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10 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

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Northeastern University Graduate Programs

5 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

5 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

Industry Advice Management

Project management is an essential practice in business today. It involves certain trained individuals overseeing a scope of work from the concept stage all the way through to its conclusion. This may include tasks such as assembling the right team, developing a budget, setting timelines, managing deliverables, communicating with stakeholders, and much more.

Individuals in this field often acquire the tools and strategies to be effective in these demanding roles through the pursuit of an advanced degree in project management . However, even the most well-trained project managers face unexpected obstacles in their work that can result in less than ideal project results.

One of the most common obstacles project managers face is poor time management. Whether rooted in problems with the team, the stakeholders, or the number of hours allotted to complete the project itself, timing issues have the power to derail a project and make a lasting negative impact.

Read on to explore some of the most common time wasters in project management, and the best strategies project managers can use to overcome them.

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Time Management Strategies For Project Managers

In the scope of project management, time management is about using the amount of time allocated to a project wisely in order to meet scheduled deliverables and conclude all work by or before the project completion date. It requires project managers to keep their teams organized, productive, and prompt at all times, and it’s a practice all project managers need to be comfortable with.

“Time management is essential in project management [because], often, time is a project manager’s scarcest resource,” says Christopher Bolick , lead faculty in the project management programs within Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies .

Bolick explains that project managers are “always in a time crunch or trying to beat the clock in order to deliver what a customer is after in a certain time frame.” For this reason, many of the strategies that have to do with this practice often involve organized schedules and proper communication when deadlines are at risk of not being met.

However, there are many other aspects of time management that are less related to directly meeting individual deadlines, and more about keeping the overall flow of a project moving steadily and successfully toward a conclusion. Below, we offer five project management strategies that can be used to keep any project on track.

1. Have a well-defined project plan.

Bolick identifies a well-defined project plan as the number one most effective strategy for time management because it can have an impact on all phases of the project from start to finish. “When you start to execute anything without a plan, you spend a lot of time discussing what to do, how to do it, what it should look like, and so on,” he says. This chaotic approach is often the leading cause of misused time in a project, because when a project remains in the concept stage, nothing tangible can actually be accomplished.

Bolick suggests that, instead, project managers should skip this type of theoretical conversation and invest their time into setting a proper project plan in place. By doing so, project managers are not only leading a productive and calculated conversation with stakeholders and other team members that will set the structure of the project to come, but they are also actively taking steps to eliminate many of the common time wasters that may otherwise occur down the line. This includes, most notably, the need for unnecessary rework at future project stages.

To help understand the necessity of this plan in the overall scope of project work, Bolick compares project management to the process of building a house. “You wouldn’t [start] to build a house without having a detailed blueprint showing the contractor how to begin,” he says. “So the planning phase is [similar to] all the work that goes into creating that blueprint, [including] working with the architect, zoning officials, and customers to make sure that all requirements are addressed.”

The Components of a Clear Project Plan

The most effective plans include basic project information—including what tasks need to be completed and the necessary deliverable dates—but should also dive more deeply into the breakdown of the team and the overall project goals, as well.

From a team perspective, having a clear understanding of the various individuals that make up the group—and their skill sets—can go a long way in properly and efficiently assigning tasks. In this same regard, it’s important for a project manager to review who on the team is responsible for each specific task in a project plan to avoid confusion and missed deadlines.

Similarly, setting a clearly defined scope statement  with the stakeholder or customer involved in the project during this planning phase will go a long way in eliminating rework, a practice often born of unclear expectations. This scope statement should define what they presume will be completed at each stage of the project, as well as what the end result will look like.

When these types of standards aren’t set, project managers risk both their relationships with stakeholders and the outcome of their project. For example, a stakeholder may get upset if they don’t understand the realistic timeline of a project’s work, and expect to see a completed project at an earlier stage than the team produces it. Alternatively, from a project standpoint, an uninformed stakeholder may also delay the conclusion of a certain phase of work or even the entire project if they don’t understand the process, and try to layer in new or unscheduled requests.

Overall, Bolick explains that having this type of clear project plan in place can go a long way in making sure a project is completed both successfully and on time.

2. Engage and communicate with stakeholders effectively.

Some of the biggest time-related issues project managers face are delays in communication, and more often than not, those delays are not happening within the project team itself. Instead, stakeholders who were so invested at the beginning of a project are often the first to go silent after time has passed, and their priorities—and attention—has shifted onto new tasks.

The best way to maintain stakeholders’ timeliness is to find ways to keep them engaged with the project, Bolick explains. Sending weekly or monthly emails with an overview of the tasks that have been accomplished during that period is one such approach to remaining top-of-mind.

Being able to analyze a stakeholder or organization’s preferred methods of communication is another powerful tool in keeping the necessary groups engaged. Where some projects may include work with organizations that are structured to allow for in-person conversations and quick decision-making, others may be remote and require detailed planning of proper times to talk through even small issues. Project managers should be sure to recognize these trends in each organization and adjust their approach accordingly in order to capitalize on the stakeholders’ available time and use it wisely to meet the needs of the project.

Maintaining these relationships with stakeholders is a very important aspect of a project manager’s work and the benefits of doing so successfully extend far beyond the reduction of wasted time in a project. “A lot of a project manager’s time should be spent…communicating and networking,” Bolick says.

3. Remain flexible, yet attentive.

“As project managers, we often thrive on a solid plan,” Bolick says. “But when actively managing a project, there is rarely a day that goes by [when] everything goes according to [that] plan.”

For this reason, project managers need to approach every situation with an equal amount of preparedness and adaptability. They should be able to move around priorities and address issues as they come up, without losing sight of original project or personal time commitments.

The key to doing this well is based on learning how to “communicate effectively and concisely with stakeholders,” Bolick says. Often these individuals must be told in clear terms exactly what is needed of them in order to allow for the type of time-sensitive decision-making that is often necessary to get a delayed project back on track.

When project managers are able to communicate this situation clearly and concisely to the customer, while also finding a way to adapt their approach depending on the stakeholders’ previous reactions to high-stress situations, they are much more likely to achieve effective results.

For example, if a project manager knows their stakeholder is easily frustrated by delays in the project, he or she may choose to reach out directly and frame their need for the stakeholders’ quick decision-making in a way that reminds them that their brief focus on this work will get the project back on track all the faster. Opposedly, if the stakeholder in this situation is notoriously flighty and hard to engage, tracking them down in person and asking for a few, focused minutes of their time to address the issues may be a better route. Being able to adjust their approach to both the situation and the people on the team in this way is a crucial skill for project managers.

However, despite these clear benefits of strong flexibility, Bolick also stresses that, in some situations, project managers should have the strength and confidence to encourage their team to stick to a predetermined plan or process, even in times of high-stress. He explains that doing so is often more effective than making spur of the moment decisions, and it’s up to the project manager to determine which scenarios call for a strict process, and which are dire enough to deviate from it.

No matter the approach, project managers need to ensure they are always making decisions with the project’s timeline in mind. “In the end, the goal is to prevent scope creep on our projects,” Bolick says.

4. Develop a proper work breakdown structure.

In project work, a lot of pressure falls onto the project manager to not only deliver on important deadlines themselves but to also manage their team appropriately to do the same.

“Often when we step back and look at what is required for many projects, it is easy to become overwhelmed,” Bolick says. “As a project manager, it is important to be able to work with the project team to deconstruct large deliverables of processes within the project into manageable and measurable tasks.”

In Bolick’s example of building a house, for instance, he compares this practice to that of installing utilities. “You would not be able to effectively manage and measure a task associated with installing all the utilities because there are too many stakeholders and resources involved,” he says. “Instead, you would want to break the deliverable into manageable components associated with the specific utilities—electrical, HVAC, plumbing, water, and so on.”

This process of breaking down large tasks into smaller, more easily handled ones can be completed most effectively through the development of a “work breakdown structure.” According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) , a work breakdown structure (WBS) is “a guide for defining work as it relates to a specific project’s objectives. Project professionals use a WBS to define project deliverables and establish the structure to manage work to completion.”

Project managers should lean heavily on work breakdown structures during the planning phase of their projects in order to minimize wasted time when it comes to completing deliverables. Alongside helping to alleviate the stress that accompanies large-scale deliverables, Bolick explains that a work breakdown structure can also “help the project manager and team be able to effectively measure the project progress and see where there are opportunities to gain time within the project.”

5. Avoid meetings without a purpose.

Unnecessary meetings are one of the most common time wasters in projects across industries. These may be meetings that were scheduled at the start of a project but became less necessary as time went on and were never struck from the calendar, or regular check-ins that were scheduled so frequently there is no real progress to be reported between sessions. No matter the format, these types of meetings can cause a great deal of wasted time, and it’s a project manager’s responsibility to either keep them productive or find new, more efficient ways to communicate.

There are a few key steps project managers can take to address this time-waster. First, the project manager must evaluate if an in-person meeting is the best format for communicating the needs of the project. If everything that would have been discussed in a scheduled status meeting can be effectively covered in a status email, for example, then switching from in-person to online updates can effectively save a group a lot of time and energy that can be instead put toward completing deliverables.

If a project manager determines that an in-person meeting is still the best route for this particular team or group, on the other hand, it’s important that they follow a few key steps for keeping the meetings efficient:

  • Take time to establish an agenda pre-meeting of exactly what needs to be addressed. This will not only eliminate time wasters—like segue questions, updates that are not on topic, or one-on-one conversations between two team members that could have been completed outside of the larger meeting—but ensure that there is time to go over everything that needs to be addressed in that time.
  • Ensure that the reason each person in the meeting has been included is obvious. If it’s not, the project manager should consider removing that person from the list, saving the group and the individual from wasting their time.
  • Designate someone to be the note taker and provide a list of action items for the team post-meeting . This will ensure everyone is not only on the same page about what has been accomplished already, but that they each know what they personally must work to accomplish before the next meeting. This, in turn, can ensure that future meetings continue to be productive down the line.

Mastering Time and Project Management

Time is a key element in any project’s success, so putting this type of effort into eliminating time wasters and keeping a team productive can go a long way in a team’s journey toward successful project completion.

Optimizing time is just one of many strategies skilled project managers know how to execute in order to guide a team toward their project’s goals, however. Individuals hoping to uncover the full toolbelt of strategies and practices that can be best applied to this work should consider a master’s degree in project management . In Northeastern’s program, for example, students have ample opportunities to learn about a variety of effective project management approaches and methodologies , and apply what they learn in the classroom to an array of experiential learning opportunities, all under the guidance of top industry professionals. Browse through Northeastern’s Master of Science in Project Management program page for more.

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  • Project management |
  • The 25 project management skills you ne ...

The 25 project management skills you need to succeed

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Anyone who oversees projects is a project manager, but to become a more thoughtful manager (with a higher impact), you need to develop the right project management skills. Learn what skills are necessary to become a successful project manager and how to build them.

If you’re interested in honing and developing your project management skills, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover 25 key skills you need to succeed as a project manager or project administrator , and how you can develop those skills over time.

What are project management skills (and why do they matter?)

Project management skills are the attributes you develop to become a more experienced project manager. Building a project management skill set includes learning technical and hard skills, such as portfolio management and project scoping, and soft skills (for example, adaptability).In honing these skills, you’re preparing yourself to more effectively perform in your role. 

Project management is the practice of organizing and executing work efficiently—and helping your team do the same. For a while, project managers had to be trained and certified in complicated project management technology. Traditional project management tools were hard to set up and required constant maintenance, which is where the position “project manager” comes from.

Modern project management tools

Modern project management evolved from traditional project management in two distinct ways. As companies and teams democratized their project management processes, they needed more team members and team leads who were able to manage a process from conception to completion. In order to support those team leads, project management software has also evolved, from complex mechanisms to flexible and easy-to-use tools.

[Product UI] Work requests project example (Boards)

Today, any team member may be called upon to run a project and become the de-facto project manager—which is why modern project management tools are built to be flexible enough for anyone to use on any project, so you’re able to jump in and hit the ground running. 

These tools, like Asana , make it easy to track, manage, and organize work—without the learning curve associated with traditional tools. With today's project management tools , you can easily implement project management best practices and bring a new level of clarity and visibility to your project team. 

How to use your project management skills

Project management tools do the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing silos, increasing visibility, and facilitating cross-functional collaboration. As the project manager, you can use these tools to give your team the insight they need to get their best work done. While you don’t need to learn complicated skills or tools in order to become a successful project manager , there are hard, soft, and technical skills you can develop in order to improve your management and collaboration skills.

Some of these skills might not apply to you—while others might be things you’re already seasoned in. Like everything in the five phases of project management , approach this list with flexibility and work on the skills that are most relevant to you.

10 soft skills for project managers

Soft skills are what we call “non-technical skills,” or skills that can help you improve your quality of work—without a specific tool or technical requirement. These are also called “people skills” or “interpersonal skills” because they often help you work with and relate to others in your workspace. These 10 skills are the most important soft skills for project management:

1. Collaboration

Collaboration is the cornerstone of all project management skills. In project management, collaboration helps you get work done quickly and more efficiently. When you can coordinate across teams, you gain valuable insights into your project that you might not find within your team. If more minds are involved in the work, projects are inherently more creative and well developed.

To improve your collaboration skills, practice having conversations. Use techniques like active listening , where you stay engaged and focused when others are speaking to you. It sounds simple, but learning how to have open communication, reduce boundaries, and co-create are critical for a collaborative team.

2. Teamwork

Everyone on your team has something to bring to the table, and your team is more effective working together than they would be alone. Teamwork ensures that everyone feels welcome, valued, and they are supported to contribute.

If you’re working to boost your teamwork skills, dig deeper into team brainstorms , 1:1 conversations, and ask for feedback from your team—how can you be a better team member? Notice if there’s someone who hasn’t spoken up in a while, and be supportive when another team member has a new idea.

3. Communication

Miscommunications are common when you’re working with a group of people. Learning how to communicate well and avoid these will make projects run more smoothly and be more enjoyable. 

To develop your communication skills, practice being open and honest with your coworkers. This requires a lot of trust between you and your team members. To build this trust, encourage your team members to bring any thoughts into a discussion—even if you disagree with them.

4. Time management

Time management and organization skills go hand in hand. As you become better at organizing your tasks, you’ll also have a clearer sense of everything that’s on your plate and how long your upcoming tasks are going to take.

Still, it can be hard to buckle down and prioritize your work. To improve your time management skills and reduce procrastination, try prioritizing tasks. When you’re clear on which tasks are higher priority, you can tackle them first, to make sure nothing gets left behind or falls through the cracks.

5. Leadership

Even if you don’t think of yourself as a leader or have a role in team management, when you’re managing a project, your project team is looking to you for leadership, guidance, and support. 

To develop your leadership skills, practice approaching situations with empathy and understanding. Good leaders bring everyone together and make them feel supported to foster teamwork and collaboration.

6. Organization

For a lot of project managers, organization is the most intimidating soft skill. You might think organization is either something you “have” or “don’t have.” But, like every other project management skill in this article, you can develop your organizational skills and become a Marie Kondo in your own right.

The best way to become a better organizer is to create (and maintain) a central source of truth for your work and your team’s work. We’re often disorganized because work is disconnected—in fact, the average employee switches between 10 tools per day . Instead of splitting your time between 10 tools, try using a digital organization tool to act as that one central source of truth for your team.

7. Problem solving

Problem solving skills are collaborative, iterative skills that help you approach a problem and, ultimately, solve it. Developing problem solving skills isn’t about always having the “right” answer to every problem—rather, people with great problem solving skills practice approaching problems from new perspectives and methodically working towards a solution.

To become a better problem solver, use data-driven decision-making frameworks or routine analyses. For example, if you need to solve for how to boost sales by 10% over your competition, you can run a competitive analysis to determine where you currently stand in the market. Then, use that information to solve the problem of lower sales. In this case, you could develop a new marketing strategy coordinated with the sales team.

8. Critical thinking

Critical thinking, like problem solving, doesn’t have a “solution.” You can’t “win” at critical thinking, but you can practice approaching problems logically instead of making decisions based on your emotions. Good critical thinkers practice analyzing information in front of them and forming their own conclusions based on the facts—the way Sherlock Holmes solves a mystery.

To practice critical thinking, always take a step back and ask yourself: how did I come to this conclusion? Could there be another answer? Am I being swayed by something other than factual information? Emotional decisions aren’t necessarily bad—in fact, some of the best decisions are those we’re passionate about. But critical thinking is a helpful way to make sure you’re approaching a situation from the right perspective.

