My name is Ayotunde. I’m from Nigeria, and I live with pulmonary hypertension. I was diagnosed 12 years ago. I’m the founder of Cardiac Community. I’m a primary prevention advocate and a project manager, and today I’ll be talking about how I manage my chronic illness, which is best approached as a long-term project.
Even with a chronic illness, it’s not easy—and it’s a lot like managing a long-term project. It’s not something you can just wing. It requires careful planning, tracking, organization, and a lot of intentional effort every day. So, I’ll be sharing seven ways I apply project management principles to my health journey.
The first is task management. One of the things I focus on a lot is managing my tasks. This means keeping track of all the daily and routine actions that keep me stable. Some of these include taking medications on time—I take medications twice daily, in the morning and in the evening—so it’s very important that I set reminders to take them at the exact time every day. I track my symptoms and side effects so nothing slips through the cracks. I refill prescriptions before they run out and make sure I schedule any necessary tests and appointments. Without the proper system to manage these tasks, it’s easy to miss something important and set myself back.
Another principle is stakeholder management. And yes, in personal health, we have stakeholders. Some of mine are my doctors, pharmacies, nurses, and caregivers—which include my partner and family members. They all play a crucial role in my care, and maintaining strong, clear communication with them is essential. So, I make sure I have a plan for how and when to reach out to them—whether it’s for routine check-ins, urgent questions, or health emergencies.
Another principle is risk assessment. Living with chronic illness involves a lot of risk, and ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. So, I actively think through all the potential challenges and issues that can come up and build mitigation plans. Some of the issues I think about are: what’s my plan if a crucial medication suddenly becomes unavailable? Unfortunately, I live in Nigeria, where we have very limited access to prevention medications, so I have to put this into consideration. What happens if I can’t get my drugs in Nigeria? What other countries can I get them from? What happens if I can’t get my drugs from a particular pharmacy? What other pharmacies can I reach out to? That’s very important to keep in mind.
Then, how can I handle unexpected price increases for treatments? What’s my emergency plan if I face a sudden health crisis? Thinking ahead steadies me and makes me feel more in control when surprises pop up.
Budgeting is another very important piece. Managing a chronic illness such as pulmonary hypertension can be very expensive. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we pay out-of-pocket for doctor’s appointments and medications. So, it’s very important I keep a detailed record of my healthcare costs and expenditures. This helps me plan ahead, use resources wisely, and track where my money is going so I can avoid financial stress adding to my health stress.
Data and progress tracking—I’m very intentional about tracking data and progress. I keep records of all my health history, my symptoms, and my test results such as echocardiograms, chest X-rays, blood tests, and lab reports. This isn’t just because I’m curious—it’s so I can monitor trends and changes in my numbers. By comparing my current data to my past records, I can catch small shifts early and bring them to my doctor’s attention before they become big issues.
Setting goals and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)—just like in project management, setting clear goals and key performance indicators keeps me accountable. For example, I’ve set a measurable goal to reduce my daily salt intake to under 2,000 milligrams to help manage fluid retention. How do I do this? I make sure to eat at home often, and when I cook, I reduce the amount of salt in my meals. I use spices and herbs like ginger and garlic to add flavor. When I buy packaged snacks or foods, I’m very intentional about checking sodium levels and avoiding items high in sodium. I’m also careful not to eat out too much to avoid excess sodium intake. Having these specific, trackable goals really helps me stay focused and motivated.
Regular retrospectives—that’s the last one. I make time for regular retrospectives, which is just a fancy way of saying I check in with myself. I ask myself—and also talk with my care team—about what’s been working, where I’m hitting obstacles, and what strategies I should adjust to improve my outcomes. These regular reviews help me keep improving and adapting, rather than staying stuck in unhelpful patterns.
So, managing a chronic illness takes a lot of intentionality, structure, and adaptability—a lot like managing a long-term project. I’d love to hear from you: what’s your own approach in managing your condition or supporting someone you love in managing theirs?
Thank you.