Do you REALLY need a project management system?

Do You REALLY Need a Project Management System?! Well, the short answer is yes. If you want to keep on top of *gestures vaguely* everything, a project management system is an absolute must-have.

There are a lot of things in business that are optional. For example, you might not ever want a Facebook account, or you might only ever want to use Apple products. You might choose to work exclusively from 11pm - 3am every day. 

But when it comes to organisation, there really isn’t an option. 

Post-it notes and big sheets of paper have their uses, but will they automatically reschedule recurring tasks? Can you set permissions so that only the relevant people can see what is needed for their own tasks? Do you get a cute animation when you tick off a successful project? No. 

Some people are put off by the idea of a project management system because it can take a while to set up and get right. If you’re not a naturally organised person, it can be difficult to decide how to set up your various projects and it might seem as though it won’t work for you. However, it really is worth the investment. A few hours of creating a workflow that will save you so much time and stress in the long run.

So why do you need a project management system?

YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON

As a business owner, you’re never just doing one thing at a time. Between your own services, accounts, marketing, emails etc, you’re likely spinning a thousand plates at once and it would be more surprising if something didn’t fall through the cracks. 

Pen and paper certainly has it’s benefits but a digital project management system really is a must-have at this level. 

YOU CAN ACCESS IT ANYWHERE

It is accessible everywhere that you have an internet connection, whether you are working on your sofa at home, or on a beach in Bali (I wish!), as long as you can log in to the system, you can see what tasks you have to do. 

Being able to access our project management system (we use Trello), and our clients’ project management systems, remotely has saved my butt a lot of times! Like when I’ve walked into town, settled down in my favourite cafe and then realised I’m not sure what I need to work on first. 

Most project management tools also have apps that you can access from your phone/tablet - perfect for when you’re on the move and need to check in with something.

Note about apps: Having work related apps on your phone has its pros and cons, especially if you don’t have a dedicated business phone. Remember to always set strict boundaries and respect them!

IT MAKES WORKING WITH A TEAM EASY

Especially if your team is remote! 

We work with clients from all over the UK, and sometimes abroad, and we manage all of our work inside different project management tools.

 A system like this is also perfect if you work with a team, be it full-time staff, clients or other contractors, so you can allocate tasks to them and grant them access only to the things that they need to see to complete them. 

This also allows you a top level overview of what is happening in your biz, without having to chase people. You can check whether tasks have been completed, leave comments, attach files, and more, whenever you want to without having to be directly in touch with your team - perfect for if you are in different timezones or you’re working strange hours (I know you are!)

STAY ON TOP OF RECURRING TASKS

I know with my business there are some tasks that I really should be doing weekly, or monthly, but the time seems to come around so quickly, that they could easily get forgotten about, or missed. 

With a project management system, you can set up recurring reminders for these tasks, so that they always appear exactly when and where you need to remember them. Of course, if you keep finding yourself unable to keep on top of them, just one click means you can allocate them to your team. 

So yes, if you want to work smarter not harder; better and more efficiently, you need to be investing in a project management system.

Need some 1:1 help to get a project management system set up? We can help! Book in a virtual cuppa and let’s chat about your requirements.