[Project Management Series] Project Management Skills Versus Tools Part 2 (Re-Release EP 209)

In this episode, I guide you through determining when you’re ready for a project management tool. I discuss what to look for, how to choose one that addresses your specific needs, and the essential steps to ensure your writing process will benefit from the tool. Building on the skills I covered last week in part one, I’ll help you understand how to select and integrate a system that will keep you organized and productive.

If you’ve been feeling the pressure of managing multiple projects and collaborations, and you’re wondering how to take that next step, this episode is for you. Tune in to discover how to find the perfect project management tool for your academic writing.

How to Know if You Need a Project Management Tool

If you are managing multiple projects, collaborating with a team, or tracking complex tasks and due dates, it may be time to consider using a project management tool. These tools are particularly useful for keeping everything organized in one central location, managing multiple contributors, and ensuring that no tasks are overlooked. If your current system feels chaotic or you’re struggling to track your progress, a project management tool can offer the structure and visibility you need to stay organized and on top of your writing and publications.

What to Look For When Selecting a Project Management Tool

When selecting a project management tool, choose one that fits your workflow and is easy to use. It should be adaptable to your specific needs, whether that involves tracking due dates, managing a team of writers, or visualizing tasks. Consider whether the tool facilitates collaboration, integrates with other systems supported by your university, and offers a user-friendly interface. Opt for a tool that can be easily taught to others and that will help you stay organized without being overwhelming.

Next Steps To Take

Before choosing a project management tool, it’s important to develop essential project management skills such as time management, prioritization, and task organization. Start by clearly defining the specific problems you want the tool to address, such as improving collaboration or tracking tasks more effectively. Once you have identified these needs, begin researching tools that can meet them. Look for a tool that aligns with your workflow and can easily scale as your projects grow. Testing a few different options will help you discover the right fit. Remember to integrate the tool gradually to ensure it aligns with your goals before making a long-term commitment.

“A project management tool doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be a spreadsheet. It could be a bullet journal. But you have to consider: are you collaborating with someone using the project management tool? Are you going to be managing somebody through the tool? What do you really need the tool to do for you?”

“Don’t be afraid to start with something very simple that you create yourself like a spreadsheet. Then use that for a while before trying to find a tool. I would not rush to a project management tool, especially if you think it’s going to save you so much time. It will, but eventually – after the appropriate amount of training and use of the tool.”

We’ve opened the waitlist for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and get on the waitlist here.

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:

1. Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Get on the waitlist here!
2. Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here!
3. If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.

CONNECT WITH ME: 

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• YouTube