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A reader contacted me to ask how I manage my personal project To Do List. She said, “I assume that you have multiple projects at the same time.” “I struggle with managing my project-related tasks, other than dealing with the crisis of today.”
It is often asked how to manage multiple projects simultaneously. It’s a fundamental project management technique that you will need to master if you want your job to succeed.
This article will discuss strategies for managing multiple projects simultaneously.
This article:
How many projects do project managers manage?
Multi-Project Task Management
Managing Resources across Multiple Projects
How to manage your time across multiple projects
Managing ExpectationsQuick Answers
How many projects can you manage simultaneously?
The Key Takeaways
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I know that I am not alone in having difficulty managing multiple projects.
I don’t know of any project manager who is 100% focused on one project, even those like me who work part-time.
Even though that was me in the past I have managed large projects with multiple strands that were as varied as different projects.
It’s hard. It’s hard. You need different skills to manage multiple projects than you do for leading one.
How many projects do project managers manage?
Most project managers manage between 2 and 5 projects at a time.
My 2020 Project Management Survey, which surveyed 228 people, shows that most project managers manage 2-5 projects at once.
15% of project managers manage one project at a given time.
15% of project managers manage 10+ projects at once.
11% Lead 6-10 Projects.
The remaining 59% lead 2-5 projects.
What does this look like in practice?
Let’s suppose you have three projects that have the goal of streamlining processes, eliminating paper, and reducing waste. These could be managed as a program or standalone projects.
Despite looking similar in their objectives, these projects may involve different software products (so different vendor), different technical teams and business teams, as well as different timelines and locations.
They could be managed as separate projects. But how do you organize them all?
Although I don’t claim to be an expert at this, you can read my experience about how I learned to manage multiple projects. Here are some tips I use to manage your tasks, resources, and time across multiple projects.
Multi-Project Task Management
My weekly reports serve as reminders for me to complete the tasks that are due. The weekly report includes information about what was accomplished this week and what is due for completion the next week.
I open the weekly report from last week, and it tells what I should be doing this week.
Sometimes I do this on a Thursday, and then have to scramble to complete the tasks. It’s not long-range task managing; it helps you keep track of your week-by-week priorities. You need something else to help you see the bigger picture.
You need to know your tasks in order to do this. Each project gets its own action log. The action log is where I keep all the information I need or need others to do. I will also review my bullet journal to see what other notes I have made in the past week.
Yes, I do have a project plan, but not every item.
You can choose the task list tool that works best for you, or you can grab my action log free of charge.
Every week, I set aside time to go through my task list.