's time, money, or people power - before starting something new.
It’s important to make sure you have enough resources before starting something new. It can be tricky as a solopreneur if things start piling up and the only resource you have left is time--especially when deadlines are tight!
No matter what project or project idea comes across my desk, there needs to be some preliminary meeting with either one person or several people to determine how much time will need to go into each project.
Preparation means I'm able not only to prioritize but also to map out everything so that we're clear about which projects deserve more attention than others and which project will be a "pass."
It can sometimes be challenging when working on projects from home (especially since there aren't physical boundaries), but knowing our limitations helps us make sure we don't burn ourselves out before things get started.
6. Create a timeline for your project to stay on track and make deadlines easier to meet.
Creating a timeline is important for your project to stay on track and make deadlines easier to meet. When I'm working on projects, whether they're personal or professional, there are usually two major milestones:
- The project end date (whether this means submitting something into an event/competition) OR deciding when it will launch publicly.
- Building up until the deadline so that everything can go smoothly without any last-minute surprises!
I've found it helpful to use my project management tool to keep things organized, especially if things start getting hectic. It may seem like extra work, but it helps me stay on track for project deadlines and timelines, so I think of it as a great time saver.
It can also be helpful to set reminders in your calendar or project management tool about when you need to start building up until the deadline--especially if this is something you will want to use as motivation.
For example, my project management tool sends out an email reminder every morning with all upcoming tasks/deadlines coming up within the next week (or month). It helps ensure nothing slips through the cracks!
7. Ask others what they think about the plan of action you've laid out; get feedback from as many people as possible so that everyone feels included in the process (and will want to support it!)
Before proposing an idea or project, I like sitting down with various groups and talking through my thoughts on where we go next. It’s important to ask others what they think about the plan of action you've laid out. Get feedback from as many people as possible so that everyone feels included in the process.
Getting feedback from others has helped me figure out if this project was worth working on and allowed me to make changes based on different perspectives, like how much time to allow for each project and which projects to prioritize over others.
It might feel like a lot of work to get feedback from everyone, but it's worth the time spent to feel confident in what project is going ahead or how much attention we should be putting into each project. It also helps me figure out any potential pitfalls before moving forward, which has saved me a ton of time and headaches!
8. Take care of yourself by getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy food, exercising regularly, and taking breaks throughout the day if necessary!
We've already talked a lot today about time management tips for project managers...but what good are those without any self-care? It's not just about your health--these actions will also positively impact how productive you are during work hours.
It can sometimes be challenging when working on projects from home (especially since there aren't physical boundaries), but knowing our limitations helps us make sure we don't burn ourselves out before things get started.
One way I combat burnout is to set a timer for 45 minutes and then take 15-minute breaks afterward where I'll either go outside or read. Shorter work periods and more frequent breaks help me focus better on project tasks since I know that something fun will happen at the end of each period.
It also gives my mind a chance to wander too--which is important when working with deadlines! And if you don't feel like taking time off, make sure you get plenty of sleep, so your work isn't impacted by not getting enough rest.
While it's easy during busy project times to forget about eating healthy food or exercising regularly, this can negatively impact our productivity at work (or even health) in the long run. So while these things may seem like a chore at first, they're vital for our general well-being.
We can do lots of small things--like packing healthy snacks to eat throughout the day or swapping out unhealthy drinks with water--to help us take care of ourselves and be more productive.*
I know many project managers who use their lunch breaks as an opportunity to go for a walk around the block so that they don't spend hours sitting in front of their computers during work time (and also get some exercise). Taking this short break refreshes them mentally before getting back into project mode.
Key Takeaways:
- Keep your to-do list organized.
- Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.
- Don't be afraid to delegate tasks when you need help with a project.
- Set aside time every day for planning and strategizing new projects.
- Make sure you have enough resources - whether it's time, money, or people power - before starting something new.
- Create a timeline for your project to stay on track and make deadlines easier to meet
- Get feedback from various groups before moving forward with a project idea or strategy.
- Take care of yourself by getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy food, exercising regularly, and taking breaks throughout the day if necessary!
Do you have some tips that have helped you manage projects either personally or professionally? I want to hear from you so let’s connect!