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When I’m running a project, time is always on my mind—but it’s not always on my side. There’s nothing worse than watching deadlines slip or seeing a team get stressed because a project timeline wasn’t realistic.
Project time management helps me plan ahead, keep everything moving, and make sure we cross the finish line on time without burning out. In this guide, I walk you through what project time management really means, why it matters, and how you can get better at it with the right steps, tools, and mindset.
What is project time management?
Project time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time is spent on specific tasks and activities within a project. It's all about making sure work gets done on time, deadlines are met, and the project stays on track from start to finish.
Why is time management important in project management?
Project time management matters because time is one of the few things we can't get back. When we manage it well, we give our projects the best chance of staying on track and finishing strong.
For me, it’s also about setting the team up for success. No one likes working under constant pressure or chasing unrealistic deadlines. When we respect time, we respect our team, our clients, and the work itself.
Project time management benefits
Strong time management can transform how your team works, communicates, and delivers results. Whether you're managing a big project or working on many tasks at once, staying on top of your time makes everything easier. Here are five benefits of managing your time properly.
Improved project delivery: When time is managed well, projects are far more likely to be delivered on time. This means fewer delays and last-minute tasks. Sticking to timelines builds confidence within the team and reassures clients that things are under control.
Better team productivity: Project time management helps teams focus on what really matters. Instead of reacting to every new request or getting bogged down in low-priority tasks, team members can follow a clear plan. This creates structure, minimizes distractions, and leads to focused work.
Accurate resource planning: With strong time tracking and planning in place, it's easier to know how long tasks actually take, which helps improve resource allocation. When you know what to do and when to do it, you can stop giving your team too much work or making the project take longer than planned.
Stronger client relationships: Clients value reliability just as much as results. When you manage time well, you show clients that you’re organized, in control, and serious about their project. Delivering on time builds trust and keeps clients happy.
6 project time management processes
Managing time in a project is not just about watching the clock. It’s about following smart steps that keep everything moving. These six key processes help you plan ahead, stay on top of tasks, and quickly fix any issues as they arise.
Schedule management: This is where you decide how you’ll manage the project’s timeline. You set the rules for how to create, track, and update the schedule. Having a plan makes sure everyone knows how time will be shared from the start.
Define activities: Break the project into smaller tasks. This helps you understand exactly what work needs to be done. Clear tasks make it easier for project managers to estimate how long each part will take.
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Sequence activities: Figure out the order tasks should be done in. Some tasks can only start after others finish. Knowing the right sequence keeps your project management workflow running smoothly, without delays.
Estimate duration: Decide how much time each task will take. Use your experience and internal data to make data-driven decisions. Accurate estimates help you create a realistic schedule.
Develop a schedule: Put it all together into a full project timeline. This shows when each task will start and finish, so you and your teams can see the big picture.
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Control schedule: Monitor the project as it goes and check if tasks are done on time. If something falls behind, make changes to get back on schedule.
Best project time management practices
Managing time well can make or break a project. The good news is there are practical practices you can follow to keep deliverables on track. These practices help me stay organized and make the most of the team’s time. Whether you’re new to project management or looking to improve, these tips will help you manage your project time like a pro.
Set clear deadlines: Deadlines give you something to aim for. When deadlines are clear and realistic, everyone knows what needs to be done and by when. It helps prevent work from dragging on and keeps momentum going strong.
Break projects into smaller tasks: Big projects can feel overwhelming, but breaking work down into smaller tasks makes it much easier to handle. Smaller tasks are easier to schedule and estimate, so I know what to expect. This also helps the team focus on one thing at a time and avoid feeling stressed.
Use time tracking tools: Keeping track of how time is spent helps spot issues early and plan better. Tools like Teamwork.com make it easy to see which billable and non-billable tasks take the longest and where the team might need more resources. As a result, I can easily move tasks around, and changes happen in real time, so I don’t have to send constant emails.
Prioritize tasks: Not all tasks are equal. Some have a bigger impact on the project’s success. Prioritizing helps us focus on what matters most and avoid wasting time on work that doesn’t move the needle forward.
Review and adjust: Even the best plans need constant updating. I review my project’s timeline at the end of each week. This gives me a chance to fix problems, shuffle resources, or adjust deadlines as needed. Staying flexible helps keep the project on track.
