Thomas Juli spoke at Synergy, the PMI UK event for International Project Management Day at IndigO2 in London, earlier this month. He talked about the tips and habits of project managers who want a better work/life balance and a more zen approach to work.
Here are 5 of his tips.
1. Identity
Thomas said that we have to reflect on who we are and to accept ourselves as we are. “Know your strengths,” he said, “because if you don’t know and instead just focus on your weaknesses, you are missing the point.”
From a workplace perspective, this allows you to focus on the things you do well and to carry on doing well at them, while knowing who you need in your project team to ensure that you have the complete complement of skills. In other words, hire people and surround yourself with people who plug the gaps for you.
2. Vision
“How many of you know what the overall goal of your project is?” Thomas asked. He wasn’t talking about the project objectives, but about the bigger picture. “How many times have you found yourself running a project that deals with symptoms, not problems?”
You should know the purpose and vision of your project before you start out, otherwise there is no point in working on it. Knowing the vision helps you be inspired about your work and helps you inspire others.
3. Simplicity
Thomas had two tips for bringing simplicity to your work. First, take one step at a time. Plan forward, but without bringing so much complexity to your work that it becomes unmanageable. Second, be focused. Know what you are trying to achieve and focus on that.
Simplicity and project management don’t seem to go hand in hand as many projects are complicated (or turn out to be complicated once you have started). Aim for as much simplicity as possible. This is something you can bring to your project objectives – try to keep your objectives simple so that you can easily explain the purpose of your project to others.
4. Timeliness
“Time is all relative,” he said. He gave the example that while we may not think 5 seconds is a long time, it is very long if you have to hold your hand over a gas flame. It’s really, really short if that’s all you get with a loved one.
Take some time for yourself if you want work/life balance, Thomas said. Plan in your free time and use it. Make sure the whole team has space as well so that you share work/life balance. You can’t be relaxed and enjoy your time off if the rest of your team is working. Planning in relaxing time is an investment in yourself, so it is worth taking the time to recharge your batteries.
Trying to get a good work/life balance during busy times on projects can be very difficult, but you will get a better result if you are able to take some time out during the evenings or at the weekend to recharge and refocus on what is important.
5. Overcoming angst
Thomas also suggested sharing your worries. He recommended trying to phrase your concerns in a way that an alien would be able to understand, as this forces you to explain things in simple terms and can help you put work trouble in perspective. “Worries are essential for survival,” he said, but cautioned that sometimes we take these problems to heart to the point that they stop us from doing a good job. He cautioned that finding someone to blame is not the answer. Accept responsibilities for your worries, identify them and let them go.