9. Adaptability

At some point, whether it’s this project or the next one, aspects of your project plan will change. Maybe your deadline or priorities shifts, and you need to adapt your workflow accordingly. Great project managers are able to pivot and adapt to new situations to continue steering their project team in the right direction.

Becoming more adaptable is all about understanding when and how to shift gears. To do this, you need to understand yourself. Developing other soft skills, such as self-awareness and mindfulness, can help you be more in touch with and manage your emotions, which are often in flux during times of change.

10. Conflict resolution

Inevitably, conflict will arise during the projects you manage. It could be that a stakeholder wants to change the project scope. Or maybe you missed your budget or deadline. Conflict resolution is about addressing both sides of the conflict so everyone feels heard and supported. If there are harmed parties, take the time to listen to them and try to find a solution that works for everyone. Even when that can’t happen, approaching the conversation with patience and empathy can help defuse a potentially frustrating situation and lead to a better result.

7 hard skills for project managers

Unlike soft skills, hard skills are quantifiable abilities. While the soft skills mentioned above are applicable for many work skills, these seven hard skills are relevant specifically to project management. Developing these will help you become a more well rounded and efficient project manager.

1. Project planning

At its core, a  project plan  (sometimes called a project charter) is a blueprint of the key elements your project needs to succeed. Typically a project plan will include seven things:

Goals and  project objectives

Success metrics

Stakeholders  and  roles

Scope  and  budget

Milestones ,  deliverables , and  project dependencies

Timeline  and  schedule

Communication plan

Some of these things, like your goals or your milestones, might already be defined in your project roadmap or brief. But your project plan is where all of these project elements come together to create a cohesive picture of your upcoming work.

quotation mark

A lot of planning goes into the beginning of the year for what our vision is and where we will be by the end of that particular year. Once that is done, we summarize it in a project so it's visible to everyone... Having that visual representation in Asana makes it easier to move things around.”

2. Project scoping

[Product ui] Scope management project in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

Project scope is the size, goals, and limitations (i.e., deadlines and resources) for your project. Your project scope will define what you can achieve within a certain timeframe and budget. Setting and defining your project scope is important in order to prevent scope creep , which is when your project deliverables outgrow your original project scope.

In order to improve your project scoping skills, practice setting project scope early and often. Once you’ve set your project scope, share it with stakeholders and surface it frequently, so everyone is on the same page about the project’s aims and limitations. Use it as a point of reference, so you know when to say no to new asks.

We have been able to reduce the number of products that we’ve oversold and the number of times we have to contact the customer to push a ship date out.”

3. Writing a project brief

[Product UI] Example project brief in Asana (Project Brief)

Your project brief outlines your general project objectives and how you plan to get there. This can serve as a helpful North Star to guide planning sessions.

The most important thing to remember about your project brief is that it’s a living document. As you develop your project plan and get input from stakeholders, you can adapt and update your project brief. In general, your project brief should contain a link to your project roadmap if you created one, a list of your project stakeholders and their responsibilities  (sometimes called a RACI chart), other relevant documentation or files, and any other high-level information your team might need.

Having executive oversight and insight into projects is key so we can quickly get up to speed on what is happening at any point.”

4. Hosting a project kickoff meeting

[Product ui] Kickoff meeting project in Asana, spreadsheet-style view (List)

A kickoff meeting is an opportunity to align with your project stakeholders. This is your chance to clarify your project goals and scope, and share any documents you’ve already put together like your project roadmap, project brief, or supplemental documentation like a bill of materials for a marketing campaign or a creative brief for a design team.

To host a successful kickoff meeting, plan to share the documentation you have put together with project stakeholders. Then, host a brainstorming or Q&A session to align on any additional variables, like budget,  resources , or final deliverables.

5. Project roadmapping

[product ui] milestone chart template in Asana (timeline view)

A project roadmap is a high-level overview of your project’s key deliverables and timeline. Project roadmaps are helpful for complex initiatives with a lot of stakeholders because they help the entire project team get on the same page before the project even starts.

Traditionally, project roadmaps are created in Gantt chart-like software , in order to display a general schedule of your project as a horizontal bar chart. To create a project roadmap, use a tool like Timeline in Asana to create a rough timeline of your project, adding key milestones or important dependencies.

6. Mapping your project timeline

[Product ui] Timeline in Asana, Gantt chart-style view (Timeline)

Your project timeline is the order and duration of events during your project lifecycle. Knowing your project timeline helps your team track project success and deliver the right assets on time.

In order to build a great project timeline, make sure you clarify the start and end dates of your project, as well as any key milestones. As you continue building out individual tasks and deliverables, set dependencies between tasks, and clarify the start and end date of each piece of work.

7. Task management

Once your project is officially underway, task management refers to how well you manage your and your team’s time. The best project managers have visibility into what their team is working on in real-time, so they can help their team effectively prioritize and execute work.

But you don’t have to magically know everything that’s happening in your project—instead, use task management software.  Task management software  is more than a to-do list—it’s a way to get a holistic view of all of the work happening in your project. With effective task management, you can empower your team to work more productively, efficiently, and effectively.

With Asana, we can see project progress and blockers, plus feedback and action items, all in one place. We're now able to complete work more efficiently and effectively, which has become even more critical while working from home. We’d be lost without it!”

8 technical skills all project managers need

Soft skills: check. Hard skills: got it. The only thing you have left to master are technical skills!

Technical skills refer to your knowledge of specific tools and softwares within project management. These tools aren’t hard to learn—as we mentioned before, modern project management is built to be flexible and easy to use. These eight skills are aspects of project management roles you should become familiar with, so you know when and how to leverage them.

1. Project management software skills

Project management software  has come a long way from legacy tools that were difficult to use and required a project management professional to implement. But like any tool, even easy-to-use ones, the software you choose takes time to learn and truly master. Make sure the tool you select has a written  guide  and  helpful videos  to teach you the ins and outs of how to use it.

2. Gantt charts

[Product ui] Product launch Gantt chart project in Asana (Timeline)

Gantt charts are a way to visualize your project as a horizontal bar chart, where each bar represents a piece of work and the length of each bar represents the amount of time that work will take.

Project milestones

Dependencies

Real-time project progress

Start and end dates

Traditional Gantt chart technology can be tricky to use and limited in scope, which is why, at Asana, we took the best of Gantt chart technology and created  Timeline , a Gantt-chart like tool that helps you see how all of the pieces fit together.

Launching an album has so many moving parts, and Asana helps us track every detail, who’s responsible for it, and when it needs to be completed.”

3. Kanban boards

[Product UI] Sprint plans project in Asana (Boards)

Another popular type of visual project management is the  Kanban board . Each column in a Kanban board represents a stage of work, like  New ,  In progress , or  Done . Individual work is represented by cards, which move through the columns until they’re completed.

Kanban boards tools  are a popular visual project management tool for lean project management teams, particularly product, engineering, and software development teams. They’re an Agile methodology , designed to be adaptable and flexible to adjust to development needs in real-time.

4. Agile management

Agile management is a lean project management methodology that’s particularly popular with product, engineering, and software development teams. Agile operates on a system of continuous improvement and incremental evolution, and it encompasses several lean methodologies, like lean portfolio management ,  Scrum , and  Kanban .

In order to manage an Agile team, it's the project manager’s job to coordinate between team members and stay flexible. This can mean changing the project schedule, aligning with teams working on a different project, or just staying in touch with effective communication.

5. Workload management

[Product UI] Workload management in Asana (Workload)

If you’ve managed projects before, you know how hard it is to gain clarity on who is working on what—but it doesn’t have to be.  Workload management  helps you measure your team’s bandwidth and make sure they aren’t over- or under-worked. It’s an interactive process that doesn’t have a beginning or end state—rather, an effective project manager will continuously monitor their team’s workload to ensure no one is burning out.

There are two steps to using workload management software . First, start by figuring out your team’s capacity, competencies, and current workload. From there, allocate resources based on individual workload, or rebalance workloads as needed.

6. Cost management

In project management, cost management is considering how each task impacts your budget at every stage of the project. Cost management is a key part of project leadership, and an important element of whether or not your project is a success. Staying within budget is as important as hitting your project due date, and cost management can help you get there.

To manage cost effectively, good project managers define their costs and budget at the beginning of a project. Make sure project stakeholders and team members all understand the budget. Then, during the project, keep cost and budget in mind. Check in on your spending several times during the project to make sure you aren’t overshooting your budget. Once the project is completed, tally predicted cost vs. actual cost to determine how effective your cost management strategies were. This can also help you benchmark for future projects.

7. Project portfolio management

[Product UI] Project Management Skills - project portfolio management (Portfolios)

With project portfolio management (PMM), you can get a bird’s-eye view of your team’s work across multiple projects. Unlike traditional project management, PMM involves working on multiple projects or large-scale initiatives simultaneously. Project portfolio management tools help you get a holistic view of all of your team’s work in real-time, so you can connect strategy to execution.

Portfolios are also a key Asana feature for our team. It is a great tool for our executive team so they can see our big pieces of work all in a single place with the status, progress and ownership. Our CEO visits our portfolio daily and adds comments. He loves to be able to see what's going on in a snapshot.”

8. Change management

If you’ve ever rolled out a big organizational change, you’ve likely practiced change management, even if you didn’t know it. Change management is the process of introducing organizational change—like new processes or tools—over a set period of time to make them easier to adapt to.

At Asana, we use the Asana Way of Change, a six step process developed by our Customer Success team that incorporates proven change management strategies. To learn more,  read our guide to change management .

The standard of our creative team, for a while, was just to react to work. But we’ll never do the best work we possibly can without a clear process.”

How to build your project management skills

Twenty five skills might feel like a lot, but remember that you don’t need to master every skill in this list. Some, like Agile, are only relevant for specific teams. Others, like organization, become virtually effortless with a little focus and great tools .

Keep in mind that developing your project management skills takes practice. Challenge yourself to focus on one or two new skills for each project—whether that’s trying out a new  visual form of project management  like Kanban, drafting your first ever project plan, or leaning into time-management.

There are also classes you can take to develop hard and soft project management skills. Though you no longer need certifications in order to be considered a project manager, the  Project Management Institute  (PMI) offers courses, learning events, and their famous  Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) , which was the first project management guide ever published.

Finally, once you’ve  selected a project management tool , you can also take their classes to learn technical project management skills. At Asana, we’ve developed the  Asana Academy  and  How to Asana  series to help new project managers learn new soft, hard, and technical skills.

Build your project management toolkit

If you manage a project, you’re a project manager—and you likely already have some key project management skills. The most important thing is to be intentional, listen to your team, and collaborate with your team members. The rest will follow.

Project management doesn’t need to be complex. Asana was designed specifically to keep project manager’s organized, with tools, automations, and customizations built for collaborating and coordinating everything from a simple brainstorming session to a full-fledged product launch. 

5 project time management processes to boost productivity

project time management

Effective project time management can significantly impact productivity and project success. 

It streamlines a team’s work processes, helping businesses execute deliverables while meeting deadlines.

That said, there are always obstacles like a lack of structure or improper prioritization in the way of successful time management. 

Fortunately, there are processes and tools to help project managers address these issues and achieve targets.

In this article, we’ll decode project time management, its most attractive benefits, and its five key processes. We’ll also look at four effective project management tools for better productivity.

This article contains:

(click on a link to jump to a section of your choice)

What is project time management?

4 major benefits of project time management, 5 key project time management processes, 4 tools for effective project time management.

Let’s get started!

Project time management is the practice of developing and managing a project timeline to ensure it progresses smoothly from inception to conclusion.

It’s an essential function of project management , helping managers allocate resources effectively and employees manage tasks efficiently. Moreover, it allows businesses to fulfill scheduled deliverables and overcome unforeseen obstacles without derailing the entire project.

Project time management involves several processes, including planning, analyzing, delegating, sequencing, monitoring, and managing project activities.

Let’s explore the benefits of project time management.

Effective time management is essential for the successful completion of any project. 

But apart from getting the job done, it has various other advantages.

Here are four valuable benefits of project time management:

1. Increased productivity

Project time management skills help minimize time misuse and maximize work productivity. 

On top of that, being able to view the project timeline helps employees learn to organize their tasks. It improves their work proficiency and makes them more accountable for their work performance.

For managers, it improves resource management , which is vital to improve work productivity.

2. Less stress

Excellent project time management leads to efficient use of one’s time. This results in reduced stress from struggling to meet deadlines.

Employees won’t have to rush to complete an important task or overexert themselves, giving them the space to relax sufficiently. This is critical for maintaining good physical and mental health . 

Moreover, the reduced stress makes employees more likely to enjoy their work life.

3. Fewer mistakes

More time and less stress also help team members focus on the tasks at hand, reducing the number of distractions and mistakes. 

So, project time management skills directly impact an employee’s quality management abilities. They also help reduce overall costs since fewer mistakes reduce the time expenditure on fixes.

4. More opportunities

Time management strategies help you complete projects on time and within the allocated budget. Moreover, enhancing task and resource management improves your employees’ work capacity and scope for new opportunities.

Now, let’s look at the essential processes of project time management.

A project manager can have a lot on their plate, but the right time management techniques can help them improve their team’s productivity.

Based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), there are a few vital processes for keeping a project on track.

They are: 

1. Create a well-defined project management plan

Planning is an essential time management skill for project management.

Creating a comprehensive and well-defined project plan will ensure the timely completion of a project. It helps organize the project team members and improve collaboration .

The plan is like a blueprint of the project charter – a formal document defining the project scope, objectives, and participants. It accounts for how the project will be managed and completed.

Here are some questions on time management that your plan should answer:

  • What are your internal deadlines?
  • What tools will be used to record the timelines and deadlines?
  • Who is responsible for each task and its completion?

You can support the project plan with daily, weekly, and monthly goals. These goals should instill a sense of urgency and purpose, helping employees manage their time constructively and meet deadlines. 

Lastly, the plan should be accessible to the relevant team members, project managers, and stakeholders since it communicates crucial information about the project.

2. Define activities

It’s critical to define each project activity and task based on the original work package. A work package contains all the related tasks within a larger task or project.

Defining activities helps you better understand the project’s requirements and makes deliverables more manageable for your team.

You can do this by:

  • Creating a list of tasks necessary to complete the project. 
  • Then you can create a work breakdown structure to break these tasks into smaller steps. 

What’s a work breakdown structure?

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a project management chart that visually organizes tasks and sub-tasks in a project. WBSs minimize time wastage when completing objectives and demarcates milestones to measure progress.

If you’re looking for one, here’s a downloadable task list template to help you define project activities .

3. Analyze dependencies and sequence activities

Once you’ve identified all the tasks necessary for the project, you can start examining dependencies and organizing tasks based on their importance.

Dependencies are tasks within each work package that depend on other tasks. You’ll want to give tasks that have many dependencies a higher priority. 

It’s also helpful to identify the longest sequence of dependent tasks that are essential for completing the project. This sequence is called the critical path. It helps you prioritize tasks and create a productive schedule.

But how do you identify dependent tasks?

One way is to create a network diagram to represent each project task visually. A network diagram consists of boxes with each project task and arrows to depict their dependencies.  

After identifying dependencies, you can move on to creating the order in which the tasks should be completed – also called activity sequencing. For activity sequencing, you don’t need to assign durations and deadlines to each task. Instead, you should focus on creating an efficient workflow.

4. Estimate activity duration and resources

Evaluating the resources and durations required for each task is necessary to execute deliverables for a project perfectly.

To estimate the activity resources, you’ll need to identify the employees, tools, materials, and other resources required for each project task. And at the same time, you’ll want to determine how long it should take to complete each activity.

Additionally, accounting for work capacity and delegating tasks efficiently will help boost quality management and work productivity .

One technique you could use for this is the Pareto Principle , also known as the 80-20 rule. It states that 80% of results should come from 20% of your effort. It means you need to prioritize the 20% of tasks that will achieve the highest outputs.

Once you’ve estimated resources and activity duration, you can review the entire framework to see if it meets project timelines and budgets.

Pro Tip: Data from previous projects can be good baseline references to estimate resources and durations .

5. Develop and control schedule

The last piece in the time management process is project schedule management. 

To develop the schedule, you’ll need to input the project activities and timelines into a calendar. And once you’ve finalized it, you’ll need to monitor the task progress and control the schedule.

