Valentine′s Day evokes memories of those magical times when you′re so utterly and hopelessly consumed with feelings that you can′t eat, sleep, or think about anything else. Everything anyone says or does reminds you of the source of your obsession. You can′t escape its all-consuming effects. You turn on the radio to relax and all you hear is your situation sung back at you.
Life can be a whirlwind of emotions when you′re in the midst of managing a big work project. Is project management currently taking real-estate in your heart and mind?
Try the Valentine′s Day Playlist Challenge to find out if these classic love songs remind you of your honey or the source of your money (sorry, that was bad):
1. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths
So please please please /Let me, let me, let me /Let me get what I want /This time
Does Morrissey′s ballad of desire and longing remind you of the feeling you get when starting a new project? The expression of ardent longing fights against jaded pessimism in this bitter-sweet anthem to the work-loving project manager.
2. I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing – Aerosmith
Don’t want to close my eyes/I don’t want to fall asleep/Cause I’d miss you babe/And I don’t want to miss a thing
Does Steve Tyler′s gravelly voice remind you of your own strained vocals midway through a project? Devoted, committed, and attentive-to-detail reads the LinkedIn page of the true-blue PMP.
3. Don’t Change – INXS
Don’t change a thing for me
Does the word ‘change’ incite feelings of panic? Feature creep and scope change are among a project manager′s worst nightmares; INXS′ distress over deviation from the good rings true in this haunting tune.
4. You and Me – Lifehouse
What day is it? And in what month?/ This clock never seemed so alive/ I can’t keep up and I can’t back down/ I’ve been losing so much time
Do these lyrics bring your guilt about reading this playlist when you have deadlines quickly approaching? Lifehouse knows that timing is everything, and project managers are often fighting against the clock.
5. Skyfall – Adele
Let the sky fall/When it crumbles/We will stand tall/Face it all together/At skyfall
Are Adele′s apocalyptical lyrics your background track when a project starts falling apart? Despite impending doom, this song’s fighting lyrics band group-togetherness much like a project manager′s behaviour towards his team does in times of crisis.
6. Do Me Baby – Prince
Do me baby, like u never done before
Don′t we all wish projects would just do themselves?
7. Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Here I am baby/ Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m yours
Is there no other imaginable interpretation to this song other than the obvious–that great feeling you get when a project is finally done?! Nothing feels more fulfilling than presenting that finished project to your boss or client. Time to celebrate!
8. I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
Oh! Wanna dance with somebody/ I wanna feel the heat with somebody/ Yeah! Wanna dance with somebody
Is it love or accomplishment that drives you to move to the music? Either way, the urge to groove is undeniable in any project manager after putting the close on a successful job.
9. Feeling Good – Nina Simone
Yeah, freedom is mine, and I know how I feel../It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me/And I’m feelin’ good
Have you ever blasted this Nina Simone gem on the way home after a great day at work? Because I mean, not even a Valentine′s date with Angelina Jolie or Ryan Gosling could top the great feelings a successful day at work provides ...right?
Anyway, that brings the end to this Easy Project′s playlist. Give yourself one point for every song interpretation you found comprehensible. If you score 4 or higher–congratulations, you are one lovesick project manager!
Feel free to share your score below, and offer additional songs that should be on the playlist. Happy Valentine′s day!
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