Not every goal needs to be a massive undertaking, and not every project needs a Gantt chart to thrive. A project can be anything. The Project Management Institute defines a project as a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end, scope and resources that create a unique product, service, or result. But that’s a business definition of a project. Personal projects are a little simpler.

Projects can be big or small. Complex or simple. But a project is simply a goal with a path: a defined beginning and end, a purpose, and a set of tasks that move it forward.  The purpose of a project is to create something. But when you don’t have a plan, even a simple project can go off the rails and become more complicated than it needs to be. Whether you’re renovating your pantry or launching a digital product, treating your idea like a project brings intention, flow, and progress.

Getting Started: Turning an Idea Into a Project

For Project Manager’s, there is a whole process for starting a project. It is known as the Initiation Phase of the Project Life Cycle. But for personal projects? It’s just asking: what do I want to make happen?

Here’s how to get started:

• Define your project scope: What’s the goal? What’s not part of it?
• Define the Deliverables: Name the outcome. Write down what success looks like – clear, doable, motivating.
• Break it down: What needs to happen to reach your goal? What kind of budget are you working with? What are your time constraints? If your goal feels fuzzy, list out mini-goals or milestones.
• Find your approach: Decide how you want to approach it – daily micro-tasks, weekly sprints, or slow seasonal work.

This stage isn’t about overplanning – it’s about getting a clear picture of your idea, determining if it is something you can undertake right now, and making it feel manageable.

Staying Organized: Planning That Works for You

But, how do you stay organized? Staying organized can be a challenging part of managing a project. Especially when there are so many moving pieces, not just within your project, but in your life. There have been times where I haven’t been as organized in my own personal projects. And those are the ones that either take forever to get done, or never get done! For those that don’t like to plan or aren’t very organized, it isn’t about being rigid. It’s about being clear about your project to support your brain and energy.

Here are some tools & ideas:

• Task Buckets: Group tasks by category (i.e. “Prep,” “Design,” “Launch”) to reduce decision fatigue.
• Visual project map: create a simple flow in Canva or a journal with milestones and the tasks surrounding them to meet those milestones, and eventually your final goal.
• Timeline: set a loose timeframe for each phase, but build in breathing room.
• Progress check-ins: end each week with a check in, looking at what moved forward, what feels stuck, and what is next.

Organization gives your creativity a home – it doesn’t box it in.

Solo Projects VS Team Projects

Every project has a “who.” Are you the only one involved, or do you need input, collaboration, or support? For project managers, these are known as Stakeholders. They can be internal or external. If you are a freelancer working for a client, your client would be an external stakeholder. Stakeholders are anyone who has any involvement or anyone impacted by the project. But for personal projects, stakeholders may look a little different, depending on the project that is being undertaken. Most projects in a business will be team based, however, many of your personal projects could be done solo, where you are the only one involved.  Let’s look at Solo Project vs Team Projects.

Solo Projects:

• Great for creative control, intuitive rhythm, and flexible timelines
• Watch out for isolation – build in touchpoints (even just with yourself)
• Consider accountability tools like checklists, mood boards or voice notes.

Team Projects:

• Even a two-person effort benefits from clarity
• Set expectations: Who’s doing what? By when? What does feedback look lie?
• Use collaborative tools: shared docs, Trello boards, video calls for updates

You don’t have to choose one forever – some projects start solo and end with a team.

Closing Thoughts:

For Project Managers, starting a project involves a lot of steps, sometimes just to even get the green light to start. But for personal projects, all it starts with is an idea, and a clear vision on how to get it done. But getting started is the first hurdle in starting those projects. You need to be clear on the goal, how you are going to get there, what you will do if you get stuck and be able to pivot if you hit a roadblock, and whether you will need anyone else’s help and support.

If you have a project that you want to get started on, but feeling stuck on how to get it out of your head and into a plan, download the free One-Page Project Starter. This will help you become clear on the goal of your project and get started on your project!

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