Project management is a dynamic and challenging field, requiring strong organizational skills, adaptability, and a knack for effective communication. A typical day in the life of a Project Manager revolves around multitasking, planning, communicating, and resolving issues to ensure that project deadlines are met.

Key Insights

  • Project Managers are required to be organized, adaptable, and decisive to successfully navigate through the daily challenges and excitement of their job.
  • Effective communication is a crucial aspect of project management, with Project Managers reportedly spending 90% of their time in various forms of communication to maintain schedules and prevent project failure.
  • The daily routine of a Project Manager typically starts with a review of upcoming deadlines and the day's schedule, followed by checking team communications and handling any emerging issues.
  • Throughout the day, Project Managers attend meetings, answer queries, and gather information on the project's progress, ensuring that they are prepared and have a plan for all meetings.
  • A Project manager's day often extends beyond work hours, with time set aside for assessing the day's progress, making necessary adjustments, and planning goals and schedules for the next day.
  • Continual learning is essential in project management, with daily reading, industry research, and professional development activities necessary to stay relevant and skillful in the field.

Every day is different in project management. The typical workday of a Project Manager can be very exciting but also filled with challenges. You’ll need to be organized, flexible, and decisive to be a successful Project Manager.

Expect to multitask: You’ll take calls, requests for help, emails, complaints, and meetings throughout the day. You’ll need to set aside time for work that requires your undivided attention. You’ll need to consider your attention as a resource since all project roads lead back to you. 

Project Managers spend 90% of their time communicating, according to the Project Management Institute. You’ll see a lot of communication in the daily life of a Project Manager, from answering emails to check-ins and meetings. Employees report that a project fails primarily because of poor communication: a successful Project Manager needs to be in constant communication to keep everyone and everything on schedule. 

Starting Your Day

A Project Manager’s day typically starts with reviewing upcoming deadlines and the day’s schedule. They’ll need to check in with the individuals or teams in charge of those assignments to ensure prompt completion. 

It is commonly recommended that Project Managers review progress and deadlines before checking emails. Setting clear priorities before reading potentially frantic emails ensures that ongoing progress is the top priority. 

Many Project Managers begin their daily routine by analyzing and planning resource allocation. The two primary resources at a Project Manager’s disposal are money and time. 

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9 AM: Checking Emails, Checking the Schedule, 

After reviewing deadlines, the first task in a typical day for a Project Manager is checking team communications. If you use a tool like Slack for internal communications, then you need to check that before checking your email. That’s because communicating with your team should be your first priority. 

Your morning messages may be updates about progress, notifications of issues, or questions. Many Project Managers manage teams in multiple timezones; you might need to “catch up” on work that happened while you slept. 

A Project Manager will need to leave space in their schedule daily to deal with issues or questions that may arise. For example, the Project Manager may need to schedule a meeting after reading an email in the morning. Any adjustments to the schedule will need to happen on the first of the day or be slotted into a predetermined free period.

Throughout the Day: Meetings and Check-Ins 

Throughout the day, a Project Manager will attend meetings (onsite, in-person, or remote) to answer questions and gather information about the project's progress. It is not uncommon for project teams to have daily “stand-up” meetings to discuss the progress of a project. These may be led by the Team Leader or the Project Manager. Even if the Project Manager isn’t leading the meeting, they’ll want to attend or check in with the Team Leader after. 

It is expected that the Project Manager prepares for all meetings, so you may need to check notes ahead of time. You may also be required to create a plan for meetings and share them beforehand. 

Here are some tasks that a Project Manager will be expected to do either daily or regularly:

  • Communicating about the project plan 
  • Assessing the progress of the project plan
  • Motivating team members to meet deadlines 
  • Being available to resolve issues and answer questions

5 PM: Daily Wrap Up

Project Managers will need to use time after work hours to assess the project's progress that day and make necessary adjustments. It usually happens after hours because it will require your undivided attention. The work day ends with setting goals and reviewing the schedule for the next day.

After Work: Keep Learning

Project management requires a lot of skills. You’ll need to be one of the most capable people in every room, so you’ll need to keep training. Daily reading and research on your industry and management and leadership skills will be necessary to stay relevant in your industry.

You can also use this time for professional development and certification training.