Managing Your Project: Making your Project a Priority

I have just discovered something in the nick of time that I should have been working on over the last couple of weeks. I've been so busy that there was nothing visible in my reminder system to let me know I should also have been working on this other thing. That got me thinking, and maybe the same is happening with your project?

Other Things

Some of you may be in the fortunate position of only having your project to do. I suspect though that for most of you there will be many competing activities and tasks. You may be taking several modules or courses, and - towards the end of term - the assignments become like giants striding towards you. There may be group activities that demand attention. There might be a flurry of end-of-term lectures, seminars, workshops, laboratories, revision sessions etc. Some of you may be getting inundated with plans, ideas, commitments for travel in the holidays. For many university or college students there is a round of gatherings, parties, club nights leading up to the holidays.

What all of these things have in common is that:

people are talking about them;
they have emotion attached to them (fear or excitement);
they are in your schedule or on your timetable;
there is a fixed and unmovable deadline.

Remember Me

Meanwhile your project - which is probably one of the most important pieces of work that you have ever done on your course, and one which may be worth the most in terms of marks or credit - sits quietly in the background, whispering "Remember Me?".

Of course we remember; that's what makes us feel guilty about the project. But what can be done about it?

Well, firstly it's important to realise that sometimes you just have to concentrate on an imminent deadline. But the problem comes when your project suffers a continuous lack of attention and focus because there is always something more discussed, worrying, exciting, or urgent to be done.

The solution

You might have heard the expression "if you can't beat them, join them"? Well, the same can be applied to your project. If it's being constantly drowned out by the other tasks, maybe you need to elevate its status.

Let's revisit each of the reasons that the project is ignored in favour of other tasks:

people are talking about them;

then talk about your project. Find opportunities in your study group to ask each other how the project is going. Talk to your supervisor. Write things down.

they have emotion attached to them (fear or excitement);

then create some emotion about your project. Remind yourself why you chose it, and give yourself reasons to get excited. If you want some fear- look at how many credits it's worth and see how much of the project has already passed.

they are in your schedule or on your timetable;

this is vital; you must find a way to get regular project work scheduled into your diary; or write it on your timetable. Keep to that commitment as if it was a meeting with someone else.

there is a fixed and unmovable deadline;

this is also true about your project. The problem is that the end deadline is relatively a long way off. This is why it's important to create interim deadlines for all the major phases of your project. Put these in your diary and put reminders in the preceding weeks, e.g. "2 weeks to initial report", "3 weeks to first design phase complete".

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Full details of these topics (including details on how to successfully plan a project) are found in the book - Chapter 20, available on the Amazon site below.