Managing projects - how to organise

[CindersAgain]

I’m in a project management role, but I do much of the work, so each project ends up with many tasks. I’m struggling a bit between my ‘to do’ list and the project plans. Both are currently in excel.

Anyone got any ideas for low key software/approaches to use? I had project management training but it was a long time ago and all pretty common sense.

Just a bump in case anyone has any ideas.

I think it really depends what kind of projects you're working on? I use Toggl (the free version) and find it quite helpful, but my projects are not hugely complex and don't have a million moving parts so it's more like an interactive noticeboard that allows me to keep an eye on what is going on. Although I think you can use it to a more extensive level. Why it works for me is because I'm also doing a lot of the work and it allows me to keep it all in one place. So emails get dropped in, draft plans, updated info etc and I find that very helpful.

I've also used Microsoft One Note but that's less of a project management tool and more a useful storage solution. I stopped using it as Microsoft got all confused between my different Microsoft accounts but I did like the convenience of a very easy way of keeping everything in one place.

I can’t help with software as I just use excel but I work on files which usually just get done but occasionally I have a really big one which needs project managed - like you I have to do that myself so get the issue of feeling like there is no time to plan when there are so many tasks to be getting on with. But actually the time invested in planning is well worth it. I would say you need to set aside a set amount of time, blocked out in your diary (say 1 hour a day or one afternoon a week or whatever works for you), to work on the management plan and the rest of the time to actually do it.

Have you looked at Monday.com? It’s pretty good for straight forward projects and can prompt you/others on tasks that need doing or upcoming deadlines etc.

I am using it to PM a building restoration project I volunteer for as MS Project would be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Oh I am a big fan on one note though. You can move emails and things in there and make checklists.

We use a tool called 'pro work flow' allows to assign/delegates tasks in the project. it also send reminders. Think it's around £20/month.

Thanks. I might look at Toggl. I have used OneNote but yes it’s more of a notebook.

It’s different sorts of projects, some are technical, some promotional, some setting up partnerships. I’m doing most but not all of the work.

So I have a project plan like a gant chart for one project, and then an action log, but then I’m distilling from those for different projects into a to do list for just me.

It feels like either I’m spending ages duplicating work or that the project action logs are getting out of date. And then suddenly senior management want to see them.

Oh maybe I’m just underestimating the time it should actually take then!

Thanks, I’ll have a look.

Kanban flow meant to be good. Lots of sites / apps that do this style. E.g. Asana etc.

I’ll have a look, thanks, don’t think I’ll get that approved but you never know!

Oh yeah, I’ve seen Asana advertised a lot. Interesting that’s it’s using a technique.

I've used Trello in the past, but now Microsoft have basically the same thing called Planner

If you use Teams it's really useful as you can have a shared dashboard among staff

Both of them work the same way really - the labels function really helps me keep on top of things, adding deadline dates to the different cards is also really helpful. You can add documents and things to it as well

this isn't automated but I tend to drop things into Toggl as they happen (admittedly,y easier for me as I also have an assistant who does some of this electronic filing). Then I log on a few times a week and check status and create a to do list for that day - I am old school for to do lists and just write it all down.

If someone needs an update, again, I don't have a way to use Toggl to generate that automatically (although it might be possible, I'm not sure) but I can quickly look across each item within the project and summarise where I'm at and it doesn't take more than a few minutes.

I think proper planning is essential. I ALSO think that multiple complex planning can sometimes become counter productive. Finding the happy middle ground is the trick.

I second Monday.com.

Find a colleague who loves doing this stuff (they exist) and always seems to be calmly organised (not one of the frantic people who can't seem to understand why other people don't enjoy this stuff) and book an slot with them to talk you through what they do. Sometimes it just needs someone to explain what's really worth bothering with and what's just for completists.

This is EXCELLENT advice from @SwedishEdith