So what does controlling a schedule entail?

Schedule control involves regularly updating the project status and following up with expected deliverables. 

It’s a crucial time management skill that includes recognizing issues and addressing them to ensure that you’re meeting project objectives and timelines.

The schedule and plan will require revisions throughout the project’s lifecycle. Moreover, regular revisions based on current progress reports will help you streamline project activities and resource allocation.

Pro Tip: Getting feedback from various project team members and stakeholders can help improve the efficiency of the project time management process.

So, what resources can managers use to manage project time ?

Today, a project manager has access to several tools that make time and team management easier. These tools help automate and streamline functions that normally require a large amount of time.

Here are four types of tools for project time management:

1. Time trackers

Tracking time for each task is one of the essential prerequisites of effective time management. And when done well, it provides a detailed overview of the total time required for the project and its tasks.

So, it goes without saying that time trackers are a highly beneficial time management tool.

Time trackers provide insights into which tasks are the most demanding and how each team member manages their tasks. This data is extremely helpful for improving time management for future projects.

Moreover, a versatile project time tracking software will also help with team management and scheduling.

Time Doctor is one such time tracking software that’s perfect for project time management. 

What is Time Doctor?

time doctor Time Tracking

Time Doctor is a powerful time tracking and project management software for employees. It’s used by SMBs like Thrive Market and large companies like Better Business Bureau to increase work productivity. 

The Time Doctor app presents time data in timesheets and productivity reports to deliver valuable insights on how employees spend their time.  

It helps you plan your project workflow and streamline time management. 

Key features

Here are some of Time Doctor’s key features:

A. Flexible time tracking

Time Doctor has an easy-to-use time tracker that lets you manually track time with the click of a button. It gives employees the freedom to start, pause, and stop the timer at their discretion, helping them take the breaks they need.

Easy and accurate time tracking

The app also has a silent tracking feature with no user interface. When configured, it automatically tracks time during fixed work hours without affecting employee activity. 

Moreover, employees can also track their work time on the Time Doctor mobile app for Android devices.

B. Project and task management

The project and tasks feature lets you create tasks under a project and track each one individually.

Managers can assign these tasks to employees, helping organize the workflow and track progress more efficiently.

C. Detailed productivity reports

Time Doctor presents the captured time data in visually appealing productivity reports . 

Insights from these detailed reports can help boost employee productivity and time management.

Here are some of the reports you can view:

  • Hours tracked report: It provides time data for selected periods, like a day, week, or month.
  • Projects and tasks report: It shows how much time your employees spent on each task and project.
  • Timeline report: This report displays an overview of how much time your employees spend working during a day or week.
  • Web and app usage report: It displays what websites and apps employees use during work hours.

But how much does the time tracking software cost?

Time Doctor has paid plans that start at $7/user per month. You can also try its features with its 14-day free trial.

2. Kanban boards

A Kanban board is a project management methodology that you can use to visually map each activity of the project and its current position in the workflow .

Here’s how it works:

  • Each project activity is written on a card with essential details like who it’s assigned to and when it’s due. 
  • These cards are placed on a large board with columns depicting the various stages of the project cycle. 
  • The cards are moved across stages as tasks are completed, giving the team a clear view of how the project is progressing. 

Kanban boards are extremely useful for time and task management. You can either create a physical Kanban board or use online software, like SwiftKanban, Kanban Tool, and Trello. 

3. Collaboration tools

Clear communication is a vital part of good time management. It’s especially significant when it concerns relaying details of the project or an important task to employees and stakeholders. 

But it’s not enough to rely on emails. 

You don’t want important emails getting lost in already flooded inboxes. 

Instead, you can try using one of these collaboration tools to improve teamwork and employee productivity:

  • Microsoft Project (MS Project).
  • Google Meet.

A suitable project collaboration tool can improve team communication and reduce time wastage.

4. Gantt charts

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that visually depicts the project schedule. It’s a time management tool for planning and scheduling complex projects.

The chart depicts information like tasks and dependencies against deadlines. It lets you identify the project’s critical path, monitor progress, and pinpoint delays in the schedule. 

Gantt charts are useful for project time management as they help with prioritization and resource allocation.

Wrapping up

Good time management is a crucial skill for ensuring project success.

So go through this article to discover the various processes that can help you improve productivity, accomplish project goals, and meet deadlines.

And don’t forget that suitable time and project management software and tools are critical to keep processes running smoothly. 

So why not sign up for Time Doctor’s free trial to experience its benefits for project time management?

Time Doctor - start a free trial

Vaishali Badgujar is a Content and SEO specialist at Time Doctor, an employee-friendly time-tracking system that boosts productivity.

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The Importance of Project Time Management (And 5 Great Ways To Do It)

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Vartika Kashyap

Importance of Project Time Management

You know the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland appears to be late for his job with the duchess. If he has exercised effective time management he would have never been late all the time. This is just an instance of the importance of managing time. 

For managers, teams, and everyone, project time management is one of the important factors of project management commitment. 

“Time is money”, “Time is of the essence”, and many more such phrases clearly show the importance of controlling the time aspect of a project. Keeping all this in mind, let’s first know what is project time management. 

Table of Contents

What Is Time Management in Project Management?

What are the main processes in project time management, why is time management important in project management, 1. use the right tools and equipment, 2. know-how you spend your time, 3. set priorities, 4. organize your task list, 5. avoid over commitment , what exactly is project time management, why is time management crucial in a project, what is time management software, what are the best project and time management tools.

Time Management in Project Management

Project time management refers to a component of overall project management in which a timeline is examined and developed for the completion of a project or deliverable. Time management is a key aspect of managing a project. When a team is working on a project, it needs to be organized to meet deadlines and streamlined to have quick collaboration. 

What Are the Main Processes in Project Time Management

There are six steps that are involved in project time management:

  • Activity Definition: The project team should identify and schedule different activities and tasks to be done during the project life cycle . These are the things that are required for timely project deliverables. 
  • Activity Sequencing: In this step, project managers need to introduce documents and map task dependencies . It defines the order in which deliverables must be completed.
  • Estimating Resources: Identifying and defining the resources including people, materials, and machines required to complete a deliverable.
  • Activity Duration Estimating: Estimating the timeline using formulas such as PERT(Program Evaluation Review Technique) to develop an exact schedule for the completion of durables. 
  • Project Schedule Development: Plotting the start and end dates for each activity as well as the analysis of the order of activities, timelines, resources, and schedule barriers to having an accurate schedule.
  • Schedule Control: Project management intervention so that it is manageable when there is a need to change the product schedule.  

How many times have you felt like you’ve lost hours of your life and will never get it back? There are a lot of ‘time wasters’ in our daily lives. That’s why time management is important in project management . Any project you are working on or you are about to start, has an official end date. 

See how ProofHub helps you manage your time. Sign up here . 

Every project needs a schedule to meet its end date. A team and the project manager have to manage their own time to ensure that the schedule is met. If you don’t create a project schedule or do not plan the end date, there are chances that years will go by and your project will never get finished. 

For project managers, it is important to possess time management skills to be successful. A lack of effective time management will affect the project in the long run. In most cases, time really is money. If you don’t know effective time management techniques , this article has a list of strategies for project managers to have the best project time management. 

Project Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

Use the Right Tools and Equipment

What is the first step in project time management? If you are not aware of it, it is using the right tools and equipment. There are many project management tools for vast, varied needs and it serves many different functions. In project management, a project manager will have to use tools to manage time effectively on projects. 

If the right tools and equipment are not available, even the most talented project manager will not be able to meet deadlines. Some areas to look after our communication , project planning software , time tracking software, time management tool, and collaboration software .

ProofHub is a versatile project collaboration and time managemen t system with in-built time-tracking software to bring all your time-related data in one place. Its time tracking feature is designed to help team managers find out how much “actual” time is spent on performing tasks and eliminate time wastage from the process. 

Team members get clear “start” and “due” dates to pace their work accordingly. Using one work management software, teams can better manage their time and deliver projects within the deadlines. 

The best thing about ProofHub is that there’s no per-user fee. Let’s take a look at the useful features of ProofHub’s time tracking software system. 

  • Add Timesheets – ProofHub timesheets help team managers to track their team’s performance by maintaining a record of all the time entries they have devoted to performing their tasks. You can use these timesheets for payroll, client billing, estimation, tracking, and time management . Users can also export these timesheets for invoicing and billing purposes. 
  • Time Reports – Team managers can create custom time reports of people and projects to get a clear idea of where the time goes. They allow owners and managers to identify weak points, optimize work procedures, and optimize better. 
  • Set Time Estimates – Managers can set time estimates for tasks to define the “expected” time it should take to get them done. Get notified immediately if the time taken exceeds the actual time set, making the most of ProofHub’s time management tool. 
  • Comprehensive View Of All Time Data – You can have a bird’s eye view of all time data of all team members stored in one place, across all projects, billable or non-billable, without the need to jump through projects. 
  • Track Time Manually or Using Timers – You can track time either manually or using timers. Manual time entries can be used to record the number of hours it took to get work done and track time spent for billable or non-billable hours. 
  • Automatic timers can also be used to record time spent doing work. Users can start a timer when they start working on a task and pause it the moment they stop working on it. This method is considered more accurate than the traditional method of timekeeping. 
  • Archive Timesheets – Archive timesheets from the time section and use them later for future reference.

ProofHub’s greatest strength is that it offers an “all-in-one” solution for project time management and collaboration. Apart from time tracking software, it also has a range of other useful features – Proofing , White-Labeling, Tasks, Kanban Boards, Gantt Charts , Reports, Chat, and Calendars to help teams achieve more in less time.

Toggl is a no-hassle time tracking software that is the perfect add-on to your existing tools to help you be more productive throughout the day. Yet, its features are quite limited. Toggl may not be able to reach your and your team’s expectations, especially if you want detailed project time tracking. The tool is usually praised for its simplicity. 

Hubstaff is another popular time management app that offers the feature of project time management. The software tracks the time spent on work as well as your team’s leisure time in the form of activity reports. It has a flexible calendar view to see different time entries – daily, weekly or monthly. That’s a great feature to analyze your team’s performance and in managing projects all the time. 

ClickTime is a time tracking app for managing project budgets with real-time updates on employee hours, availability and costs. It helps you predict project needs by tracking the amount of time the team is spending on any project. But the software requires a bit of a learning curve and reporting is tricky and inconsistent. 

With Teamwork, you can estimate the time you think you’ll need to complete tasks and then log your actual time against it. It lets you track how long activities are taking so you can plan work for your team. 

If you’re constantly juggling with deadlines and deliverables, then it is sure that you would benefit from a dedicated time management software.

Boost your productivity day by day. Start using ProofHub . 

Know-How You Spend Your Time

Keep a log of time so you are able to find how you are using your time. Time is the most valuable asset. If you’re overlooking your routine, it can lead to a loss in productivity. Record what you are doing for 15-minute intervals for some time. When you are mindful of what task is taking your time and what you are spending your time one, you can better manage it.  

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” ~Annie Dillard

Find your most time-consuming tasks and see if you are investing your time in the most important activities. When everyone has the same number of hours in the day, why do some seem to get so much more done? Because they have a good sense of where they spend their time on routine tasks and estimate how much time is available for the rest of the activities. 

Set Priorities

Setting priorities to manage your time effectively requires a difference between what is important and what is urgent. When the goals are set and you’ve determined the individual tasks that you need to do, it’s time to prioritize. Prioritizing is a way to get things done if it is done in the right way. 

For example, look at your daily tasks and prioritize them according to: 

  • Important and urgent: Do these tasks right away.
  • Important but not urgent: Decide when to do these tasks.
  • Urgent but not important: Delegate these tasks if possible.
  • Not urgent and not important: Set these aside to do later.

Focusing on your tasks according to the above format you can have greater control over your time and time management will always be by your side. Also, one of the easiest ways to prioritize is to make a “to-do” list on project management software . When you’re making the list, be careful it doesn’t get out of control. Rank the items in order of priority to have a sense of accomplishment as you move down the list. 

Organize Your Task List

Task Lists is a compound of all the project responsibilities for teams and the project manager . A powerful thing that we can do to better manage time is to organize it. Sure, organizing your task list is a great thing and there are several different ways you can do it.

Organize Tasks By Due Date

This is one important thing that managers and employees choose to do when organizing tasks over task management software . Some due dates need to be hit and it should be done for time management. When you’ve got a due date, you’ll be motivated to accomplish the task.

Simply add start and due dates to each task or sub-tasks in your task list and sort them out by the due date. This will give you an idea of what needs to be done today and what is to be done in the next coming days. 

Pro Tip: Using ProofHub you can set the due date to make a task recurring, set recurrence, see overdue tasks on your list, and change the dates in case of unforeseen requirements.

Organize Tasks by Progress (with Kanban)

Every task includes sub-tasks that help you move through your goals smoothly. Having to manage these tasks and sub-tasks on Kanban is a great method to manage your time as you organize your work by progress. Simply make a to-do list on the Kanban board.

Kanban board lets you organize and manage your process by visualizing every step of your workflow. When you move your tasks through stages as it progresses, you can complete projects efficiently. 

Avoid Over Commitment 

This one can be tricky because most of the time project managers and teams doubt if they are working on the right initiative that requires minimizing interruptions. Over-commitment or commitment fallacy is a fear in the modern workplace as it can lead to failing projects. And sometimes we refuse to move away from a project because we’ve already given a lot of work into it. 

Even when it is a better option to work on something else. But if you have to improve your time management skills, it becomes important to know what should you be working on that will bring an utmost impact. This way you can quickly move from project to project without wasting time and avoid wasteful work. 

Use the 80/20 rule

Also known as the Pareto principle, the 80/20 rule is one of the helpful concepts of time management . It states that approximately 80% of your results will come from 20% of the work that you do. This principle is important to learn and understand to optimize your workday and to learn how to prioritize your tasks , days, weeks, and months.

Much like money, time is both valuable and limited. People who practice good time management techniques;

  • Are more productive
  • Have more energy 
  • Feel less stressed
  • Get more things done
  • Feel great about themselves 

Therefore, it is a good idea to find a time management strategy that works best for you. There you go. Good luck! 

Time management is essentially the ability to efficiently utilize time spent on various tasks in a day. It involves organizing and planning how to divide time between tasks.

Good time management is vital to any project success. It helps to minimize time wastage and makes people accountable for their performance.

Time management software helps to accurately track time of the amount of time people take to perform tasks across all projects.

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Project Time Management

Project time management session

Time, above all else, is our most valuable and finite resource. From a project management perspective, an effective project time management plan can revolutionize your team’s processes and make a substantial impact on your project’s scope, cost, and quality.

Table of Contents

What is project time management?

The importance of project time management., benefits of project time management., project time management best practices., frequently asked questions..

Project time management involves analyzing and developing a schedule and timeline for project completion. Formalized time management processes provide a buffer for things like unexpected roadblocks and under or over-estimated project timelines .

Time management plans determine what tasks to adjust, and how to allocate and manage resources throughout the project.

How project managers define project time management varies, and techniques differ between project management methodologies . For instance, an agile marketing method might need tasks that can fit into short sprints as requirements change. Managers using Kanban methodologies, on the other hand, might plan time in more generous segments — allowing for smoother flow.

Regardless of project type, the definition of project time management involves setting time markers against your project and its tasks. It means defining the time value of each task and allocating resource to each step.

Project time management directly impacts the quality, scope, and cost of a project, making it one of the most important project management knowledge areas . Managing time helps to secure project completion on time and on budget. It also clarifies:

  • How much time a project requires
  • What stakeholders (internal and external) to involve
  • And at what point to include their expertise

This process provides a framework for developing a sequence of activities, activity durations, resource estimations and how these fit into the overall project management plan.

In project management, the time management phase is an important step — when you know what you intend to deliver and why, time planning helps you get there smoothly. It gives each formerly abstract subtask a value.

Correct timings are essential.

  • Time planning allows you to set realistic deadlines
  • Time is money, so managing it well helps boost your bottom line
  • Time management can empower your teams to deliver projects on time

On-Demand: How to Optimize Your Process So You Can Be More Creative Whitepaper: Process is Not a Dirty Word

One of the primary benefits of project time management is it creates more time for teams and other stakeholders to deliver on projects. Effective time management positively impacts the careers and personal lives of everyone involved.

Additional benefits of time management in project management include:

Reduce stress with project time management.

