Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico.Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Hi colleagues, I recently went on vacation with my family, and we had a great time. I'd like to do the good things again for future trips. As a PM, I thought about making a lessons learned log for our vacations.
Before I start, I wanted to ask if any of you use project management lessons learned in your personal lives? What kind of log or system do you use? Any good practices you can share would be very welcome!" Thanks in advance!
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Absolutely, Francisco. I often apply Project Management lessons to various aspects of my personal life. My log is essentially my mind and the experience I've gained over time.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 25, 2025 12:27 PM
Francisco Herrera
...
Rami. I've also been using that kind of approach, just keeping things in mind from my experience. But I'm looking to use technology more for this now. Let's see what other colleagues in the forum have found that works really well for them. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great question, and the answer is yes. I strongly believe that the ‘lessons learned’ process, widely used in project management, has valuable applications in our personal lives. Just like in projects, life is full of uncertainties, evolving requirements, and decisions that do not always go as planned—some of which may even be out of our control. However, what is within our control is our ability to reflect, extract insights, and apply those learnings moving forward. This mindset fosters continuous improvement, self-awareness, and resilience. In both project management and life, we may not always make the perfect choices, but committing to learning from every experience ensures we evolve with purpose and intention.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 25, 2025 8:31 PM
Francisco Herrera
...
Tamirys I agree completely. That's a great point. I also strongly believe that the 'lessons learned' process is very useful in our personal lives. You're right, life has many unexpected things, just like projects. Reflecting on what happened, learning from it, and using that for the future is very important for getting better, knowing ourselves better, and being stronger. We won't always make the best choices, but learning helps us grow in a good way.
It makes me wonder, do you use any specific way to keep track of these 'lessons learned' for your personal life? Like a journal or something similar?" Let us know!
I use a lot of PM tools in my personal life but as for documenting lessons learned, the closest I can think of is my planning to-do and packing lists.
I annotate the lists a few ways. I flag "long lead" items such as purchases that require shipping and official paperwork like passport renewals. Another annotation is inventory levels for things I consume frequently like certain spare parts for auto racing or food pantry items. If I bought 5, I could be enjoying a relaxing evening instead of finding somewhere to buy a $4 gasket, spending 4X the cost for expedited shipping, or running to the store for one missing ingredient while food is already cooking.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 27, 2025 1:45 PM
Francisco Herrera
...
Keith that makes a lot of sense! I really like the idea of keeping master lists and updating them over time—it's pretty close to what I already do, but I hadn't thought of organizing it that way. I’m definitely going to start using that approach more intentionally!
Love this, Francisco Herrera. I’ve definitely used PM lessons at home especially for family trips! Simple logs help, like noting what worked, what didn’t, and small tips for next time. Even a quick checklist in Notes app makes a big difference. Keeps things smoother and less stressful.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 28, 2025 12:28 PM
Francisco Herrera
...
Hello Pavan, I agree completely. It's great to see how PM lessons can help in personal life too, especially for family trips. It seems like simple logs and notes apps are common ways to do it. Thank you for sharing! I think I definitely need to start using something like that for my own experiences.
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
The lessons of project management apply naturally to personal life, from planning trips or events as if they were projects, to managing time, risks and communication with clarity. It also helps us prioritize what's important, align expectations with others and reflect on what we've learned after each experience, as in a retrospective. In short, it brings structure, focus and peace of mind to the day-to-day.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 28, 2025 8:55 PM
Francisco Herrera
...
That's a very good point Fabian. I agree that project management ideas can really help in personal life too, like you said with planning trips.
I'm curious, how do you replicate the good practices you learn? Do you write them down somewhere, or how do you keep track of what worked well?
Regards! Francisco
Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico.Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Apr 24, 2025 1:31 PM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
...
Absolutely, Francisco. I often apply Project Management lessons to various aspects of my personal life. My log is essentially my mind and the experience I've gained over time.
Rami. I've also been using that kind of approach, just keeping things in mind from my experience. But I'm looking to use technology more for this now. Let's see what other colleagues in the forum have found that works really well for them. Thanks for sharing! Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Francisco Herrera Great idea!
I absolutely apply lessons learned to my personal life, especially for trips and family events.
I keep it simple: after the trip, I quickly note what worked, what didn’t, and key ideas to improve.
I use three categories: Repeat, Improve, and Avoid.
A basic Notes app is enough — the goal is to make it easy and actionable.
Also, I involve my family by asking what they enjoyed most and what could be better. It makes the next planning even more fun and inclusive.
Project management skills truly make life better!
Thanks for sharing this great topic.
...
1 reply by Francisco Herrera
Apr 30, 2025 10:28 AM
Francisco Herrera
...
Repeat, Improve, Avoid” categories are super practical — I’m definitely going to start using them. And involving the family sounds like a great way to make it fun and turn planning into quality time together. Thanks for the inspiration Luis!
Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico.Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Apr 24, 2025 4:08 PM
Replying to TAMIRYS CARNIEL
...
This is a great question, and the answer is yes. I strongly believe that the ‘lessons learned’ process, widely used in project management, has valuable applications in our personal lives. Just like in projects, life is full of uncertainties, evolving requirements, and decisions that do not always go as planned—some of which may even be out of our control. However, what is within our control is our ability to reflect, extract insights, and apply those learnings moving forward. This mindset fosters continuous improvement, self-awareness, and resilience. In both project management and life, we may not always make the perfect choices, but committing to learning from every experience ensures we evolve with purpose and intention.
Tamirys I agree completely. That's a great point. I also strongly believe that the 'lessons learned' process is very useful in our personal lives. You're right, life has many unexpected things, just like projects. Reflecting on what happened, learning from it, and using that for the future is very important for getting better, knowing ourselves better, and being stronger. We won't always make the best choices, but learning helps us grow in a good way.
It makes me wonder, do you use any specific way to keep track of these 'lessons learned' for your personal life? Like a journal or something similar?" Let us know!
Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico.Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Apr 24, 2025 6:36 PM
Replying to Keith Novak
...
I use a lot of PM tools in my personal life but as for documenting lessons learned, the closest I can think of is my planning to-do and packing lists.
I annotate the lists a few ways. I flag "long lead" items such as purchases that require shipping and official paperwork like passport renewals. Another annotation is inventory levels for things I consume frequently like certain spare parts for auto racing or food pantry items. If I bought 5, I could be enjoying a relaxing evening instead of finding somewhere to buy a $4 gasket, spending 4X the cost for expedited shipping, or running to the store for one missing ingredient while food is already cooking.
Keith that makes a lot of sense! I really like the idea of keeping master lists and updating them over time—it's pretty close to what I already do, but I hadn't thought of organizing it that way. I’m definitely going to start using that approach more intentionally!
Community Champion
