Show notes
Stress, boundaries and sustainable ways of running EU projectsCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Alessandro Carbone to talk about a side of EU projects that rarely appears in work plans: the well-being of project managers. We look at why this role sits in a permanent pressure zone – between funders, coordinators, partners, finance, HR and researchers – and how that plays out in daily life: inboxes that never sleep, deliverables stacked on top of each other, shifting expectations from above and below, and the unspoken assumption that the project manager will just “make it work”.From there we move into what can help in practice: setting boundaries around availability, agreeing realistic internal timelines, sharing ownership for risks and decisions, and creating team habits that support rather than erode well-being. We also talk about the personal side: perfectionism, guilt, imposter feelings and the difficulty of asking for help when your job is to be the organised one. The goal is not to paint project management as a victim role, but to show how caring for your own well-being is part of doing the job well – for yourself, for the team and for the project.Time codes:00:01:57 Introduction00:04:09 Fly in00:06:23 The findings: A profession under pressure00:12:00 What’s driving the pressure00:29:35 The human impact00:40:17 How do we move forward00:51:26 The toughest challenge