Project completion plans reduce stress levels associated with meeting deadlines. When your teams know timelines have been mapped out effectively, they can visualize the path to completion with confidence. Accurate time estimates also reduce unnecessary pressure on an individual level and across your teams.

With good time management, you may find it easier to keep project scope in check, keeping your talent focused on what’s important. When there’s also a change management plan in place, your people feel empowered to dedicate the right time to the right tasks, even as processes shift.

Increase productivity with project time management.

Knowing what to prioritize increases productivity and allows you to focus on the most beneficial and strategic needs. This works by giving your teams a sense of urgency, control and direction.

Each of your deliverables should align with a time investment estimate to serve as a guide. This should prevent aspects of the work taking more time than they’re worth, keeping the knots of productivity tied tight.

Make fewer project mistakes with time planning.

Focusing on only one aspect of a project helps get the right work done and prevents mistakes overall. Incorporating time values into your project plan helps staff to understand the required investment for each task. When there’s time planned for checks, this effect is heightened further still.

Great project time management helps you avoid last-minute rushes and meet lead time goals without sacrificing quality.

Increase proficiency with better time management.

Having a timeline in place for projects provides a view into what teams need to work on and when. This makes them and their organization more proficient across many areas. Effective time management in project management allows managers to pull together the best talent for the required work. In turn, this allows for specialization — delivery teams will soon know project details inside and out, reducing pressure on you.

Create more opportunities with better time planning.

With the right approach, teams or departments can become more efficient at managing projects and completing them on time and on budget. This may even generate further opportunities to manage additional projects in the future.

What’s more, great project time planning techniques let you showcase your ability to manage ad-hoc projects effectively on the side. Time management doesn’t mean tunnel vision — rather, it’s about making accurate projections. This allows you to be flexible in positive ways.

Stay on budget with strong time management.

Everyone knows the phrase ‘time is money.’ Keeping a project on target not only ensures things stay on budget, but keeps stakeholders happy that their investments are working in the most efficient, valuable way.

For this to work best, consider implementing project monitoring and controlling processes. The sooner you have accurate data on delivery, the sooner you can recalibrate if aspects of the work start to look unprofitable.

Project time management helps you meet goals.

Time management plans help to achieve project goals as well as impact other personal and professional goals . All of these benefits lead to increased efficacy and satisfaction across the board.

The main task for any project manager is to get professional projects done. Great time management makes successful delivery more likely by reducing the risk of project overrun.

On-Demand: Marketing Project Management 101 Whitepaper: Creating a Process That Works

The Pareto Principle.

The Pareto Principle is also known as the 80/20 rule. This means 20% of your time should produce 80% of your results. From the beginning, identify and highlight the tasks that provide the most value. If, at any time, value and time fall out of balance, review the task priority and, if necessary, submit a formal change request.

Keep it simple.

It’s easy to overcomplicate tasks. Take a step back, evaluate the real ‘why’, and think of more focused ways to accomplish a task. Concentrate efforts on the most effective methods for completing each given task, while always keeping the end project goals in mind.

  • What’s involved?
  • What resources do you need to get the job done?

And lean on internal teams to estimate timings. After all, they’re the experts in their fields.

Observe and analyze time expenditure.

Regularly review time allocation across the board. Efficient use of all resources, especially human capital, maintains project timelines and budgets.

Great data insights help you review this more efficiently, identifying patterns while there’s still time to claw back resources. For example, if the data shows that it looks like you underestimated IT resource needs, recalculate and communicate.

Act rather than worry.

It’s easy to spend time worrying if something is ‘good enough’ or if the team will really hit that deadline. Drop the worry and take action. Do more research. Ask for an extension if needed and make the necessary adjustments to get something done right.

Break larger goals into subtasks.

At first, any large project seems daunting and difficult to figure out where to start. Take larger projects and break them into smaller pieces and smaller tasks, providing a simpler way to start and prioritize a project.

When each of these has its own deadline and time allocation, it’s easier for everyone to stay within the lines, reducing the risk of backlogs. Consider working in sprints .

Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

Setting goals helps to instil a sense of urgency. Set a monthly goal and work backward. Weekly and daily goals should roll into each other. When teams and departments hit their daily and weekly goals, they meet the entire month’s targets by extension.

Plan for short breaks.

When breaking large tasks down into manageable pieces, make sure to plan time for breaks. Providing much-needed, scheduled breaks keeps the mind fresh and the body energized. Your people are better placed to stay on track when there’s breathing space built into the plan.

Think strategically about team energy.

We should all work on the most important tasks during the most productive, energetic hours of the day, and save other tasks for less-motivated portions of the day. A project manager’s job is to get the best work from your people, so broaden your thinking beyond overambitious deadlines. Is it wise to plan so much specialist software development work in a single week, and do those deadlines really need to be so close? Asking questions like these helps you to keep things running smoothly.

Creating effective project timelines is an art and a science. Learn how to create a project timeline with our step-by-step guide.

Keep Learning: Read more about lead time to find out how this metric affects project management success.

Why is time management important in projects?

In any project, time management is important to determine:

  • How many hours, days, weeks and months are needed
  • A timescale for when tasks will be completed
  • Activity durations, sequences and resource requirements

Assigning accurate amounts of time to each task helps ensure timely completion of individual elements and the project as a whole. It can increase efficiencies, effective decisions and avoid unnecessary stress on project personnel and potential project failure.

What are five time management strategies?

There are many strategies to improve time management in project management. These five provide a good starting point:

  • Set clear priorities – Rank your tasks in order of importance to ensure you follow an appropriate activity sequence.
  • Introduce shorter deadlines – Bring forward deadlines so there’s leeway in case of any delays or interruptions to tasks.
  • Delegate tasks effectively – Ensure relevant personnel are responsible for tasks within their area of expertise.
  • Reduce interruptions – Improve focus by managing external, environmental and other distractions.
  • Plan with intention – Create to-do lists for each day of tasks intended to be complete, as a powerful way to increase productivity.

What is the ABC priority method?

The ABC priority method is a common technique used for improving time management of a project. Every task is ranked with the letter A, B or C in order of importance. Those assigned the letter A are worked through first, then B and then C.

These rankings are based on the impact each one will have on your project goals and the time they should take. It helps project managers define the tasks that need focusing on first and those that can be left until later, to ensure efficient and timely project completion.

Key Project Management Skills You Need In 2022

Key Project Management Skills You Need In 2022

Want to become a project manager ? Or maybe you are already a PM and now looking for ways to upscale your knowledge and opportunities?

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In both cases, you will require skills to get you somewhere. 

But with so many things to learn and concepts to adopt, how does one know what skills are essential and relevant in 2022, 2023 and onwards? 

We are here to help! The Bordio team has searched far and wide, looked back at our own experience in project management, analyzed the web, and listened to what other professionals have to say about it. The result of our work is in front of you – the list of most sought-after project management skills that you absolutely need to possess to succeed in the field.

Top project management skills everyone must develop

Let’s dive into the essential project management skills that every project manager needs now and moving forward.

Ps – for more theory and insight on project management, check our list of best project management books with some of the top works that have helped millions of project managers worldwide.

#1 Communication skills

We know, not very ground-breaking. But just like with dieting and exercises, we all know we should do it to be healthy and toned up, however only a few really take it into consideration and follow through.

Same with communication – we often know the right thing to do but the old habits get the best of us.

A good project manager is almost like a diplomat. They must understand everyone’s roles and perspectives, and handle negotiations and conflicts.

How to develop communication skills

Effective communication is not about listening, it’s about hearing what somebody is trying to tell you.

Learn to be an attentive listener: don’t multi-task or dream about something else while you’re having a conversation. Many projects fail because all stakeholders only want to push their agenda but are not interested in hearing what others have to say.

But communication skills do not only mean listening to others speak. It’s also about speaking up when necessary and sharing your feedback.

A successful project manager also knows how to streamline communication channels to ensure that everyone in the project team gets the information they need on time and in a convenient format. If you’re not sure how to build an efficient system, create a communications plan to guarantee nothing gets missed in the swing of things.

#2 Leadership

Leadership is a tricky one. How does one become a leader? Or an inspirational one? It’s something that is hard to track and measure, yet we instantly know a good leader when we see one.

Leadership

Leaders are followed, but managers are tolerated.

How to develop the leadership skill

There are as many ways to develop leadership skills as there are leaders.

Here’s what we can recommend:

  • Learn to make hard decisions and put others first.
  • Learn to take responsibility for yourself, your actions, and your team.
  • Find inspirational leaders and learn about their journeys. Look for interviews on YouTube, TED talks, and books where they share their experiences and hardships that helped them become who they are today.
  • Find an inspiring mentor and ask them for guidance.

Leadership is not easy, especially when your team members are spread across the city, country, or globe. We’ve written a separate expert guide on managing remote teams , so make sure to read it if you’re managing a hybrid or remote team. We can also recommend you to use remote collaboration tools to handle the process.

#3 Adaptivity

Change is good, and change is well.

Nothing is set in stone these days, really. Circumstances change, so do our plans, and we, ultimately, need to follow.

Being able to adapt means thinking and reacting quickly, seeing the positive in the change, and being creative and open-minded. It also includes a forever-student attitude, where the project manager is eager to learn new things, be it a new project management software , the latest hottest methodology, a new niche or industry where the company is investing in, or anything else.

How to develop adaptivity

Start small. If your first instinct to change is to object to it, force yourself to analyze it and see how it can turn out for the better.

Practice project management frameworks that encourage and support flexibility and change. Agile , Scrum , and Lean will help you see that adapting is not necessarily hard and painful, and that change is not a villain.

And to remain objective, have a peek into PRINCE2 and Waterfall to understand those less flexible frameworks better. They have their strong sides too, and, for some projects, they turn out much better than trendy methodologies.

Project management is pretty much people management.

And it’s much better to deal with a large number of people in a stressful environment when you can sympathize with them. Empathy helps avoid conflicts and find a personal approach to stakeholders and team members. Together, that makes the project stronger and less likely to fail or become mediocre.

How to develop empathy

Some people are more empathetic by nature than others.

But don’t worry if you don’t think you are among the lucky ones. To become more empathetic, start building personal connections with the team and practice self-reflection.

Make an effort to not jump to conclusions but take a step back and see why someone did or said something.

An interesting life hack that we’ve found is to read more fiction books. You should, of course, look for great team management and psychology books too, but it is believed that living through those fictional characters’ lives helps us grow and learn to understand the perspectives of someone very different from us.

#5 Calmness

Call us biased, but calmness is an essential project management skill for any project manager who wants to build a successful long-term career.

There’s nothing more damaging to the project and irritating to the team than a project manager who gets fired up over nothing (or something) and lashes out at everyone around, or panics and makes short-sighted decisions that damage the project in the end. To have more peace of mind during the project and to control time you can use software for work management .

Calmness helps deal with stress and fast-paced environments, it makes you a better listener, colleague, and manager.

How to develop calmness

If you are open to meditation – great! We would highly recommend it as a tool to learn to focus and stay grounded.

Another good way of staying calm is through regular exercising. We’ve briefly talked about the power of exercising in our how to be productive at home article. But we’ll say it again – doing a workout, even if it’s only 10-15 minutes, can do wonders to your mind and soul. Not only will you be more healthy but you’ll be able to re-charge and release all the negative energy and tension. Many successful project managers and other professionals schedule workouts in their weekly planners at least a few times a week. You should try it too! By the way, you can use free task maker with reminder notifications for convenience.

#6 Negotiation

Negotiation is all about finding the middle ground and coming to a compromise that satisfies everyone.

Project managers negotiate all the time: project planning, talking with suppliers, dealing with a grumpy team member, and demanding stakeholders. Finding win-win solutions through negotiations is a necessity in a project manager’s job.

How to develop the negotiation skills

Put yourself in situations where negotiation is needed. Ask to participate in meetings and watch others. Read between the lines and analyze why someone succeeded and others did not.

When you are discussing feature ideas, project budget, or anything else – use this opportunity to negotiate better conditions for you. Now, we don’t encourage you to argue with anything that comes your way, but a little bit of going back and forth will not hurt. Plus, you will probably get more than you could have hoped for initially if you don’t just agree with the first offer you get.

#7 Research

Research skills help the project manager make their project successful.

Best project managers are not experts in everything but they know how to google and where to look for information.

Some of the examples of what project managers research for the project:

  • Market potential: what clients are asking about, what competition offers, recent trends.
  • Best suppliers who can deliver top products in the shortest time for the project.
  • Any technical stuff that team members are working on and the project manager needs to supervise.

Tip: One thing you don’t need to research is a great online calendar planner because we have it ready for you! Also check out Bordio’s other projects such as time organizer app and online electronic planner .

How to develop research skills

Ask around – if you work with a colleague who can find anything, then don’t be shy to ask them how they do it. Listen to their advice and practice it right away.

Another route would be to take a research course but be careful as many of them go into deep scientific methods that might be beyond what an effective project manager needs. You can look for specialized learning opportunities in project management. Perhaps the most well-known in the field would be the Project Management Institute (PMI).

#8 Critical thinking

If it was up to us, critical thinking would be a taught discipline in schools!

Critical thinking is one of the most important project management skills because:

Critical thinking in project management

  • It helps withstand manipulations and distractions.
  • It allows for making quick decisions within constrained circumstances.
  • It helps us foresee the implications of our actions and decisions.
  • Makes the data analysis process easier.

Becoming a critical thinker can seem somewhat tiring as it basically means questioning everything. However, in project management, where risks are all around you, being slightly paranoid is a true virtue. Well, to not get into situations where you need to urgently think of something fast, should use planning tools like online planner and task organizer .

How to develop critical thinking skills

There are countless courses, books, and guides that you can find online that will teach you the basic theory behind critical thinking.

As a quick exercise, anytime you get new information don’t accept it by default. Take the time to understand it, do a quick research of your own, and only then make your own informed decision.

With sensitive or emotional data that is often used to manipulate us, look for alternative sources and what they’re saying. It’s a bad sign if you only have one source claiming something, and everyone else is silent. Also, consider if the source sharing the information is benefitting from it. For example, it often happens with the news in autocratic countries, where people’s opinions and minds are shaped into whatever form the government requires. A quick google can show that the latest sensation is rather exaggerated.

#9 Decision-making

The next project management skill that everyone needs in 2022 is strong decision-making.

The project management team expects us to make informed and data-driven decisions that consider multiple factors, decisions that are prompt and benefit the well-being of the project.

How to develop the decision-making skill

Decision-making is a skill that some people master as they go along. But there is a danger in such a route – a project manager can make too many mistakes and lose their career.

An experienced mentor will be able to help and guide you in the right direction.

A good starting point would be to learn to act quickly but not rushed. Always take the time to analyze the data before making a decision but don’t drag it for too long, risking losing the momentum.

#10 Risk management

Risk management skill is a combination of being able to analyze the current environment, forecast trends, come up with solutions to minimize possible damage, and make decisions quickly under pressure.

It’s not enough for the project manager to identify risks during the project planning stage. Threats can occur later down the line, so it is important to stay alert and always scan for potential risks.

How to develop the skill

Much like everything else in project management, the ability to identify and mitigate risks comes with experience. But only to a certain extent. A lot of the risk management skills can be trained and learned through exercises. It comes down to analytical thinking, learning to look at the situation from multiple angles, and calculating the possible consequences. So any aspiring or practicing project manager can make an effort to look at the project and ask themselves what can go wrong and when.

It would also help to study different takes on risk management and the instruments to work with it. As a starting point, you can read through our risk assessment matrix guide.

Risk Assessment Matrix

The matrix is one of the widespread risk management tools because it is simple yet to the point, and doesn’t take much time to learn how to use it.

#11 Change management

The last two years of the pandemic felt like a one big hardcore change management boot camp. Now everyone understand how important being able to work in a changing environment is. But it’s not enough to be open to change yourself, it’s also important to lead the project through changes.

To ace change management, one should learn to be open to change, to not see it as a threat but as an opportunity. It also takes a quick-thinking process to be able to analyze the change, see how it affects the current situation, and what can be done to make the most of it.

Work on your mindset and use real-life opportunities to master the skill.

#12 Time management

If you manage your time poorly, in most cases your team will do the same.

The project success is a fragile substance. It depends on many factors, including luck, and there is no guarantee of success, even if you do everything right.

Among many other soft skills that help manage projects, time management is a really important project management skill. If you know your way with time and can plan correctly, you will be able to deal with many other issues that often come up in project management.