5 best project time management tools
Looking for the right tool to manage your team’s time more effectively? I’ve rounded up five of the best project time management tools that can help you stay organized, meet deadlines, and keep your projects on track.
1. Teamwork.com
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When I manage projects, keeping everything organized and on time is key. That’s why I rely on Teamwork.com. It’s more than just a tool—it’s like having a personal assistant for my projects. From tracking time to assigning tasks and chatting with the team, Teamwork.com helps me stay in control and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Best features
Integrated time tracking: With Teamwork.com, I can easily log time directly within tasks and projects without needing extra apps. This makes it simple to see exactly where hours are spent. The built-in timer keeps my team (and me) focused and accountable. Having all data in one place means I don’t waste time searching for information.
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Task management: Teamwork.com lets me organize work using lists and Kanban boards, so nothing slips through the cracks. I can assign tasks, set due dates, and add detailed instructions all in one place. Making everyone’s responsibilities clear minimizes confusion.
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Real-time updates: One of the best things about Teamwork.com is how all changes update instantly. When someone updates a task or adds a comment, the whole team sees it right away. This keeps everyone on the same page without having to send extra emails or messages.
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Reporting: Teamwork.com gives detailed Project Health reports which show how much time was spent on tasks and projects. These insights help me understand where we’re doing well and where we need to improve. I can share these reports easily with clients or project stakeholders to keep them informed.
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Easy collaboration: Communication is simple with Teamwork.com’s Proofs hub. It brings chat, comments, and file sharing together in one place, right where the work is happening. Instead of bouncing between emails and Slack, it keeps everything together and reduces misunderstandings.
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Limitations
Teamwork.com can be overwhelming for small teams new to project management, because it has many features to learn. But with the Teamwork.com Academy you’ll be up and running in no time.
Pricing
Grow: $19.99/month
Scale: $54.99/month
Enterprise: Contact sales
G2 rating and reviews
G2 rating: 4.4/5
A G2 user, Rachel, shared, “For pretty much anything I want to organize or schedule in my workflow, Teamwork has a functionality for that. Plus, it has a very active development team that is always researching, absorbing feedback, and adding new and improved features and fixes. And the support (which I never needed but I once used to ask a question about a particular functionality) is SUPER responsive, friendly, and easy to communicate with. There is a "Feedback" icon on the toolbar that you can always use to make comments and suggestions to the dev team, which I also appreciate. Love them!
Update in Jan 2025: I am still using this application, and I still find it to be very powerful. I updated my dislikes because the 2 features I wish they had; they have now added them. The dev team is so amazing and responsive. The app is growing all the time.”
Read more Capterra reviews about Teamwork.com here.
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2. Trello
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Trello is my go-to when I want something super visual and simple. The boards and cards make it easy to see what’s going on at a glance. I like using it for small projects or when I need a quick overview.
Best features
The drag-and-drop boards help me track progress in a visual way.
Each card can hold checklists, due dates, comments, and attachments, which keeps everything in one place.
I can add Power-Ups to track time and expand features as needed.
Limitations
Things can get messy fast if I’m managing lots of tasks or boards at once.
Time tracking isn’t built-in, so I have to add it through other tools.
Pricing
Free
Standard: $5/month
Premium: $10/month
Enterprise: $17.50/month
G2 rating and reviews
G2 rating: 4.4/5
A G2 user, Matt, shared, “Trello is an excellent tool for many different types of projects. It’s versatile and feature-rich. Best of all it has a free version that includes the majority of the useful features.
I’ve been using Trello since it was first released. My first Trello project was to manage a weekend event that I was running. It was a festival that included food, games, and entertainment. Trello became a critical tool for me to manage all of the tasks and activities that needed to be done before, during, and after that event. I was able to categorize the tasks by booth, priority, assigned to, and status. There are other categories that you can use but the ones I chose allowed me to do it visually. Being able to quickly log in and get the updates/information I needed based on a visual representation was a game changer for me. Trello is intuitive and easy to use.”
3. Asana
If you want a tool that’s clean and easy to use, try Asana. It’s great for managing tasks and planning timelines, especially if you’re working with a team that values simplicity. While it doesn’t have everything built in, it still helps you stay organized and on track.
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Best features
The Timeline view helps me see how tasks connect and where there might be delays.
It’s easy to create tasks, set due dates, and assign them to teammates.
Integrates with your favorite tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace.
Limitations
The free version has limited reporting features, which makes progress hard to measure.
