We get an extra hour because the clocks will soon go back. I used to be able spend it in bed, but now I expect it to be spent watching children’s TV. The boys won’t understand what it means to lie in, and it will take them a few days before they adjust to the new routine.
It made me think about what else I could have done with that hour. Instead of letting my payslips pile up on the bedroom bookcase, file them. Or clean out the fridge. You can also do productive tasks to make them better.
These 5 tasks, which take approximately an hour each, would greatly improve your chances of a successful project.

1. Write down some success criteria
2. Log your issues
3. Get to know your colleagues
4. Review your To Do list
5. Take some photos

1. Write down some success criteria
If you have missed the section where your project should meet certain success criteria, it is time to start writing them.
Only then can you claim success with your project. It is important to have something to compare to at the end to your project. So start working on that now.
You should be able extract the relevant business goals from the project charter or business case within an hour and convert them into success criteria. They may need to be ratified by the project sponsor or approved by the project board before you can make final arrangements. You can still get them done and submitted to the sponsor for approval in a matter of hours.
Are you unsure where to begin? This is the definitive guide to project success criteria
2. Log your issues
Then, do something about it.
All too often, issues are added to the list and then assumed to disappear. Or we get so caught up in the day-today project work that we forget about them.
Transfer tasks that are related to handling issues to your task list or project schedule. If the task doesn’t already have an owner, assign it one. Keep your log updated with the things you’ve done. You can close one issue by next week, or set a larger target if that’s more convenient for you.
You might need more information to investigate or close a problem. This hour could be used to ask colleagues or go over data you have been sent (and ignored up until this point – don’t worry, we’ve all been there). ).
Register for a free issue log.
3. Get to know your colleagues
I’m sure you have a list of tasks that your team and stakeholders should be doing for you that you have not completed.
You have an hour to chase them down. Look through your inbox, action log, or anywhere else you keep this information and contact anyone who owes you one. If the deadline has passed you should chase with stompy feet. If they have not met the deadline, remind them.
Although it might take less time, I have found that talking to people over the phone takes much longer than expected. As you continue to discuss other aspects of the project, it can take more than an hour. I would recommend using the phone over email or IM. They will have a harder time escaping their responsibilities.
This guide will help you if you feel like you aren’t getting anywhere.
4. Review your To Do list
My To Do list is written on paper. While there are many task management apps, Quire is the best I’ve found. However, I can’t help but to keep my hand on my notebook. It’s not a project list or a task list. To Do lists are my personal work that I do outside of projects. However, sometimes project tasks end up on the list.
You can also find a copy of my action log with multiple tabs for all RAID elements in my templates shop.
Some of the tasks on my to-do list are huge, like ‘Write ebook.’ Some are small like ‘Change username’. Others are more general like ‘KDPS’.