Task or Project Management?
On a recent webinar, I was asked:
How do you personally define the difference between task management and project management tools?
Having the right tool for the job makes a difference, but we can use tools creatively to create different results in different situations. That’s why instead of talking about tools I’m going to talk about the processes you need to consider when managing your tasks and projects!
What’s the difference, why should we care, and how does it impact your business?
Tasks and projects exist on a sliding scale of complexity, scope, risk and potential impact. Projects are generally bigger, longer, more complex and are made up of many smaller tasks or stages - but there is as much variety in the size of projects as there is between a large task and a small project!
Complex tasks can benefit from simplified project management, and a small project might only need a light touch approach to project management. Whether a task or a project, project management processes should ALWAYS be adapted to the scale of the work you are undertaking.
Ultimately, the line between tasks and projects is up to you - what does matter is that you understand what you are trying to achieve!
Project Management is About Managing Change
Projects take a business, place or situation from point A to point B. By proactively tracking and managing the change we make sure we deliver the right things, at the right cost and at the right time.
Project Management Processes
Project Management generally takes place across four stages:
Scoping: Working out where you are now, what you want to do, who you need to do it, how long it will take, and what you need to find out to take the next step.
Planning: Using the information from the scoping stage to create your project plan.
Doing: Delivering the plan!
Reviewing: Looking back at what happened (including lessons learned [link to ‘Looking Back to Look Forward’ Blog]) so you can assess the success of your project.
At the end of each of these (and often multiple times during the “doing” stage) you’ll have a check point. These are prompts to check in with your progress and make sure the project is going to plan - if not, this is the time to replan and update your next steps.
Common Project Management Snags
Rushing to start: It can be tempting to dive straight in and start doing, but taking the time to think through your options will set you up for success by highlighting potential snags early in the process. Time spent scoping and planning is well spent!
Over ambitious timelines: If you overestimate what you can do in a day, chances are you’ll overestimate what you can do over the course of a large project. Add in contingency, contingency, and more contingency!
Scope creep: Make sure you are clear on the biggest priority for the project - if something would be nice but doesn’t directly help you achieve this big priority, save it for later.
Unidentified issues, risks or dependencies: You won’t catch every potential snag, but make sure you take some time to think about what could go wrong and how you will stay on track.
No feasibility checks: This ties in to rushing to start - scope out if what you want is feasible with your current time, energy and financial budgets. This is much easier to do in the scoping stage than after you’ve engaged contractors or made purchases!
Poor understanding of costs: Try and find examples of similar projects or collect quotes to help you understand the financial implications of your proposed project before you start.
Sunk cost fallacy: You’ve scoped it out, and started planning, and it’s just not looking like it will work - it’s OK to walk away. It’s better to walk away than start and find yourself in an unwinnable situation with escalating timings and costs!
Interactions with executive functioning issues: Adapting project management skills to suit your brain can make a huge difference to your projects and day to day workload. This will be unique to you, but if you want some support I am happy to chat!
Task Management is About Managing You!
Task management is all about managing YOUR days and deliverables. Projects are completed at this scale, and the most perfect project plan won’t be completed without you checking off the tasks involved.
Task Management Processes
This is highly individual depending on your preferences, the nature of your work, and the constraints around your day. No matter what you do, you will need an element of meta-work - that is working on how you work and then making improvements so you deliver what matters when it matters. This could include:
Daily planning: Deciding what you’re going to work on at the start of the day gives you focus and clarity, allowing you to keep making progress each day.
Weekly planning: Balancing different projects, different styles of day, and mixed deadlines means looking ahead is necessary. Weekly planning allows you to balance the competing needs of your business without a mad-dash all nighter before a deadline!
End of the Day/Week Reflections: Looking back to look forward (link to that blog) helps us improve our performance and do more of what works. This allows you to get to know how you work, and then create circumstances and environments that will help you succeed!
Seeking Advice or Support on Specific Blocks: Outside perspectives can help us find new ways for old problems. Got a task you’ve been rolling over for weeks? Months? Years? Time to ask around for alternative approaches.
Common Task Management Snags
Caught up in urgency, not importance: Urgency is compelling, but it can keep us away from the important, long-term tasks that keep us moving towards our goals. Finding ways to filter your tasks in a way that works for you can help you avoid this trap.
Overambitious to-do lists: Timing how long tasks actually take can help you plan achievable days - more satisfying, and makes planning your days, weeks, and months way easier.
Not allowing space for thinking, resting, or transitioning: We are not robots that can switch from task to task at a moment's notice. Building in buffer time to transition and move between tasks can help you keep moving forward without being overwhelmed or tiring yourself out by the end of every day - you deserve energy for your evenings too!
Not managing the projects, so tasks are always putting out fires: When we aren’t managing the big stuff, it arrives without prior warning. Managing your projects can help you spot busy spells before they land on your desk needing an urgent approach.
Executive functioning troubles: Having routines and skills that support you to ‘do the doing’ are essential for everyone, and even more so for those of us with ADHD.
Tools I Recommend
The results you’ll get from any given tool will ultimately depend on how you use them, but here are some of my favourites for you to explore:
Asana - Project Management and Task Management
Monday - Project Management
Sunsama - Task Management. This is a REAL favourite of mine!
Trello - Project Management or Task Management
Motion - Task Management
Spreadsheets - Task, Project, and Life Management (I love a good spreadsheet!).
Getting Help with Task & Project Management
This is where my business coaching business started, and I’ve got a real love of helping overcome barriers at every stage of getting the important stuff done. If you would like to chat about your project and task management, you can book some time with me here.
