Sabotage Your Pet Project

Isn't it curious how small teams bog themselves down with heavyweight project management tools? When you're working on a pet project or with a tight-knit team, investing time in elaborate systems like Jira or Notion is overkill. Raw solutions like Google Drive folders, a centralized doc with all your links, or even a pinned message in WhatsApp or Telegram can keep everyone aligned without unnecessary hassle.

From my experience, the best communication format for small teams is refreshingly simple. My friends and I manage our projects by having a quick call once a week to set our focus. We list out tasks and assign responsibilities in a single message in our group chat on WhatsApp or Telegram, then pin that message. No Slack, no Asana, no endless status updates—just straightforward communication.

By simplifying, you free up cognitive load, making the project enjoyable rather than a chore. Updating task statuses shouldn't take more time than the tasks themselves. The aim is to control scope and maintain momentum, not to get lost in admin work.

So before diving into intricate management systems, consider whether a straightforward approach might serve you better. Especially for small projects, less is often more.