Effective Project Management When You’re Overwhelmed

Effective Project Management When You’re Overwhelmed

How to keep on track when your brain is everywhere at once

Ever sat down to tackle a project only to find yourself bouncing between three different tasks, answering emails, and reorganizing your desk, only to realize an hour has passed? You’re not alone. Many of us have what I call a fast-moving mind.

If your brain is busy, idea-rich, or running on multiple tracks at once, you know the overwhelm that can come with leading a project. Deadlines sneak up, details scatter across chats, sticky notes, and spreadsheets, and it’s easy to get lost in the weeds.'

Traditional project management advice—rigid timelines, endless checklists, and complicated systems—often makes things worse, not better.

The good news? Fast-moving minds aren’t broken. In fact, they’re often creative, energetic, and brilliant at connecting dots others don’t see. The key isn’t forcing yourself into a rigid mold, but building systems that support the way your brain naturally works. Think of project management not as control, but as scaffolding, a structure that lets your best ideas shine.

Pick just one new strategy to try this week. (I know the temptation is to try them all at once, but trust me, don’t!) Maybe it’s setting up a simple Kanban board, using a timer for a 30-minute sprint, or asking a teammate to be your check-in partner. Start small and build from there. Download our Fast-Moving Mind Project Toolkit below to get a step-by-step guide to set up a system that will help implement these strategies.

Your fast-moving mind isn’t a liability, it’s a strength when paired with the right structure. Succeeding at project management doesn’t require hyper-organization (if it did, I wouldn’t be here writing this!). Good project management focuses on using the tools that complement how you think and work to successfully complete the project. And when you use those tools, both your projects and your creativity will flourish.