How to Juggle Between Projects
My colleague/Manager Joel always uses this metaphor of having “balls in the air”; i.e, we have lots of balls in the air, and gotta ensure that none of them drops. Well that’s basically juggling.
If you are a freelancer, independent contractor, a solo-preneur, self-employed, one-person-business — if you are any of that, you know how hard it is to juggle between multiple projects.
It’s hard to keep track of each and every tiny task, especially when tasks are spread across different arenas. And more often than not, some things slip through your fingers. Some tasks, some items off of your ToDo List, some events, some goals — things always slip.
Even if you’re working at one job, at one project, there are other things in life like learning, health, family..basically different “areas” that you juggle with. So, this applies to you as well.
So, how do you go about managing everything well, juggle like a pro so that none of those balls in the air touch the ground? How do you become a master juggler?
Prioritise and Organize
I can’t shut up about the benefits of organization — in your workflows, files, processes, in basically life.
The first step to solve any problem is to know that the problem exists. Similarly, the first step to ensure all tasks are getting done is to know what are those tasks that you have to complete. What are the stuff that you have to work on.
Apparently organisation does a great work at making sure you are aware of everything.
And prioritising it, ensures you know what’s important and what’s not.
When you prioritise, you know what’s important and what’s not that important. So even if you can’t handle all the balls in the air, you know which ball is important, which to ensure that it doesn’t fall, and the balls you can afford to drop.
Also, Id recommend looking at the Important-Urgent (Eisenhower) matrix to prioritise stuff:
Time Management
The thing about all those balls/tasks is that a lot of them have deadlines. So it’s a good idea to focus on time management.
If you’d have asked me 2–3 years ago “What should I do to manage my time better?” I’d start with a long-ass answer with tons of different strategies, formulas, and workflows.
But with my experimentation, and interaction with many different kinds of people, I know that Time management is not at all a one-solution-for-all thing.
Everyone has different formulas for time management, and even each person’s formulas keep evolving.
I’d suggest to start with observing your days, taking notes on where you’re spending your time, and then doing something about them. Scheduling in calendars, time-blocking, using self-made deadlines, are some of the methods that you can then apply to manage your time better.
If you’re looking to get some great advice on this, checkout ‘How I Manage My Time’ from Ali Abdaal.
Collaboration
Yeah, I get it — you’re not working alone, you’re a part of a team, a part of something bigger.
So, how do you manage to juggle those tasks when working with others?
Start with Communication.
Like, quite recently, I was working with 2 different teams on 2 different projects. One of them in based halfway across the world — in the US, and the other team is based in the UK. The time zone differences are huge here — a potential problem-causer. But I had communicated with my teams my availabilities, my workflows, and life on my side. This created an ease in communication and collaboration. They knew when and what to expect of me.
I also suggest to use some great collaboration softwares; You can use any of Notion/Asana/Trello/AirTable/ClickUp, based on your specific needs. My top 2 favourites are Notion and ClickUp.
Make sure to avoid confusion, and keep everyone on the same page. Regularly update every relevant person with updates, project statuses, milestones, and any potential roadblocks.
Avoid Multitasking
Picture this: you have a handful of projects on your plate, and a pressure to finish them all within their dedicated deadlines.
It’s tempting to dive into multitasking, trying to handle everything at once.
But tons of studies prove otherwise.
Multitasking hinders productivity. When you have both your legs on two different boats, you can’t control either of them, and more often than not, you end up doing both of them horribly.
Instead, aim to focus on one project at a time. Give it your full attention, complete the tasks associated with it, and then move on to the next one.
Work-Life Balance
You might’ve heard “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.” I find this advice full of sh#t.
And no, I’m not advocating for working on boring projects. I’m all in for working for what you’re passionate about. I highly advocate doing what excites you. But we all are humans and no matter how much you love your job, you do need a life outside of it.
That’s where this “Work-Life Balance” comes in. Create strong and clear boundaries between work and personal life. This helps maintain a good balance and you’re able to do both well — enjoy life as well as do great work.
This separation helps in managing stress and prevents work from encroaching on personal time.
Start with the basics — exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate rest; They’re vital for sustaining energy levels and mental clarity.
Take breaks when necessary, whether short pauses throughout day or longer intervals between projects. Recharge and come back to work with great focus.
Apart from work, fill your life with hobbies, time with friends and family, and try having fun. Else, you’ll hate your life in no time.
Adaptability and Flexibility
Started as a meme but this is what’ll make you relevant, maintain your value and make sure you’re not falling behind on your projects.
Managing multiple projects means being open to change, being agile and adaptable. It enables you to navigate unexpected challenges and pivot when needed.
Develop contingency plans to address unexpected changes or setbacks in projects. Be flexible. Flexibility in planning and mindset allows for smoother navigation through uncertainties.
And finally, stay open to learning new skills or methods that can enhance your project management abilities.
Embrace a growth mindset that welcomes challenges as opportunities for growth.
Balancing multiple projects requires you to be good at organizing, prioritising, time management, collaboration, staying clear off multitasking, adaptibility, flexibilty and having a good work-life balance.
A blend of these and you’ll find yourself with increased productivity and high quality outcomes across all of your projects.
