“Project Managing” Your Life? There’s a Tool for that.
If you take a step back and think about it, your life is made up of various “projects” that you are working to stay on top of: school, work, family life, projects around the house, etc. Add to that the fact that you’re likely juggling several of these “projects” simultaneously and it’s not tough to see how a project management approach could help ensure you don’t forget anything. So is there a project management tool that can help you organize and prioritize everything you need to get done? Sure there is, enter Trello.
Trello is a popular project management tool that is often used by Scrum Masters and Project Managers to help their teams stay organized and on track. Now, before you move on to some other page thinking “no way am I going to complicate my life with a complex project management tool,” understand that the reason I am highlighting this tool in particular is because of how simple and straightforward it is.
As a matter of fact, it is the de facto tool that my wife and I use to stay in sync. From projects around the house to errands that need to be run, we’ve set up a shared Trello board that has a few simple columns: To Do (my tasks), To Do (her tasks), Together We Do, In Progress, and Done. When we need one another to do something, we just add it to each other’s To Do column.
Here are a few benefits of using Trello:
It’s free: I don’t mind paying for a tool if it adds value to my life, but even better is when the tool is free - simply visit www.trello.com and set up a free profile. You can upgrade to Premium if you choose, but I’ve never upgraded and still love the tool.
It's easy to use: One of the biggest benefits of Trello is that it's intuitive and easy to use. Even if you're new to project management tools, you'll be able to get up and running with Trello quickly.
It's highly visual: Trello uses a visual approach to project management, with "cards" representing tasks or items that can be moved between different "lists." This makes it easy to see the status of different tasks at a glance and understand the overall progress of a project.
It's flexible: Trello is highly customizable, with a range of features that can be tailored to fit the needs of different teams. You can create different boards for different projects, add labels and tags to help categorize tasks, and use integrations with other tools to enhance your workflow.
It's collaborative: Trello is designed for team collaboration, with features like comments, attachments, and due dates that make it easy for team members to communicate and stay on track.
Overall, Trello is a powerful and flexible tool that can be a valuable asset whether you’re a Scrum Master, a Project Manager, or just someone looking to stay on top of their “life projects.”