Manage Multiple Projects: How to Do It Without Going Crazy

Do Your Project Leaders Know How to Manage Multiple Projects without Going Crazy?
If they don’t, they’re not alone. Even seasoned leaders feel the strain when multiple initiatives collide — yet the difference between burnout and balance often comes down to a few disciplined practices.  Managing a single initiative is demanding on its own — shifting requirements, stretched resources, and dependencies that seem to multiply overnight. Add two, three, or more simultaneous projects, and the workload can feel like a moving target.

What the Research Says About The Importance of Managing Multiple Projects
The evidence is clear: mastery of multi-project leadership matters in an environment defined by speed and complexity.

• Research from PMI shows that organizations waste an average of 9.9% of every project dollar due to poor project performance, much of it tied to unclear priorities and inadequate oversight.
• Similarly, studies by Hoch and Kozlowski highlight that leaders who create structured clarity across tasks and teams are significantly more effective at delivering results across competing demands.

Five Steps to Manage Multiple Projects Better
Without a system for knowing what matters most and where attention is needed next, even strong project leaders end up being too reactive. The good news is that the path to regaining control is practical and grounded in behaviors that can be taught, practiced, and reinforced.  Based upon feedback from hundreds of project postmortem participants, here are the first two steps regarding how to manage multiple projects without going crazy:

1. Know Where You Stand
   The first move is deceptively simple: always know where you stand. Visibility into the current situation sets the stage for sound decision making, timely adjustments, and smarter resource allocations. Leaders often jump straight into execution, but the real leverage comes from stepping back and surveying the entire landscape.

   At a high level, this means taking a clear, honest inventory of every project currently in motion — scope, stage, risks, timeframes, interdependencies, and resource load. When project leaders capture this view in one place, they shift from “managing chaos” to “managing choices.”

2. Establish Clear Criteria for Inclusion
   Because the word “project” can mean almost anything in a busy organization, the first step is to tighten the definition. Work with key stakeholders to decide what truly belongs on the list and what does not. Without that discipline, leaders end up tracking and trying to do everything — and managing nothing.

   The goal is simple: create a shared, rational way to determine which efforts warrant project-level attention.

3. Categorize by Project Purpose
   Group each initiative by its primary strategic aim so the bigger implications become clear. Whether a project is focused on developing new products, reducing costs, increasing revenue, or strengthening internal capabilities, this simple categorization helps leaders see how the entire portfolio supports — or distracts from — the organization’s priorities.
4. Establish Clear Criteria for Prioritization
   Not every project is of equal value.  Start by aligning on the criteria that matter most for your business context. You might sort initiatives by:
   • Strategic priority to ensure the most consequential work gets the focus it deserves.
   • Project complexity to understand where coordination demands are highest.
   • Project risk better manage operational, financial, organizational visibility, or reputational exposure.
   • Scope to differentiate minor tasks from initiatives that require cross-functional effort.
5. Take Action
   Complete this initial project list with basic information about each project like the project sponsor, project manager, desired outcomes, project stakeholders, and the project timing.  Then, as a project leadership group, review the inventory of projects and make some informed decisions about resources, timing, and priorities.

The Bottom Line
A clear portfolio view often reveals projects that can be consolidated, redirected, or discontinued altogether. You’ll see where goals overlap, where priorities collide, and where low-value work is siphoning energy from what truly matters. These early insights form the foundation for managing multiple projects without losing control — creating the focus needed to keep the most critical initiatives moving forward.

To learn more about successfully leading and managing projects, download 3 Proven Steps to Better Manage Project Stakeholder Risks