Time management for PMs

For project managers, time management consists of 3 pieces of a pie:

  • Their own time management.
  • Time management of the team.
  • Project’s time management.

How to develop time management skills

Time management is something we learn and practice all our lives.

Sometimes we are better with time, sometimes we lose track of it. Learn to accept it and not beat yourself up too much. But also learn to understand your strong sides and find the optimal way to save the situation when the time is slipping away.

In terms of getting better with time, we recommend checking out our Best Time Management Books guide for invaluable tips, tricks, and more.

And what we’ve found to help a lot with time management at Bordio is using an online daily planner that PMs and team members alike can refer to and track how well they’re doing. Online planner is with you 24/7, so you can stay on top of tasks even when you’re away from your desk.

#13 Conflict management

Conflicts are toxic in personal life, and they are super harmful in the professional field.

In project management, conflicts create additional risks and delays, causing the project’s progress to slow down. Naturally, any project manager is expected to be able to handle conflicts in their team and with project stakeholders.

Resolving a conflict is not always easy, but a good starting point would be to listen to every party before making decisions or jumping to conclusions. A project manager should be able to face the situation, hear what everyone has to say, and offer a solution. It’s almost like negotiating, but when it goes terribly wrong.

Unfortunately, different team members and project stakeholders will be fighting. It’s human nature that is hard to beat.

Conflict

So, when the inevitable comes, and you are faced with a conflict, the best tip we can give you is to not sweep it under the rug but address it immediately (and, ideally, in private). Have patience and empathy for everyone involved, and remind them that we are all on the same page and focus on the same goals. Then start getting to the root cause of the issue.

You will learn through practice faster than any theory can teach you, but it would make sense to look for what the classics tell us about conflicts. You will find chapters on conflict resolution in all major project management books out there.

#14 Budgeting

Budgeting or cost management is another critical skill for project managers.

Nobody expects a PM to be a financial or accounting expert but they must be able to deal with the project budget and make it work. There are two main scenarios where budget management skills will be required:

  • A project manager is given a ready budget for the project.
  • A project manager must do a cost estimate and have it approved by key stakeholders.

Even if the project manager has helped with the budget, it is still paramount for them to have a basic understanding of the concept. The project budget is a part of the iron triangle which consists of costs, time, and scope. It is the project manager who works with the triangle and ensures the estimations, and, therefore, the project plan makes sense.

It’s a tricky one. You can learn basic budgeting from personal management finance and apply key principles to the projects. However, it’s likely not enough with complex projects.

If you are already working as a project manager but are not actively involved in budgeting yet, ask to be included in the process. As you sit and watch colleagues do the magic, ask them clarifying questions and write down the key points.

If you are serious about it, there are many short and long-term courses focused on budgeting that you can take. But be prepared for a steep price and long hours that you will be required to spend crunching numbers. So be wary of your schedule and make sure there’s enough time you can allocate to it.

#15 Inclusivity

Inclusivity, or rather inclusive thinking, is one of the soft skills that have recently become more relevant in project management.

Society is changing, and it’s important to accept and welcome people of all backgrounds and profiles. Clearly, a diverse group of people will come up with more breakthrough and innovative ideas than a team of similar-looking and thinking professionals.

Inclusivity allows for different perspectives to be heard, making the solutions that the project team is working on better because it caters to different demographic and it does it in a smart and considerate way.

How to develop inclusivity

Inclusivity is part of emotional intelligence. Developing it takes a lot of deep work with yourself. Do a little self-reflection session to see if you have any bias against some demographics. It’s important to be raw and honest with yourself if you want to progress with it.

Also, you might speak with your HR to see if they can guide you in the right direction. A lot of workplaces today have special programs or access to more information. They will be happy to point you in the right direction.

#16 Creativity

Creativity today is a vital quality for building a successful career. But it’s not just a buzzword.

In the crazy, hectic world of today being able to generate creative ideas is what differentiates a great project manager from an average one. And creativity is not an easy one to automate or teach to AI. So if we are talking about long-term careers in project management, it makes a lot of sense to invest time and effort into building your creative muscle.

How to develop creativity

Nobody has a ready formula that tells you what to do to become creative.

However, one of the proven ways to boost your creative flow is to change up your routine:

Creativity boost checklist

  • Start going on long walks if you tend to spend the majority of your time at home.
  • Try a new hobby that’s outside of your comfort zone.
  • Meet new people and hang out with them. Ideally, look for new friends who are not in the same working field as you are and don’t live a similar lifestyle.
  • Go out more often. We get inspired and creative when we are surrounded by something new. Go to a neighboring city or visit a local museum and a concert hall.

Final thoughts on key project management skills

The list of project management skills can seem daunting, especially if you are only starting in the field.

However, many of the things we talked about will come to you naturally, as a part of the working process, if you are willing to stay open-minded and soak up all the knowledge surrounding you.

Even the top project managers with vast experience behind their backs may struggle with some skills on the list. And that’s okay. Project management is growing and evolving constantly, and so do you. Stay active, learn to listen, use time managers , be curious, use powerful online to-do lists , and you will be fine.

project time management skills

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Top 30 Project Management Skills: Soft and Hard Skills Included

ProjectManager

Project management positions such as project manager, program manager and project portfolio manager aren’t easy. These roles require a variety of project management skills that are needed to guide project teams throughout the initiation, planning, executing , controlling, and closing of a project.

Project managers are responsible for planning projects, assembling a project team, and managing project tasks, time and costs. To do so, the best project managers use robust project management tools to keep all aspects of their projects organized.

Still, even with robust project management software, that’s a lot to ask of any individual, but project managers have a variety of project management skills to get the job done. But before we continue, what are project management skills?

What Are Project Management Skills?

As stated above, project managers need to plan and control many areas of a project. To do so requires a set of project management skills that consists of personality traits, soft skills and technical or hard skills.

Project Management Hard Skills

Hard skills, also known as technical skills are those project management skills that can be learned through education or training. In project management, hard skills are the most important because they’re the project management techniques that allow project managers to do their job. They’re also known as the technical skills or project management know-how that’s needed to plan, schedule and manage projects.

project time management skills

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Project Management Soft Skills

Soft skills aren’t taught anywhere and are developed naturally by individuals. However, some of these can be improved through practice. Soft skills are all those which aren’t learned through formal education or training. Some of these are part of someone’s personality or are developed through the years.

Personality Traits of a Project Manager

As noted, these aren’t exactly skills but personality traits that benefit project managers and their teams. Some personality traits that serve project managers include being responsible and delivering on their commitments. They need to be proactive, problem solvers and, of course, be leaders . A project manager should also be open to feedback and even criticism, flexible, but decisive when they need to be.

30 Project Management Skills Every Project Manager Should Have

Below we’ve collected the top 30 personality traits, soft and hard skills every project manager should have. Realistically, there are certainly more than 30 project management skills to learn if you want to be a project manager, program manager or project portfolio manager, but if you have these, you have the foundation on which to build a successful career in project management .

These project management skills can be useful for several purposes. You can include them in your project manager resume and cover letter, and you can use them to prepare for your project manager interview . Or, you could simply study them to learn about technical skills to improve as a leader and project manager. First, let’s start with project management hard skills.

1. Knowledge of Project Management Methodologies

A project manager needs to know about the different project management methodologies that exist. That doesn’t mean that you need to be an expert in all of them, as they’re usually industry-specific and require certification. Here are some of the most common project management methodologies .

If you want to learn more about these and other approaches, check out our project management methodologies blog.

Pro tip: As a project manager, you should be familiar with the project management knowledge areas and project management process groups  defined by the project management institute (PMI).

2. Proficient With Project Management Software

Having a working knowledge of project management software is a must-have technical skill for project managers in today’s world. There are many project management software alternatives available in the market, so you’ll need to determine which project management tools and features are best for you and your team’s workflow.

3. Project Planning

Project planning is a necessary project management skill because a project plan is the foundation of the project management cycle. It includes the project schedule, resources and costs. Traditional project management is all about planning ahead. Therefore, the planning stage of any project lays the foundation for everything that follows, including the success or failure of the project.

4. Project Scheduling

The project scheduling process is a vital part when writing your project plan. A project schedule organizes tasks, teams and time to complete a project. When people think about project management skills, they’re probably thinking about project scheduling, deadlines and deliverables. But project scheduling is more than that, as it also involves resource management and risk management.

There are many tools that can help with this process, chief among them a Gantt chart , which provides a visual of the schedule with tasks, durations of those tasks, dependencies, and milestones.

project time management skills

5. Project Scoping

Project scope is the documentation of the project’s goals, deliverables, tasks, costs and deadlines. This document is called a project scope statement and is sometimes referred to as the terms of reference. The purpose of project scoping is to set boundaries for the project, define the roles and responsibilities of the project team and determine the procedures that’ll be employed to execute, test and approve the work of the project.

6. Project Forecasting

Project forecasting is the process of trying to figure out potential outcomes in a project. It’s guesswork to an extent but guided by historical data and other research that can help with accuracy. The purpose of project forecasting is to reduce risk , which in turn will increase the probability of success. The process allows project managers to zero in on areas of the project that could be improved to avoid going over schedule, cost overruns and lacking resources when needed.

7. Project Tracking

Project tracking is used to measure progress in terms of the activities involved in a project. It monitors the project to determine if it’s meeting the schedule and, if not, identifies issues that are causing delays and resolves them. This process is important and begins early in the project. Both progress and performance are tracked in order to stay on schedule and uncover bottlenecks and other issues that are preventing the timely delivery of the project within its budget.

Project dashboard template for help with the tracking project management skill

8. Project Reporting

Project reporting is the process of gathering data in an easily understandable format to make sure the project is meeting its goals. Project reports are also valuable tools in presenting information to stakeholders to keep them informed on the progress of the project. It’s a key tool for project managers in making sure the project is successfully delivered.

9. Project Budgeting

The project budget is the fuel that drives the project. Project management is all concepts and no action without a project budget. But having a project budget is one side of the project budgeting coin. There’s also budget management, which means tracking costs throughout the life cycle of the project and making sure your actual costs don’t exceed your planned budget.

Budget template for help with the cost management project skill

10. Team Management

Project management is about teamwork, so project managers must have people skills to keep their teams working productively . That means understanding conflict management to keep everyone working together and morale high. It’s always helpful to start projects with team-building activities to help create relationships that will endure the thick and thin of a project.

11. Workload Management

Project managers are also responsible for workload management, which is the process of forecasting, planning, scheduling and monitoring the workload of an individual, team or organization. The goal is to balance workload evenly across your team to have them work at capacity and be more productive. It’s a discipline that involves project management, resource scheduling, capacity planning and much more.

12. Time Management

Time is one of the triple constraints and one of the most important technical skills. Not having time management skills can lead to delays and worse. Project management is about meeting deadlines and getting your deliverables out on time. Project managers have to be experts in managing their time, their team’s time and the overall time of the project.

13. Risk Management

Planning a project, big or small, is inherent with risk. Before executing the project, you have to create a risk management plan to identify, assess, and control risk. The more you can manage risk, the more likely your project is going to succeed.

risk tracking template for the risk tracking project management skill

14. Cost Management

Projects cost money. Estimating project costs and creating a budget is part of the planning stage of project management. Once you have a project budget, you have to use budget management to ensure that you control your costs through the execution stage.

15. Task Management

Tasks are little jobs that make up the execution phase of project management. They need to be created, organized, assigned to team members and tracked to make sure they meet the project constraints. This is done with task management . Project management software helps you manage tasks and fosters collaboration among your project team.

Now, let’s review the most fundamental project management soft skills.

16. Leadership Skills

Some say that leadership is a personality trait or a soft skill that can’t be taught. While some project managers have better people skills than others, we think everyone has the potential to learn how to apply proven leadership skills and techniques.

As a project manager, you’re responsible not only for project success but also need to be a leader that applies leadership skills to guide and motivate team members to achieve their goals.

17. Communication Skills

Communication skills go hand-in-glove with leadership. You can’t be an effective project manager if you’re unable to articulate what it is you need your project team to do. But you’re not only going to be communicating with your team, you’ll need to have a clear communication plan for your customers, stakeholders and contractors.

18. Negotiation Skills

Being a strong negotiator is one of many communication skills, but it deserves its own space. In project management, negotiation is an important skill for conflict resolution and stakeholder management . For example, you’ll likely get demands from stakeholders that can impact the project scope. You’ll have to give them pushback, but diplomatically, so all project stakeholders feel they’re getting what they want.

19. Organizational Skills

The term organizational skills refer to the ability of an individual to manage time and tasks efficiently. As the name implies, organizational skills allow someone to work in an organized and efficient manner.

20. Interpersonal Skills

Teams are made of people and people have personalities. There are many different types of team members and they all have to get along. Having interpersonal skills brings the best out of your project team and helps with conflict resolution.

21. Problem-Solving Skills

Projects are problems, so having the skills to solve those problems means that your project is more likely to deliver success. Think of problems as puzzles that you have to figure out. There are many problem-solving tools out there to help you along the way.

Finally, let’s explore some personal qualities or personality traits that are important when pursuing a career in project management.

22. Adaptability

Change is a constant in project management. Being flexible is what keeps a project viable. If you’re not willing to adapt then the project will suffer. Of course, you have to have the wisdom to know when adaptability serves the project and when you have to bite the bullet and push through.

23. Decision-Making Skills

There are always decisions that must be made, often quickly, when managing a project. Project managers must process the situation and come to a decision that will positively impact the outcome of the project. This skill involves being able to properly evaluate whatever options are available, assessing the risks and benefits of those options and choosing the best course of action.

Decision matrix template to help with decision making, a project management skill

24. Attention to Detail

Projects are made up of tasks that must be completed on time and within budget. This requires a keen eye for detail. Project managers must pay close attention to detail, not only on the task but all the areas that are involved with that task. Being able to focus on those details, no matter how small, is key to project management.

25. Critical Thinking

Too many people understand the basics of project management but can’t think outside of the box. Critical thinking is all about not accepting everything you hear but taking the time to understand the issue and do the research that leads to an informed decision. A critical thinker is more likely to clear the hurdles that every project has to go through.

26. A Sense of Humor

Having a sense of humor is an essential project management skill, even if it’s a soft skill in project management. Humor relieves stress for you and your team, and only when tensions are lifted can smarter actions and ideas show themselves. Project team-building activities are a great example of how humor can be used by project managers.

27. Patience

Nothing is solved by rushing through a project or getting frustrated when things don’t go well. Projects need to be thoroughly planned in order to run smoothly, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be issues. Whether the issue is a change request or stakeholders having unrealistic expectations, if you don’t have patience, everything will be exponentially worse.

28. Personal Appearance

While it might not seem important, especially as the workforce embraces a more casual attire, a professional appearance is still a valuable asset for project managers. Presentation is important. It communicates responsibility, leadership and gives both stakeholders and team members a sense that they’re in good hands.

29. Delegation

Projects are complicated and involve the coordination of many people, places and things. One person can’t do it all by themselves. That’s why delegating is so important. A project manager must know what tasks can be delegated and to whom on the team in order to keep the work moving forward and distributed among everyone appropriately.

30. Collaboration

Collaboration in terms of project management is no different than the general definition: it’s a group of people working together towards a common goal. Specifically, for a project manager, that’s getting your project team , with its various project skills and experiences, to work better together. This is a discipline that extends across all projects and methodologies.

How to Develop Your Project Management Skills

As you can tell, the skills of a project manager are myriad. A project manager might have some of the hard and soft skills already, while others need to learn them. But everyone can improve their project management skills. Here are some ways to develop and improve your project management skills.

Project Management Certifications & Training Programs

There are many project management certifications  and with good reason. Certification in any field is like a stamp of approval. It shows that you have learned and have passed a test on certain skills. Project management certification makes you a more valuable asset and is something employers will be looking for on job applicants’ resumes.

Hands-On Project Management Experience

There’s the old debate about which is better, book learning or real-life experience. The truth is that this isn’t an either/or answer. Both are important. You can learn on the job or in the classroom, but a combination of both is always more valuable. Being able to volunteer or work on any project in any capacity will provide you with experience that’ll make you a more effective project manager.

Project Management Events

Networking is one tool that professionals use to increase their position and knowledge. There are many project management events throughout the year and across the globe, such as those produced by the Project Management Institute (PMI), which offer networking opportunities and educational classes and exhibit new tools of the trade.

