Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Categories: Scheduling
Are you suffering from the February Dip? All that January enthusiasm is just… fading. Another year stretches before us, even if this month is the shortest it all still feels rather a lot (or is that just me)?
While the excitement of the new year has worn off, the workload hasn’t. Here are 6 momentum-boosters to keep things going until your next vacation time.
Shrinking the next milestone
That giant milestone is a little off-putting. So how can you make it smaller? The more manageable it feels, the more likely it is that you’ll actually plan for it and hit it, and keep the momentum going while doing it.Break down larger pieces of work into smaller chunks. That’s basic project management but it still sometimes doesn’t happen. If you already have reduced your work packages and they still feel too big, there’s nothing to say you can’t do it again.
Making progress more visible
This time of year feels like it can drag, and if you started new work in January, you might not have hit any of the big or meaningful milestones yet. So it all feels like background work or scene setting.It’s not – you know that, but it doesn’t necessarily help with the slog of it all.
Making progress visible can help show that the planning phase, optioneering or whatever you’re doing at the moment is worthwhile in itself. Talk about progress in your weekly project summaries. Thank the team for finishing design prep or getting in quotes. See what you can do to show that stuff still is being achieved.
Resetting priorities with sponsors
You’ve got your long list of things to get done on this project and others throughout the year. Talk to your sponsors now about which ones are more important. Get your success criteria lined up for this project as that will help shape your decisions. Re-sequencing work to reduce friction
Friction is generally hand offs between colleagues, decision points or anything that slows down the flow of work. Can you put reminders in your diary now for when stage gates are coming up, or big audit milestones? What can you shift forwards or backwards to minimise the impact on other deliverables?Giving the team a short-term win
Now, I’ve tried this a few times and it’s sometimes not possible, but if there is anything you can do to lift spirits and improve morale to help support momentum, then say yes to it. For example – internal comms might want to do a story on the upcoming projects, or include your team’s work in a review of the year.Perhaps there are benefits from one of last year’s projects that are being realised now and you can celebrate that.
Finding quick wins on current projects always seems so hard, so if you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments below as I need inspiration!
Adjusting expectations, not just effort
Feeling like it’s all too much? I know the feeling! Have a frank conversation with your sponsors now, before the year gets away from us. If they’ve got a wishlist as long as your arm, maybe now is the time to gently rein in what they can expect this year. Because by the time you get to Quarter 4 they’ll be upping the pressure to get it all done.Clarity on expectations, priorities and milestones will help you feel like you are moving forward. Motivation comes from knowing what to do and how it is going to make a difference. If you’re already sensing that the team is frustrated, this is your chance to fix it and to help them continue the year successfully.
Posted on: February 10, 2026 12:00 AM |
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