Project Management

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What Does a Project Manager Spend Their Time On?

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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Hi everyone,

As project managers, we often hear that communication takes up the majority of our time—some say about 90%! But what about the rest of our time? What other activities do you spend your time on besides communication?

Best,
Golam
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Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Golam, while communication is indeed a major part of a project manager’s role, much of my time is also spent on activities that go beyond simply exchanging information. These include coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure alignment, engaging with stakeholders to manage expectations, resolving issues to keep the project on track, making timely and informed decisions, and reviewing key documents such as project plans, risk registers, and deliverables. Each of these tasks involves communication at varying levels, but also requires strategic thinking, problem-solving, and attention to detail.
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Luis Branco CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal

Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Indeed, communication is a huge part of a project manager’s day (and rightly so), but in my experience, the remaining time is equally crucial and filled with activities that support successful delivery and team cohesion.
Beyond communication, here’s how I typically spend my time:
- Planning and Re-planning – Whether it’s developing schedules, refining WBSs, or updating baselines, planning is a living process.
Projects evolve constantly, and so must our plans.
- Monitoring & Controlling – I regularly analyze progress, manage risks, assess variances (e.g., through EVM), and review KPIs and dashboards to ensure we're on track.
- Decision-Making & Problem Solving – From prioritizing tasks to navigating complex challenges, this is a space where strategic thinking really comes into play.
- Stakeholder Engagement – Beyond mere communication, it's about managing relationships, understanding concerns, aligning expectations, and building trust.
- Team Support & Coaching – Especially in hybrid or agile settings, I devote time to supporting team members, removing roadblocks, and fostering a collaborative, psychologically safe environment.
- Learning & Improving – I carve out time for retrospectives, lessons learned, and continuous improvement—both for myself and the team.

While communication is at the core of all these activities, we’re often doing much more than just exchanging information—we’re enabling action, building culture, and driving outcomes.

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