Use Project Management Software

Certification, hands-on experience and attending project management events are all going to help you become a better project manager. Project management software is going to help you apply that knowledge and be a more effective project manager. Project management tools help you plan, manage and track projects, manage teams and their tasks, risk and resources.

ProjectManager Puts Project Management Skills to Use

Now that you know what skills you need to be a successful project manager, it’s time to equip yourself with the right project management tools. ProjectManager has a suite of powerful tools that can improve the workflow of any project manager. Here are some of our main features.

Multiple Project Management Views

Project managers are going to use our robust Gantt charts , which can help them plan and schedule their tasks on a timeline. It also links all four types of task dependencies, which helps avoid costly delays, filters for the critical path, to identify critical tasks, and can set a baseline to track progress in real time. But teams don’t need all the features of a Gantt chart, which is why Gantt chart plans can be viewed on task lists, kanban boards and calendars to allow teams to work how they want. All the data across project views are shared in real time so everyone is always working on the same page.

ProjectManager's Gantt charts is a great tool to apply your project management skills

Real-Time Project Dashboards

Monitoring projects is one of a project manager’s main responsibilities. Our real-time project dashboard makes that easy. It automatically collects live project data and displays it on easy-to-read graphs and charts. Project managers get a high-level view of time, cost, workload and much more to keep track of project performance and catch issues quickly. Best of all, there’s no time-consuming configuration necessary as with lightweight project management software. Just toggle over to the dashboard and it’s already working for you.

ProjectManager's real-time dashboard helps with project tracking, an important project management skill

Project Timesheets & Reports

Our software also features secure timesheets that automate much of the process and streamline payroll. They’re also a tool to measure what percentage of your team’s tasks are complete. For more information, you can use our reporting tools. Each report is customizable so you can filter the results to show only what you’re interested in. There are reports on project status, portfolio status, variance and much more. Our reports can be shared in a variety of formats to keep your stakeholders updated.

ProjectManager's timesheets are ideal for project cost management, an important skill for project managers

Related Project Management Content

ProjectManager isn’t only powerful project management software that empowers teams to plan, manage and track projects in real time and our website is a hub for online project management information. We publish weekly blogs, guides and videos and offer dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that you can download right now. Here’s a small sample of our project management-related content.

  • Ultimate Guide to Project Management
  • Project Manager Resume
  • Project Manager Interview Questions
  • Project Manager Job Description

You can have all the soft and technical skills in the world, but without project management software you’ll still be working at a disadvantage. Luckily, there are tools that enhance your skill set and make you even more efficient and productive. ProjectManager has features to help schedule, manage tasks and budget your project, as well as being online so it’s great for team collaboration. You’ll have to bring the sense of humor, but we’ve got the rest. Try it for yourself by taking this free 30-day trial.  

Click here to browse ProjectManager's free templates

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Project Bliss

11 essential time management skills.

Time management skills help you work efficiently, get the right work done, and still maintaining a balanced life. Use these critical skills to manage your time well, and see fast benefits in both your career and personal life.

This is a guest post by Lori Wade.

project time management skills

Everyone craves career success. It’s the kind of success that is essential for having a happy, healthy life. It isn’t about making small wins but victory over the entire war. If you want to achieve the extraordinary, then you must dig deeper. 

You must have heard this a lot: Time management is essential to success in a career. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. At its core, it’s about making the most out of every second. Effective time management means successfully executing every little facet of your daily work. 

So your ability to effectively manage time defines your successes and failures in your career. That’s no joke. But it’s more easily said than done. So it’s important to put forth the effort.

Here are the reasons to learn time management skills for your career – so you can kick butt better than ever before. 

4 Reasons Why Time Management Skills Matter

project time management skills

  • Quality work

Poor time management can have a negative impact on the quality of work you do.

Combining your talent, an intentional work plan, and the discipline and consistency to follow through on it ultimately leads to high-quality results. This in turn leads to greater career success. 

  • No more late nights at the office

Here’s another cliché for you: work smart, not hard. It’s an adage that most take for granted. Most 9-5 jobs these days set high expectations for the amount of work to be done during that time. You can find productive ways to accomplish your work goals. The more time you spend on a problem, the lower your creativity takes a dip. 

Undeniably, there is a romantic side to the idea of working late. Seriously, when last did you watch a movie that doesn’t pass along working late as critical in the story of the self-made man? Eliminate the fluff, simply work around routine tasks for effective time management. 

  • Enhances creativity

Creativity isn’t a skill restricted to storytellers, artists, and singers. It is a useful skill that people from all walks of life need. The first step to working creatively is committing yourself to creativity, which is just fancy for disciplined time management. 

Set and define your goals, get others to help you, and set aside time for developing other skills. Besides, creativity allows you to add an essential piece of the asset to your skillset- being a valuable team player. But it never manifests without proper time management skills. 

  • Reduces stress

Stress is a silent killer in every career. It lurks in the shadows, eating up your energy and taking away your concentration. Stress also shakes up your confidence, which can deal a significant blow to your career prospects. 

Your wellness should be a greater priority in how you spend your time. Focus on it so it doesn’t get lost in the darkest corners of your mind. It will help ease stress at work and improve your overall quality of life. Hard work needs to be balanced with time off to be sustainable. The good news: there are plenty of small things to do to reduce stress at work. 

meeting purpose

Time management skills are critically important to the success of your career. In fact, the bond between time management and the quality of your work gives you a personal competitive edge, career-wise. It’s a matter of commitment. 

If you want to know how to pull this off, read ahead to know how you can better manage your time. Here you go: 

1. Prioritize

Determine where you most need to place your attention and effort. You most likely can’t do all the things you want to do in one day. So instead, determine the most important activities for reaching your goal. This will help you identify where to focus your efforts during the day.

2. Reduce distractions

Distractions present a huge obstacle to managing time well. Distractions drain your concentration and reduce your productivity. It is the biggest barrier to career success. So start by encouraging a habit that reduces distractions, if not eliminate. 

Start with tech. If the way you relate to technology is out-of-whack, then you will be unproductive. Turn off distracting alerts and notifications when you can. Create a work environment that minimizes distractions as much as possible.

3. Learn to say ‘no’

Are you a sucker for saying ‘yes’ when you needed to say ‘no’? Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult to say ‘no’? Many unhelpful beliefs make saying ‘no’ sound so bad. After all, are you not valuable enough to make your own opinion known? 

But it’s important to know how to say no to work sometimes.

No. It’s just a word, so say it as you mean it every time. Don’t get trapped in non-productive things because of your urge to be agreeable. Remember: saying ‘no’ doesn’t mean you’re rude, self-centered, or unkind. But it’s a matter of respecting the value of your time. 

4. Delegate

Great leaders delegate. The biggest issue with transitioning from team player to team leader is making the shift from doing to leading. You can always try to get away with doing everything yourself. But there’s not enough time in the day to do everything. And often, you may not be the best person to carry out every task.

To free up time to focus on your goals, determine the best person to carry out each of the tasks that need to be done. Don’t try to do it all yourself if the work can best be executed by others on your team.

5. Utilize productive hours

Determine which time of day you do your best work, and use that time accordingly. If you focus best in the morning, use that time for work that requires the most focus. Don’t use your best focus time on low-value activities. Schedule your highest-value activities during your most productive time of day.

6. Be realistic about what you can accomplish

It’s easy to underestimate how long a task or activity will take . And it’s easy to overestimate the amount of work you can accomplish in a day. Instead of filling your daily to-do list and overcommitting, be honest with yourself and others about what you can get done in a certain time frame.

7. Plan ahead

Don’t just launch into your day and wing it. Make a plan for what you want to accomplish and what success looks like for the week and the day. Set goals for your day and schedule activities to help you meet that goal. You’re far more likely to use your time wisely when you’re intentional about how you spend it.

8. Use an organizer

Once you’ve prioritized your work and determined how you want to spend your time, use an organizer to help you manage it. Your organizer might include a calendar and other organizational elements. There are many on the market, such as bullet journals and planners that can help you prioritize your work, schedule meetings, and capture important notes from the day.

9. Use a timer.

Setting a timer can help you stay on track. Set a short deadline or a short time box, and use a timer to help you target your focus. This will help you get more done in a short period of time. Using a timer can also keep you from spending more time on a task than you need to. Determine how long you’ll work on something, set a time target, and use the timer to keep you focused without spending more time than you should on a task.

10. Eliminate time wasters.

Don’t spend time on activities that waste your time. Time is precious and it’s easy to get sucked into social media or other time-wasting activities. If this is a challenge, remove apps from your phone or take steps to make it more difficult to engage in time-wasting activities. Engage in these activities in a more intentional way so they don’t take you away from activities that you must get done.

11. Take a break

Finally, to improve the quality of your work, try taking a break from it. Ask yourself this question: how much involvement does your work need? Don’t let the urgency of an assignment or the expectations of a big project distract you from the big picture. 

Your overall well-being dramatically influences your ability to work. So take time off to sleep and wake up at your best . Proper time management is the best way to improve the quality of your work. Schedule breaks between tasks to improve your productivity. 

Final words

project time management skills

Benjamin Franklin is often floated as the best example of a productive man. Besides founding a nation, he managed several businesses, invented things, and did diplomacy duties. Add to that time for his wife and multiple mistresses. Clearly, he knew how to manage his time. 

The definition of success is subjective, but success is some level of career achievement for most people. At the foundation of a successful career is the ability to manage time effectively. Something to learn from Benjamin Franklin: time management skills affect your career. Wouldn’t you agree? 

Author’s BIO : Lori Wade is a journalist from Louisville. She has experience in small editions and writes on business topics. You can find her on Twitter & LinkedIn .

About The Author

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Leigh Espy is a project manager and coach with experience working in startups, government, and the corporate world. She works with project managers who want to improve their skills and grow in their career, and entrepreneurs and small businesses to help them get more done. She also remembers her early career days and loves working with new project managers and those who want to make a career move into project management.

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How to Highlight Time Management Skills on Your Resume

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“It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

– Steve Jobs

It’s hard to argue with the legendary Steve Jobs’ claim above.

Every activity, from the most mundane task to the grandest undertaking, requires a certain amount of time to perform. But in today’s fast-paced society, time has become a resource that many feel they are in short supply of — especially at work.

With frequent meeting schedules, heavy workloads, and countless emails coming in, it’s easy to fall behind or off track. That’s where time management skills come into play — and they can have a powerful effect on your professional life.

In this article, we’ll cover why (and how) you should be incorporating time management skills into your career or your job search.

Let’s not waste another second!

The Importance Of Time Management

In the age of multitasking, time management has become an essential skill set to stay organized, efficient, productive, and effective.

When it comes to our careers, time is a precious commodity that should be managed in the most effective way possible. This means setting priorities, organizing our time, and focusing on the most important tasks at hand.

Several benefits come with honing your time management skills, both in your professional and personal life.

Here are some of the immediate, concrete benefits that can be reaped with savvy time management:

☑️ You’ll Be More Focused

When you manage your time well, you’ll always know which task/project to direct your attention toward at any given moment. Your mind won’t be scattered by all the other things on your to-do list.

☑️ You’ll Work More Efficiently

With the increased focus/clarity described above, you’ll be able to power through action items without getting distracted. Time management can help you get more done in less time, freeing up your schedule for other tasks or leisure activities. Who doesn't want to be more productive?!!

☑️ You’ll Stay Organized And On Track

One of the greatest benefits of time management is that it can help you stay organized and on track. When you’re properly organized, you’re able to keep appointments, hit deadlines, and maintain tight turnaround times. Successful time management involves proactive planning and systematic scheduling. This is important in both your professional and personal life.

☑️ You’ll Feel Less Stressed

When you’re juggling many things at once, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Honing your time management skills will help bring structure to the chaos, which in turn can help put your mind at ease. By keeping your workflow organized and avoiding procrastination, you can minimize the amount of stress in your life. Time management skills can help you proactively avoid stressful situations (or mitigate their effects). When you have a plan and you’re organized, it can help reduce stress and anxiety.

☑️ Your Work/Life Balance Will Improve

By learning to better manage your time, you can achieve a better work/life balance and avoid burnout. To make the most of our time, we need to be good at managing it. Time management skills can help us be more focused, work more efficiently, stay organized and on track, feel less stressed, and ultimately a better balance between your career and home life.

☑️ You'll Have A Greater Sense Of Control

When you’re in control of your time, you have a greater sense of control over your life. This can lead to increased confidence and a better overall outlook. Time management skills give you the power to take control of your life and shape it the way you want.

In short, time management skills are essential for anyone who wants to be successful in their career. And

Now that we’ve explored the benefits, let’s take a look at some specific skills that fall under the umbrella of “time management.”

Examples Of Time Management Skills

Time management is not a singular activity. Rather, it’s a collection of habits and processes that fit together as a cohesive whole.

Here are 4 essential elements of effective time management:

  • Prioritization. In order to allocate your time appropriately, you need to assess the relative importance of each action item on your list. Doing so will help you establish a ‘task hierarchy,’ which can then guide your activity scheduling.
  • Decision-Making. Sometimes, it’s very clear which of your tasks are high-priority and need to take precedence. But often, your action items may appear to carry similar levels of importance. In such cases, you’ll need to be decisive — otherwise, you’ll lose time deliberating.
  • Scheduling. A clearly-defined schedule is the cornerstone of successful time management. Fortunately, technology has equipped us with a wide array of apps and software to aid our scheduling and appointment setting efforts.
  • Problem-Solving. If you’re a busy person, you’ve definitely encountered this problem before: schedule conflicts. Overlapping tasks and appointments can pose a significant challenge — and you’ll need to combine prioritization, decision-making, and strategic thinking to resolve the issue.

So far, we’ve covered what time management entails and why it’s important. Now, let’s review how you should communicate this valuable skill on your resume…

Woman sitting at her computer writing her resume

Highlighting Time Management Skills On Your Resume

As you’ve probably gathered from above, time management is a crucial soft skill in the workplace — and employers recognize this.

So, if having time management skills is one of your strengths, you should certainly strive to showcase that on your resume.

Here’s a general rule of thumb to help guide you: when it comes to writing your resume , it’s always better to show not tell.

In other words, you should aim to describe real-world examples of scenarios in which you applied your skills and strengths.

To illustrate this, let’s consider the two hypothetical resume examples below:

Time Management Example  #1 (Weak) -Excellent time management. -Highly organized with strict adherence to deadlines. -Proficient multitasker, working well under pressure.
Time Management Example #2 (Strong) -Developed an improved workflow which cut turnaround times by 20%. -Kept team on-schedule through 3 high-priority product launches, successfully completing all deliverables before the target deadlines.

Notice how the second example references specific, concrete accomplishments (as opposed to the generic self-promotion in the first example).

This concept of ‘Show Not Tell’ is not limited to your resume — it’s also applicable to job interviews, which leads us to our next section…

How To Describe Time Management Skills During An Interview

Continuing on the notion above, an interview is a great opportunity to dig in and get even more specific than a one-page resume allows.

Following the ‘Show Not Tell’ principle, you should be utilizing the interview to bring up stories from your work history that clearly demonstrate your strengths (e.g. time management skills).

For example, if there was a critical moment when you exhibited time management skills in your last role, you can use that story as tangible proof of your abilities.

Often, interviewers will ask situational questions (i.e. “tell me about a time when…”), which is a perfect opportunity to dive into a compelling story.

*Tip: the key to nailing your interview responses is preparation. If you’re preparing for an interview, be sure to review The 7 Core Interview Questions.

How To Improve Your Time Management Skills To Succeed At Work

In this article, we've emphasized the importance of time management skills and how you should be highlighting those skills on your resume (and in interviews).

But what if you feel that you're lacking in the ‘time management department'? Don’t worry — like any skill, prudent time management can be developed with diligence and effort.

Here are 4 proactive tips to help you improve your time management skills:

Tip #1. Identify the times of day you feel most productive. Maybe you’re an early bird, maybe you’re a night owl — or maybe you get a burst of energy around noon. Try to build your schedule so that your most difficult tasks align with the times you tend to feel most alert.

Tip #2. When you create a schedule or deadline, commit to it. Being flexible is often a good thing. But, when it comes to time management, some rigidity is necessary. If you’re constantly rearranging your schedule or shifting deadlines, this will undermine the effectiveness of the whole process.