Only one user can be assigned to a task at a time.
Pricing
Free
Starter: $10.99/month
Advanced: $24.99/month
G2 rating and reviews
G2 rating: 4.4/5
A G2 user, Sara, shared, “It's aesthetically pleasing, but also extremely user-friendly and functional in the most practical of ways. The flair makes it fun, but the workflow technology and ability to multi-home, customize, and report makes it an essential software product for any organization.
A new-hire template was used and provided to me in order to facilitate my onboarding, and it was the best orientation experience I've ever had at a new job. I have continued to learn and fall more in love with the product ever since! Any time I have a question, the Asana team members are quick to help, whether via customer support or the Asana forum.”
4. Monday.com
When I’m managing a busy project with lots of moving parts, Monday.com is a great option. It lets me build workflows that fit exactly how my team works. It helps me track time, stay organized, and even automate the repetitive tasks that usually slow me down. It does take a little time to learn, though, and at first I found all the features a bit overwhelming.
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Best features
Customizable dashboards make it easy to track progress and key metrics.
Monday.com offers various automations to make it easier to streamline repetitive tasks.
Easily visualize work through multiple views such as Kanban boards and calendars.
Limitations
All plans except Enterprise have a 10,000 item limit per board.
The free plan is limited to three boards and 200 items.
Pricing
Free
Basic: $9/month
Standard: $12/month
Pro: $19/month
Enterprise: Contact sales
G2 rating and reviews
G2 rating: 4.7/5
A G2 user, Clayton, shared, “The most helpful thing about Monday.com is how much you can customize your boards. It doesn't take a developer to set up a board for what we are needing. When we need to adjust the information that needs to be seen, it can be easily done in a couple of minutes. This makes the tool very adaptable to our changing needs!
It's very user friendly and easy on the eyes, which is a huge plus. Other systems are very boring and plain. Monday.com amps it up with their color schemes! I also like how quickly changes update. Within two seconds, any modifications are updated and are seen by other users as well. It's definitely a huge part in keeping our day to day operations on track.”
5. ClickUp
I like how much control ClickUp gives me over how I set things up and view my work. It saves me from switching between multiple apps, which keeps my day more focused. One thing I’ve noticed, though, is that it can slow down a bit when I’m working on large projects with lots of details.
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Best features
You can customize workflows based on your needs.
The AI assistant helps you automate tasks.
ClickUp offers pre-built templates for various projects, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
Limitations
The free plan has limits on active automations, actions, and more.
The AI feature is only available on the paid plan.
Pricing
Free
Unlimited: $7/month
Business: $12/month
Enterprise: Contact sales
G2 rating and reviews
G2 rating: 4.7/5
A G2 user, Erin, shared, “ClickUp is the most detailed, and yet the most flexible, platform I've ever encountered for task lists and collaboration. There are so many ways to create lists and track projects. It has given my team a simple way to keep up-to-date on all our client work, communicate with one another on specific tasks, and store all of our shared knowledge and resources. We've hardly even scratched the surface of what it can do, and yet it has done so much to help us stay organized and get everything done.”
Take control of your project time management with Teamwork.com
Teamwork.com gives me everything I need to manage time effectively across my projects. I can plan tasks, track time, and keep my team on the same page without jumping between different tools. Everything lives in one place, which makes it easy to keep tasks moving forward. When something shifts, I can quickly update plans and make sure the team stays on track.
What I love most about Teamwork.com is how connected everything feels. Tasks, updates, files, and communication all flow together, so nothing gets lost. It helps me hit deadlines, avoid last-minute stress, and use my team’s time in the smartest way possible. If you’re serious about improving how you manage time, Teamwork.com is a great place to start.
Project time management FAQs
What is lead time in project management?
Lead time is the amount of time it takes to complete a task or project from start to finish. It includes all the waiting, working, and preparation time needed.
What are the four basic project time management techniques?
The four basic techniques are Do, Defer, Delegate, and Delete:
Do means you complete the task right away if it’s quick and important.
Defer means you schedule it for later if it needs more time.
Delegate means you give it to someone else.
Delete means you remove it if it’s not necessary or useful.
What are the 5 key elements of time management?
The five key elements are setting goals, prioritizing tasks, planning, managing time well, and reviewing progress. Setting goals gives you direction and purpose. Prioritizing helps you focus on the most important tasks first. Planning and reviewing help you stay organized and improve how you use your time.
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