The Key to Daily Success as a Project Portfolio Manager

As a Project Portfolio Manager, you play a pivotal role in driving your organisation’s strategic initiatives. Your daily habits and routines directly impact the efficiency, productivity, and ultimately the success of your project portfolio. This article covers the essential daily activities you should adopt as a Project Portfolio Manager to unlock consistent excellence.

Optimise Your Productivity with GTD

The “Getting Things Done” (GTD) methodology is the secret weapon for enhanced productivity. This has been a go-to task management model that I have used for over 10 years and it has never failed me. By integrating these GTD best practices into your daily routine you will start to see a clarity that you may have been craving for a long time:

• Review your task list and prioritise action items using the Eisenhower Matrix
• Delegate or outsource tasks when appropriate
• Maintain a clean, decluttered workspace
• Break down large tasks into manageable subtasks

Establishing GTD habits will help you stay laser focused on your highest value activities.

Make Time for a Daily Project Review

Allocate 15-20 minutes each day to thoroughly review the status of your projects. I start the day early and for me, it is an ideal time to review the portfolio and allows me to:

• Identify potential issues before they escalate
• Anticipate upcoming challenges
• Review project budgets, timelines and recent team updates
• Verify alignment with strategic objectives

Staying on top of project developments is crucial for rapid response to roadblocks. Utilise daily reviews to proactively tackle problems and stay ahead of the game.

Fine-Tune Your Prioritised To-Do List

An up-to-date prioritised to-do list is essential for time management. Best practices include:

• Breaking down large tasks into subtasks
• Categorising tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix
• Assigning due dates and statuses
• Reviewing and reprioritising your list daily

Consistently refining your to-do list based on your project’s evolving needs enables you to maximise productivity.

Standardise Work with Checklists

Comprehensive checklists ensure consistency and minimise oversight for repetitive tasks. Develop standardised checklists for:

• Project kickoff meetings
• Team status updates
• Budget reviews
• Risk assessments
• Status reports
• Daily and Weekly Review

Leveraging checklists for commonly performed duties enables you to maintain rigorous attention to detail. It is way too easy to get complacent.

Prepare Diligently for Meetings

Thorough preparation is key for impactful meetings and presentations. Be sure to:

• Review agendas and internalise key talking points
• Anticipate potential questions from stakeholders
• Compile relevant data and materials to solidify your expertise

Diligent preparation will enable you to deliver confident, insightful and convincing presentations to stakeholders.

By adopting GTD practices, performing daily project reviews, managing your to-do list, standardising checklists and diligently preparing for meetings, you can unlock daily success and consistent excellence as a Project Portfolio Manager.