Tip #3. Know your most common distractions (and avoid them). We all get distracted — it’s part of being human. But we often have certain ‘lures’ that are particularly enticing . Do you check Instagram every 20 minutes? Use an app blocker when working on an important task. Love to snack? Set a timer and forbid yourself from eating until the time is up. Removing little distractions like this will save tons of time while keeping you focused.

Tip #4: Use the Pomodoro Technique to accomplish tasks on your to-do list. This tried-and-true method, originally pioneered by Francesco Cirillo, has been adopted by individuals around the globe to increase their productivity and improve their time management skills. See below for details on how to use the Pomodoro Technique.

How To Use The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique can be applied in any situation that requires mental focus and a task to be completed. All you need is a timer and some self-discipline! Here’s how it’s done:

  • Designate a task you want to complete.
  • Set a timer to 25 minutes.
  • Wholeheartedly commit to focusing on that task (with zero distractions or interruptions) for the 25-minute period.
  • When the timer runs out, take a quick break and jot down a check-mark on a piece of paper.
  • For the first three check-marks, allow yourself a 3-5 minute break.
  • For every fourth check-mark, allow yourself a 15-30 minute break.
  • Repeat until the task is finished!

Pomodoro Variations To Consider

The standard version of the Pomodoro Technique calls for 25-minute work intervals. For the average human attention span, this is a relatively ideal ratio of concentration-to-break time. However, it’s not a rigid rule — and you may find one of the following variations more suitable:

  • 60 or 90-Minute Intervals. If you have a naturally strong attention span, you may be comfortable working longer than 25 minutes without a break. If so, that’s great! Try 60-minute intervals to start and 90 minutes if you’re a concentration champ!
  • Flow-State Intervals. To determine a custom interval that fits you best, track the amount of time you focus on a task when you feel ‘in-the-zone.’ Then, use that timeframe as your Pomodoro Interval. To adjust the breaks accordingly, apply a 1-5 ratio for short breaks and 1-1 for long breaks.

Productivity & Resume Tips Continued

For busy professionals, optimal time management is no small feat. But, by utilizing the tips above, you'll be better-positioned for more efficient, productive workdays — which will ultimately facilitate greater success in both the short-term and the long-term!

Continuing on that note, for more productivity tips, be sure to check my articles on How To Stay Motivated At Work And Improve Productivity and How To Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan That Will Keep You Motived!

And, lastly, for more resume insights, don’t miss my complete guide on How To Write A Job-Winning Resume and What We Learned From Analyzing 125,000+ Resumes !

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The Key Project Management Skills You Need

In today’s fast-paced business world, project management has become an essential factor of success for companies of all sizes.

With projects growing more complex and demanding, what worked 10 years ago doesn’t work anymore. Project managers must keep up with the times and be able to deliver quality results on time and within budget.

To be a successful project manager, you must possess a range of skills that enable you to manage projects from start to finish. We’re talking about both hard and soft skills, as there are some skills you won’t be able to learn in a PM certification. They’re personality traits.

In this article, we’ll explore key project management skills that every project manager needs to master to deliver projects within budget, on time, and to the expected quality.

What are key project management skills?

Project management skills are the set of competencies, traits, and characteristics that enable a project manager to lead a project in its lifecycle .

These competencies include project planning, budgeting, and risk assessment — what we call hard skills. To bo a good project manager you also need communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills — the soft skills.

Hard skills refer to the technical and analytical abilities that help project managers to manage budgets, timelines, and resources.

On the other hand, soft skills refer to the interpersonal and leadership qualities that enable project managers to manage teams and stakeholders.

Successful project managers need a combination of both soft and hard skills to be effective.

So, what does it take to be a project manager? What are the skills you need to have, and how much do they matter? How can you develop those skills and master project management?

We’ll address all these questions in this article, so keep reading!

Read our guide to know what project management skills are .

Why do project management skills matter?

The success of a project is largely dependent on the project manager’s ability to manage the project effectively.

Recent data showed that 70% of projects fail . However, that same research has demonstrated that the intervention of a qualified project manager can decrease that failure rate to 20% or lower. 

Project management skills help project managers identify and mitigate risks, manage resources, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and ensure the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of stakeholders.

Without effective project management skills, projects can quickly spiral out of control, resulting in delays, overspending, and poor quality results.

That’s why it’s essential for those who intend to invest in a career in project management to bet on PM certifications , as well as seek to develop other soft skills that certifications do not address. Let’s dive in!

Hard skills that any project manager need

project time management skills

1. Project management methodologies

The first skill we decided to include in this list is mandatory.

Although some PMs can manage projects without in-depth knowledge of project management techniques and methodologies like Agile or Waterfall .

The most experienced and successful professionals have received formal education to be able to follow and complete projects from A to Z.

From Scrum to Kanban , passing through the ones we mentioned above, there are many approaches and methodologies you can use to manage your projects.

And there’s no better way to master them and determine which ones are best for your teams and projects than to study and put them into practice. You can acquire these skills in PM online courses or project management books , for example.

2. Subject matter expertise

Project managers work across a broad range of industries, spanning from construction and software development to marketing. Although not mandatory, possessing a fundamental understanding of the industry and the specific projects being overseen can benefit project managers.

This knowledge and expertise can enable them to make more informed and quick decisions and precise projections regarding potential risks, expenses, schedules, and resource necessities.

Also, individuals who can comprehend and utilize the jargon and terminology commonly used by subject matter experts within their organization are likely to communicate more efficiently with their teams.

Read also: Types of project reports

project budget sheet on smartphone

3. Budgeting and cost management 

Before the project even starts, it’s up to the project manager to estimate the project time , and the budget needed to complete the project within the ideal timeframe. Therefore, a good professional must know all the variants involved in planning a project, especially money.

One of the most common reasons for a project to skid is overspending, which can be caused by poor budget management or even a poor initial budget forecast. 

Great project budget management is a vital skill that project managers must possess. This involves tracking project expenses , monitoring cash flow, and recognizing opportunities for cost reduction.

On top of this, they may have to make difficult decisions when the budget is exceeded, giving up certain features, phases, or even resources.

Get to know all the different roles and responsibilities of a project manager .

4. Risk Management  

Each project has some degree of risk. You must try to avoid it and prepare for when a setback comes.

Situations such as the unavailability of required resources or approval delays from a client that may result in schedule delays. Project managers are responsible for navigating and anticipating such risks to avoid potential delays or cost overruns.

To achieve this, project managers should possess the ability to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks. They need to develop comprehensive risk management plans , monitor potential risks, and undertake corrective actions where necessary, ensuring the project is completed without any delay or cost overrun. 

This skill is one of the most difficult to attain but the experience is a good companion and as the years go by it becomes easier and easier to make this risk assessment.

5. Project management software

The best project managers know better than to try to coordinate all of the elements of a project with jumbled spreadsheets and random task lists.

Instead, they become experts at using the best project management software to centralize communication, streamline collaboration, manage budgets/ resources, and iron out project plans. 

A practical understanding of popular project management software can have a positive impact on a project manager’s work.

So we recommend you research which one works best for you and your team and become an expert at it. Then, educate and encourage other project stakeholders to use the software too. 

In today’s world, this means project managers must also constantly evolve, learning how to leverage the newest technologies available to lead a project to completion successfully. 

Read also: What is and why tracking project management is important.

Soft skills that any project manager need

Soft skills are non-technical, interpersonal skills that are critical for project managers to lead and collaborate with their teams successfully.

They are crucial in building and maintaining positive relationships among project team members, stakeholders, and clients.

Good soft skills enable project managers to motivate, influence, and inspire their teams, leading to higher job satisfaction and better project outcomes.

project time management skills

6. Communication 

The truth is that it’s hard to find a job where communication is not an essential skill. For a project manager, communicating effectively with stakeholders to ensure they are informed about the progress of the project is crucial. 

In addition, PMs must be able to communicate clearly and be excellent listeners — listening to all parties involved in developing a project is half the battle in anticipating unforeseen events and adapting the plan to circumvent them. 

Finally, a good project manager must be able to adapt his communication style to different audiences.

It’s possible that in a single day, he or she will have to talk about the project to his/her management, clients, and team. For each of these audiences, you should be able to adapt your attitude, trying to communicate positively and efficiently.

Learn how to create a project management communication plan .

7. Time Management 

As the primary contact for various departments and team members, project managers face multiple demands on their time. It’s, therefore crucial for them to manage their time efficiently, along with the capacity of all key project players.

Effective time management is essential for project managers to ensure the timely completion of the project.

They should be able to prioritize tasks, handle competing priorities, and set achievable deadlines. By doing so, project managers can optimize their team’s performance and mitigate the risk of delays or cost overruns. 

Did you know that Tracking time contributes to better personal and project time management? By using time-tracking software you’ll probably be better able to analyze how to use your time more effectively.

TIP: Read our blog and find out why time management is crucial .

ending a meeting

8. Negotiation 

Project managers often have to work with various stakeholders, including team members, clients, suppliers, and vendors.

Negotiation skills are essential for project managers because they help them to communicate effectively, persuade, and identify win-win solutions.

When dealing with other project stakeholders, negotiation skills enable project managers to negotiate effectively and manage everybody’s expectations by addressing concerns, clarifying requirements, and managing any conflicts.

Additionally, PMs often need to negotiate with other teams or departments within the organization to secure necessary resources for their project, such as budgets, staff, equipment, or software.

By mastering negotiation skills, project managers can ensure project success and build a positive reputation within their organization.

9. Critical thinking and problem-solving 

When you’re responsible for managing projects from start to finish, you’ll often encounter various problems and obstacles. This is why having both solid critical thinking and problem-solving skills is critical for a good project manager. 

Firstly, problem-solving skills enable project managers to assess problems and develop effective solutions. You’ll need to understand the root cause of the problem and use critical thinking skills to identify possible solutions. 

Secondly, problem-solving skills help project managers to manage risks effectively. They need to anticipate potential problems and develop contingency plans in case things do not go as planned.

By proactively identifying and addressing problems using critical thinking and logic, project managers can minimize the impact of risks and ensure the project stays on track.

10. Quality management

Project managers are responsible for managing quality to guarantee the desired outcomes of a project. This includes creating quality management plans, monitoring and running audits, and taking corrective actions.

Quality management ensures that the project outcomes meet the desired standards and expectations of the stakeholders, and nobody ends up feeling disappointed.

The ability to develop quality management plans and implement them effectively can also help prevent issues that may arise during project execution.

Finally, having good quality management practices can also improve team morale and motivation. This happens because team members are more likely to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in their work when the project delivers high-quality results.

high performing team of 5 celebrating

11. People management 

In any position that requires teamwork, people management is one of the key project management skills a leader must have.

People are complicated, especially when egos get into the discussion. Project managers must have strong leadership skills to manage teams effectively . They must motivate team members , delegate tasks , resolve conflicts, and provide feedback.

Strong people management skills also help project managers build positive relationships with stakeholders, including clients and vendors, and manage any external factors that may impact the project.

In short, people management is a vital component of project management, and without effective management of people, projects are likely to encounter obstacles and fail to meet their objectives.

12. Conflict management

No matter how good your team is, a universal truth applies: where there are people, there’s conflict.

When you work with professionals who have pride in their work, with tight deadlines and high expectations, it’s normal for conflicts to arise.

Frustration and finger-pointing can easily escalate on a project team without a skilled project manager to help work through inevitable conflicts.

So, when problems and disagreements arise, project managers rely on their conflict resolution skills to stay cool, calm, and collected and help the feuding teams or people talk about their issues and reach a mutually beneficial solution. 

How to improve key project management skills

You can take several steps to develop essential project management skills. We’ll talk about three different possibilities. But, if you want to go further, read our article and learn how to improve your project management skills .

Practice makes perfect

One of the best ways to develop key project management skills is by practicing them in your current role. Identify the areas you want to improve on and actively work to develop those skills.

Seek feedback from colleagues and mentors to understand areas where you need improvement.

Additionally, you can seek out opportunities for hands-on learning by volunteering for projects or taking on additional responsibilities.

This can help you gain practical experience and develop your skills in a real-world setting.

Stay up-to-date with the latest trends

Attending industry events and workshops is a great way to learn best practices, gain new insights, and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in project management.

You can participate in local or online events, such as webinars or conferences, to network with other professionals and learn from their experiences.

Professional associations, such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), offer regular events and workshops to help you stay connected to the latest industry practices.

Did you know that project management podcasts might be a good way to improve your pm skills?

laptop and a notebook on a table with project management material

Consider taking a project management certification

Earning a certificate in project management can help you develop your skills and provide you with the practical knowledge and technical expertise needed to lead complex projects to completion.

These project management courses provide opportunities for experiential learning, where you can apply your skills in real-world situations. Additionally, returning to school can connect you with industry experts who can offer insights into the latest trends and practices in project management.

Developing hard and soft project management skills is essential for success in today’s business environment.

Effective project management skills can help you lead teams, manage resources, and deliver successful projects on time and within budget.

Whether you are new to project management or an experienced professional, there are many ways to improve your skills.

Remember, learning and developing any skill is a continuous process; with dedication and effort, anyone can become a skilled project manager.

You might be interested in:

  • Time estimation in project management
  • How to create a project monitoring plan
  • The best project management blogs
  • The best YouTube channels for project management
  • The best tips to improve communication skills
  • What is project billing?
  • Examples of project management goals

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More From Forbes

Project managers: skills and traits that make good ones great.

Forbes Technology Council

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Guiding a tech project from start to finish entails staying on top of seemingly endless details, decisions and data (and sometimes, detours). From making sure progress is achieved on time and on budget to keeping stakeholders updated to ensuring teams work together smoothly—and much more—project managers are constantly keeping multiple balls in the air, and if they drop one, a project can quickly go off the rails.

Even though theirs is not a simple job, the very best project managers can make the jobs of their teammates much easier. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council discuss the skills and traits that elevate a good project manager to a great one and why these characteristics are so impactful.

1. Strong Written And Verbal Communication

High-quality communication, in all its forms, is one skill effective project managers must have and improve on. Communication must be objective, timely and complete, whether written or verbal. Meetings with team members, one-on-one discussions, presentations, announcements, technical reports and emails are all instances of essential communication resources for a successful project manager. - David William Silva , Algemetric

2. Asking ‘Why?’ (A Lot)

A great project manager will embrace their inner toddler, asking “why?” a lot. If someone wants to add a feature, asking “why?” will help determine if it is in or out of scope. If someone is pushing a deadline, asking “why?” will help determine if deploying more resources or swapping dependencies will alleviate the challenge, or if indeed a deadline change is needed. - Patti Mikula , Hackworks Inc .

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A 30 second skull and bones video that negates 11 years of development, helldivers 2 announces surprise automaton invasion patriots help required, 3. leadership and problem-solving skills.

In project management, effective leadership and problem solving are the most important skills. A project manager must not only inspire and guide their own team, but also inspire confidence through their conviction in the client’s vision. Possessing a problem-solving mindset is crucial to navigating uncertainties and unexpected challenges, which is at the core of every successful project. - Shraddha Thanawala , Remiges Technologies P Ltd

4. High Emotional Intelligence

Tech skills may dazzle, but teams thrive on humanity. Project managers with emotional intelligence have a galvanizing effect on their teams and the organization. They don’t just crack whips louder; they inspire ownership and camaraderie. Teams unleash discretionary effort when they are led not by authority but by authenticity. - HK Bain , Digitech Systems, LLC

5. An Understanding Of How The Role Differs From That Of A Program Manager

It’s important to understand the difference between a program manager and a project manager. A program manager’s role is more strategic, and their work is tied to meeting business and organizational goals. On the other hand, a project manager is really incentivized to focus on the delivery of a project. Both roles are necessary and have similar guiding principles, but the differences are significant. - Scott Sumner , Medidata - Dassault Systémes

6. The Ability To Anticipate Issues

A key characteristic of a highly effective project manager is the ability to anticipate issues and plan proactively for the future. This foresight enables them to mitigate risks and keep projects on track. Execution is the key KPI. - Saif Sultan , Volos Portfolio Solutions, Inc .

