I'm not a project manager just yet, but I have seen the stress that comes with the role of a project manager. I've been involved in a CAPA where multiple job positions were opened up to address inconsistencies in findings from the FDA. I think that is one of the keys to strategizing in such conditions - ensuring that you have the correct employees with skillsets that can ease your workload. While budgets may be tight, sometimes having a fresh or different perspective can be the difference between finishing projects by the deadline and failing to finish.

Negotiation is also an invaluable skill in my opinion. The initial proposed budget can also be negotiated higher if the business need is strong enough. Strategizing what to bring up in these negotiations can lead to the wiggle room needed to complete a project on time, and lead to less stress in the end. 

I'm not a project manager but when I was still doing internship I had interned at a place that made me do some hardware project management at a start up. Most of the work I was doing was focused on the integration between our hardware team and our software team for the start up. When I was organizing the project, I found that having input from other people than myself helped me make more efficient decisions in various cases regarding our work. Since I wasn't fully involved with either the hardware or the software side of things, being able to have point of contacts from each department made me better able to understand their work loads and if a project that needed integration from both parts were to come up, I'd be able to better guide my decisions on my timeline to better unify their work so that they collaborate on said project/task when they're not as overwhelmed by their regular work load or tasks. As a project manager I feel you are more than just guiding the project its about guiding the people who are working on said project and getting their input is very important 

Project managers must first identify clear parameters as to what must be accomplished. This includes constructing a Gantt chart with strict deadlines and incorporated slack time for potential delays. All tasks should be further broken down into more specific tasks with designated departments and team members assigned to each. A budget must also be assigned to each of these tasks. Before any project, it's also important to note the risks associated with each task within the project. This in part is how slack time will be incorporated into the schedule, which will allow project managers to adhere to deadlines despite unforeseen circumstances.

Based on what we learned from the week 1 lecture, having a good plan and communication are key to avoiding stress. Breaking the project into smaller tasks and setting realistic deadlines could help avoid any last-minute issues. In addition, staying in touch with your team and stakeholders is important to make sure everyone is aligned and build a little extra time and budget for surprises. Staying organized and flexible is key to finishing on time and within budget.

I think one of the best ways to stay on budget and on schedule is prudence and constant vigilance. As long as you are regularly meeting with people involved at all levels of the project, then you will recognize any hurdles that come up as soon as possible, and hopefully have plenty of time to find a solution. Obviously some  people should be met with more than others, such as team leaders/stakeholders, but you should never go a full project without consulting with all levels along the way.

In my opinion, communication is one of the biggest factors—keeping everyone on the same page helps avoid costly mistakes. Regular check-ins with your team can catch potential issues early on, saving time and money.