A THOUGHT FROM JENNIFER

On a recent trip to Costco, I was barely getting my head wrapped around the fact it is September, when I saw that—ready or not—they’re busting out their Christmas items! (The Halloween mummy is as shocked as I was.)

Deep in my bones this feels too early. I want to scream, “Please Costco! Let us enjoy the season we’re in and not push us to stress about the holidays!” Personally, I don’t want to feel stressed by Christmas preparations right now.

But as a project leader...Costco may have a point.

September is a good month to look to the end of the year and ask: “When I’m soaking in the Christmas season with my family, what do I want to be true about work?”

• What projects have been completed?

• What events were held? What impact did they have? And, more importantly...

• What could happen to derail these beautifully laid plans?

Ask your team, too! They bring perspectives you may not have. If you’re proactive now, you can ease some of the stress that inevitably happens as the whirlwind of December kicks in.

Bonus tip: If you are planning for key deliverables by the end of the year, aim for the first or second week of December. Don’t set a deadline on Dec 24 or 31. There are so many ripple effects that month when everyone tries to squeeze in “the last few things” (and the last few trips, and the last few holiday gatherings, and the last few donation appeals). It’s better to pad your timeline and plan for an early delivery.

So whether we are ready or not, the end of the year is coming, and it’ll be a lot more sane if we pause now to acknowledge it, own it, and plan for it.

And if you’re in the market for a Christmas tree, I’ve got a lead for you!  

On the journey with you,

POINT TO PONDER

Think about a project you're working on right now. If you could have crystal clarity on one thing about it, what would that be?

If you're inclined to share your thoughts, we'd love to hear from you!

WORK SMARTER

Easy Event Planning

By Liz Presutti, PMP

Did you know that Way Forth Collective offers Event Planning services? One way we love to “work smarter” while planning events is to use a well-organized checklist!

This Event Planning Template helps us think through the details and lifts the mental burden of worrying that something important will slip through the cracks. The beauty of this template is that it can be used for events of any size or complexity—and it's free. Try it out to plan the details of your next event. And, be sure to let us know how it worked for you!

A RESOURCE WE LOVE

Project Management Happy Hour Podcast

By Liz Presutti, PMP

We love project management resources that are engaging and full of practical advice. The Project Management Happy Hour podcast is one of our favorites.

Each episode is about an hour long and features a real-life project or a relevant topic in the industry. Check it out if you’re interested in learning more about project management techniques, effective communication, and how to solve problems on a project team.

Bonus—if you’re a PMP-certified project manager, this is an easy way to earn your PDUs!

BRAIN BREAK

27 Things in 5 Minutes

By Carolyn Wildermuth, Project Coordinator

We all want to be productive. But one surprising thing that can sap our productivity and cloud our thinking is clutter. So, for this brain break, we're offering 27 things in 5 minutes—a quick "game" to help you reduce some mental chaos and increase your productivity. Here's how to play:

1. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

2. Get rid of 27 things from your workspace before the timer runs out.

Declutter physical objects like old papers or pens that have run out of ink. Bent paperclip? There's one! You can also attack digital clutter by deleting apps from your phone or documents on your desktop.

Doesn't that feel a little better? Who knew tidying up could be fun, energizing, AND productive?

Your friends,

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