7. An Agile Mindset

Highly effective project managers embrace an agile mindset. This means delivering clear communication of business objectives while allowing teams the space to determine how to achieve those goals. This is how project managers can encourage creative problem solving among their teams, allowing them to iterate and adapt as needed, which ultimately leads to fulfilled teams. - Mark Lorion , Tempo Software

8. An Unbiased Focus On Progress

Project managers should provide unbiased updates to management, cross-functional teams and executive leadership on a weekly basis. Highlight what is working well and call out what needs management’s attention. An ideal project manager leverages the technical leadership available to them to resolve issues in a scalable way. - Ravi Bandlamudi , AtoB

9. A Willingness To Dive Deep

Undoubtedly, a crucial trait of a great project manager is the ability and willingness to dive deep. This doesn’t come down to domain-specific skills or technical capability; rather, it’s the application of analytical thinking to resolve issues and uncover opportunities. It requires good instincts to know when to do a deep dive, which items need attention to be resolved and which representative set of successful items to observe to know what “good” looks like. - Elliott Cordo , Data Futures

10. Resilience

Inevitably, projects will encounter roadblocks. Project managers need resilience to push through challenges. A strong project manager builds on trust and clear communication with the team so that they can navigate challenges effectively, adapt quickly and support each other to keep the project on track. - Ruhbir Singh , Tatvic

11. The Ability To Unite Teams

An exceptional project manager is skilled in communication, adept at conveying clear information and actively listens. They effectively tailor the project’s vision to diverse audiences. The ability to unite various teams across the organization to work toward a shared goal and ensure each member understands their role in achieving the overarching vision of the project is crucial. - Rahil Shah , Zomentum (Pactora Inc.)

12. ‘Empathetic Precision’

In my experience, one characteristic of a highly effective project manager is “empathetic precision"—that is, the ability to relate to the needs of team members while maintaining a relentless focus on zero variation from the budgeted cost and time. Empathy allows them to build strong relationships, foster collaboration and address challenges effectively, all while ensuring the project is completed without deviation from the roadmap. - Sandy Hardikar , Network Science Ltd.

13. Rigorous Focus

A project manager has so much to do. They must empower and uplift the team, make complicated things simple so they can be understood by everyone, get quick approvals if needed, set and monitor KPIs, maintain a strong project rhythm, and more. All of this requires constant, rigorous focus. - Rosalba Carandente , Baker Hughes

14. Accountability

Given its linear job description, the project manager role seems straightforward, but there are definitely qualities that set a great PM apart from a mediocre one. One such quality is accountability—a feeling of ownership of a project that goes beyond the tasks required to deliver it. When a PM becomes the “mini CEO” of a project, they use high-level critical thinking to resolve challenges before they happen. - Antony Demekhin , Tuney

15. A Commitment To Advocating For Business Users

When a project—for example, an AI solution—has a team whose members include both technical and business users, the project manager should make sure that the business users are heard and understood rapidly at every step and that the final product delivered reflects the business users’ feedback about specifics, such as the data used, variables, KPIs and so on. - Zehra Cataltepe , TAZI AI

16. Being Detail-Oriented

The best project managers that we have hired were extremely detail-oriented. This is crucial when managing a product, because there are typically many moving parts. Staying organized and paying attention to details ensures products are delivered on time and within budget. - Trent Hoerr , FPFX Tech

17. A Knack For Sales

A highly effective skill in project management is clear and concise communication, which is crucial for team coordination and stakeholder alignment. I’d also say that I’ve seen proficiency in sales complement this by enabling effective leadership, persuasive negotiations and client relationship building, all of which contribute to project success. - Jeremy Vaughan , Start Left Security

18. The Ability To Bridge Business Needs And Technology

The best CEOs come from project management. Great PMs bridge business needs and technology by speaking both languages and establishing strong rapport with both groups. The best PM is the company’s demo god, has the top five customers’ numbers in their phone, and takes engineering out for a beer once a quarter. - Ari Kahn , Bridgeline Digital

19. Taking The Success Of Each Project Personally

Amazing project managers take success very personally. Driven to make positive contributions, they see each project as a chance to strive toward self-actualization and reach their full potential. As a result, they push themselves to take full ownership and minimize any chance of failure. A successfully completed project is often a testament to the project manager’s desire for personal fulfillment. - Hamid Farooqui , Sogolytics

20. Curiosity

In my experience, one crucial characteristic of a highly effective project manager is curiosity. A curious project manager continuously seeks new insights, solutions and approaches, fostering innovation and adaptability, which are key to project success. - Patrick Emmons , DragonSpears, Inc.

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Top 15 Project Management Skills In 2024

calender

Project Management Skills Required In Every PMO

The PM requires various skills to ensure projects are completed successfully to the expectations of the customer. Managing projects are becoming complex, especially for large projects, and there is tremendous pressure on the PM to perform. Nowadays the PM requires knowledge of various project management methodologies such as PMP, Prince2 , XPM, Lean, Agile, Scrum, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma , etc.

PMP certification is provided by PMI.org which is the certifying body. PMP originated in the US and is now one of the world-renowned certifications with approximately more than 1,00,000 certified people around the world. In this article, we will discuss the various what are PMO skills and the skills needed by the project manager.

Top 15 Project management skills list

1.     One cannot imagine projects without problems. The problem arises because there is a larger issue that needs to be solved for the project to proceed further. For example, there may be a project blocker or a task that cannot be worked upon due to technical, functional, or business issues. Through PMP certification training online at StarAgile, the project manager is equipped to solve the problems arising out of this.

2.     The cost is also one of the triple constraints and any mismanagement with the cost will escalate the time or make a deviation in the scope of the project. The cost must be decided earlier while negotiating the project requirements with the customer. The cost must be planned by keeping the time and scope in place and must include profits and revenue benefits to the organization. That is why it is a very important skill that must be possessed by the project manager.

3.     The team motivation must be constantly enhanced so that the team performs as required. So motivating the team is the key skill that must be possessed by the project manager. Motivation drives the team in the right direction and provides many positive results. The project manager with a lot of pressure must be able to self-motivate and as well as motivate the team. It is found in the studies and research that motivation contributes to well being of individuals and also promotes positive orientation and positive behaviour that result in an excellent performance.

4.     The project manager is responsible for solving conflicts that arise in the team and providing necessary resolutions. The conflicts occur between the team members or between the cross-functional teams etc. For example- there may be conflicts such as 1 resource is not able to finish the task on time and it is affecting the performance of other resources. Or the cost decided by the finance team may not be sufficient for the project and so on.

5.     Communication is an important part of project management. The project team consists of various skill sets and diverse talents but what connects one another and all the people in the communication? The communication between the stakeholders must be transparent and the project manager is responsible for this.

6.     The project manager must have leadership skills and one must do things as he says in words. This will be noticed by all the team members are they will follow the project manager word by word as he demonstrates leadership.

7.     The project manager must negotiate the cost with the project sponsor and negotiate the time needed for project completion and the scope of the projects from time to time. Also, this skill is needed when a resource needs to work on a task for a fixed time frame which may be tight and needs to follow what project managers say. The PMP exam online covers various skills that are covered in the course training provided by StarAgile institute.

8.     When the project manager organizes the plan and works to produce suitable results which are accepted by the team members, the organization produces tidiness in the project and inspires all the team members.

9.     As we have seen one of the key constraints is time. That is why time management is crucial. Without proper planning and execution, the projects cannot be completed on time. The project manager must know how to allocate the work, which task will take how much time and whom to allocate which task so that the tasks are completed on time.

10.  Risks are a natural part of any project and there are hardly any projects without risks. Risk management in the planning stage is necessary so that the project risks can be identified, assessed, treated, reported, and communicated. Two of the things that are required done by the project manager are to make a risk register and to make a proper risk management approach

11.  The project manager must first be an active listener to listen to the people around him and not do all by his thinking. Listening skills make the project manager approachable by the team members. In psychological studies and research, it is found that actively listening to people is empathetic and has more patience to approach positively to the problems that people have.

12.  As discussed earlier the project manager must be the jack of all trades and master of few. He is entitled to know various project management methodologies such as PMP, Prince2, XPM, Lean, Agile, Scrum, Six Sigma, and Lean six sigma. PMP is the most desired certification in the areas of project management across the world. StarAgile institute is providing PMP training online with a lot of benefits such as competitive cost, online interactive training, and training that can be taken at the comforts of home or office.

13.  The Project Manager must be technically confident and must update himself constantly with the latest technology and must be technically sound. A project manager needs this skill to solve the technical issues and problems that arise so that the project flows smoothly. Also knowing the technical things will help the project manager to forecast the cost, the time for the completion of the tasks, and understand the scope and customer requirements. This also helps in making goals and objectives for the project.

14.  The project manager needs to make a lot of documents such as project charter, project plan, change log, issue log, risk register, project progress report, and project closure report, etc. These reports are read by all the team members and members of the management board. They must be simple, technical, and easy to read, and crisp.

15.  To become a project manager you must have handled the team as a team leader in your earlier role.  Team management is the key skill that the project manager must possess and manage the team without any issues. The project manager must know the performance management, training, and management team in a very smooth way. To know more about project management and what it takes to become a project manager register for a project management certificate online at StarAgile institute.

Conclusion – Do you have the skills required for a project manager

Now that we have discussed what are project management skills and understood why the skills of a project manager matter. After reading the article thoroughly we recommend that you enrol for Online PMP Training at StarAgile institute. StarAgile is the training partner of PMI for conducting PMP training online.

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  1. Project Time Management: Strategies, Tips & Tools

    Project time management is the project management process of analyzing work and developing a timeline to ensure you complete a project within a particular schedule. There are six steps when managing project time: Define Activities: Define all the tasks necessary to produce the project's final deliverable. Sequence Activities: Set the order of ...

  2. 15 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

    Time management is important during a project in order to meet your deadlines and complete your tasks successfully. There are three primary factors that can affect a project manager 's overall success: commitment to budget, ability to meet the project requirements and time management skills. Managers who remain aware of time requirements and ...

  3. How To Practice Effective Project Time Management (And Tips)

    How to implement a project time management strategy. Here are some steps you can take to implement an effective project time management strategy to better manage project constraints: 1. Define the project activities. First, it's necessary for the project team to define the activities of the project. It may be helpful to utilize a work breakdown ...

  4. 10 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

    Finding your productive time and using it to your advantage is a simple yet effective strategy to manage your time better and boost productivity in project management. 7. Use a Timer. Using a timer is a popular time management strategy, often associated with techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique.

  5. 5 Time Management Strategies for Project Managers

    Below, we offer five project management strategies that can be used to keep any project on track. 1. Have a well-defined project plan. Bolick identifies a well-defined project plan as the number one most effective strategy for time management because it can have an impact on all phases of the project from start to finish.

  6. 9 Key Time Management Skills and How To Improve Them

    Here are a few ways you can improve your time management skills: 1. Set short and long-term goals. Practicing regular goal-setting can help you clearly understand exactly what you need to accomplish to achieve certain results. To hit larger, long-term goals, identify smaller milestone goals along the way.

  7. 25 Essential Project Management Skills [2023] • Asana

    7. Task management. Once your project is officially underway, task management refers to how well you manage your and your team's time. The best project managers have visibility into what their team is working on in real-time, so they can help their team effectively prioritize and execute work.

  8. 5 project time management processes to boost productivity

    Based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), there are a few vital processes for keeping a project on track. They are: 1. Create a well-defined project management plan. Planning is an essential time management skill for project management.

  9. Project Management Skills: Definition and Examples

    Project management skills are the competencies and traits a person needs in order to effectively coordinate a project from start to finish. A project manager leads a projects team using good communication, interpersonal skills, motivational skills, and organization. ... Time management. Every project has a deadline, and each task within the ...

  10. 8 Project Time Management Strategies for More Productive Work

    Time management is a crucial skill for project managers and team members. Teamdeck offers a comprehensive guide on how to improve your time management strategies, from setting SMART goals to using the right tools. Learn how to plan, prioritize, and execute your tasks efficiently and effectively with Teamdeck .

  11. The Best Ways To Project Time Management For Project Managers

    For project managers, it is important to possess time management skills to be successful. A lack of effective time management will affect the project in the long run. In most cases, time really is money. ... Project Time Management Strategies for Project Managers 1. Use the Right Tools and Equipment.

  12. Project time management: definition, strategies and tips

    The following tips can help you improve your project time-management skills: Divide the project plan into manageable portions. Breaking a project into smaller tasks with clear deliverables can make it manageable, enhance employee motivation and help you complete it on time. It's often easier to track specific assignments within a project than ...

  13. 10 Essential Project Management Skills

    3. Reading and Writing. Reading comprehension and clear writing are vital skills for project managers. Strong reading and writing skills are important for just about any job, and they play a ...

  14. 11 Key Project Management Skills

    11. People skills. Your role as a project manager is to complete projects successfully. And while sometimes that means staying organized and communicating with the right people, it can also mean motivating your team, fostering a culture of collaboration and openness, and resolving potential conflicts.

  15. 7 Essential Time Management Skills

    7 time management skills. If you're ready to take control of your time, work on developing these seven time management skills. 1. Prioritization. To effectively manage your time, you will need to decide in which order you should complete your tasks. Reviewing your schedule each day and labeling your to-do list with whether tasks are urgent ...

  16. Project Time Management and Planning

    Project Time Management. Adobe Communications Team. 03-18-2022. Time, above all else, is our most valuable and finite resource. From a project management perspective, an effective project time management plan can revolutionize your team's processes and make a substantial impact on your project's scope, cost, and quality. Table of Contents.

  17. Key Project Management Skills You Need In 2022

    For project managers, time management consists of 3 pieces of a pie: Their own time management. Time management of the team. Project's time management. How to develop time management skills. Time management is something we learn and practice all our lives. Sometimes we are better with time, sometimes we lose track of it.

  18. Top 30 Project Management Skills: Soft and Hard Skills Included

    30 Project Management Skills Every Project Manager Should Have. Below we've collected the top 30 personality traits, soft and hard skills every project manager should have. ... Not having time management skills can lead to delays and worse. Project management is about meeting deadlines and getting your deliverables out on time. Project ...

  19. What Are 8 Key Project Management Skills?

    Let's break down some of the most important soft and hard skills a successful project manager should have. 1. Communication. Having excellent and clear communication is super important, as you must deal with many different people: team members, people from other departments, leadership, clients, and so on.

  20. 11 Essential Time Management Skills

    Don't try to do it all yourself if the work can best be executed by others on your team. 5. Utilize productive hours. Determine which time of day you do your best work, and use that time accordingly. If you focus best in the morning, use that time for work that requires the most focus.

  21. How Agile Methodologies Boost Time Management Skills

    Time management is a crucial skill for any project manager, especially in agile environments where changes and uncertainties are frequent. How you plan, execute, and monitor your tasks can have a ...

  22. How to Highlight Time Management Skills on Your Resume

    Here's how it's done: 1 Designate a task you want to complete. 2 Set a timer to 25 minutes. 3 Wholeheartedly commit to focusing on that task (with zero distractions or interruptions) for the 25-minute period. 4 When the timer runs out, take a quick break and jot down a check-mark on a piece of paper.

  23. The Key Project Management Skills You Need

    Project management skills are the set of competencies, traits, and characteristics that enable a project manager to lead a project in its lifecycle. These competencies include project planning, budgeting, and risk assessment — what we call hard skills. To bo a good project manager you also need communication, collaboration, and problem ...

  24. 20 Essential Skills Every Project Manager Should Have

    Team management skills include the ability to effectively delegate responsibilities, handle conflicts, evaluate performances and coach team members to help them improve their skills. 6. Time management. Every project is subject to deadlines, which means there are numerous tasks that need to be accomplished in a short amount of time.

  25. Project Managers: Skills And Traits That Make Good Ones Great

    3. Leadership And Problem-Solving Skills. In project management, effective leadership and problem solving are the most important skills. A project manager must not only inspire and guide their own ...

  26. How to Improve Time Management Skills at Work

    Time management skills enable you to enhance productivity by completing more tasks in less time and reducing stress. Strengthening your time management skills not only boosts your confidence but also elevates the quality of your work. Benefits of good time management skills. Recognizing the importance of time management is easy once you get ...

  27. 9 Key Management Skills: How to Show Them on Your Resume

    4. Project management. Project management is the process of leading and organizing a team to complete a project within a specific time frame and budget. This involves managing people, systems, tools, software, and budgets, usually requiring plenty of training and technical skills in addition to interpersonal skills.

  28. Top 15 Project Management Skills In 2024

    The project manager must negotiate the cost with the project sponsor and negotiate the time needed for project completion and the scope of the projects from time to time. Also, this skill is needed when a resource needs to work on a task for a fixed time frame which may be tight and needs to follow what project managers say.