71% of project managers say their role harms their wellbeing. Discover how PMaaS reduces admin overload and lets PMs focus on the work they love.
What’s Stopping You Being the Happiest Project Manager on Earth?
When I saw a headline: “The Happiest Project Manager on Earth”, I naturally thought someone had written an article about me.
After all, I had just spent the whole morning maintaining RAID logs, chasing updates from team members and the last 45 minutes preparing a status report.
Who wouldn’t be happy?!
BUT it wasn’t about me!
It was about Vanessa Huber, a University of Delaware graduate who now works with Walt Disney Imagineering, helping deliver projects on attractions like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
Now that IS a fun gig!
When most people think of Disney, they think of magic. As I read about Disney’s Vanessa, a thought struck me: while millions of guests experience that magic, it’s project managers who make it possible, behind the scenes. Delivering every attraction, parade and unforgettable guest experience requires something most guests never see: brilliant project management
That got me wondering…
1 – Why don’t more project managers feel that same sense of joy?
And …
2 – Is Disney hiring?
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE A HAPPY PROFESSION
We project managers should be happy.
Ours is a brilliant job!
The reality, however, is that in a recent APM (Association of Project Management) poll, 71% of respondents agreed that working on their main project had negatively affected their mental wellbeing.
The APM poll was carried out for International Week of Happiness at Work, which typically occurs during the last full week of September each year to encourage businesses and employees to prioritise workplace wellbeing.
If you’re reading this in 2026, that means September 21 to September 25 – What a great opportunity to measure how our projects are impacting our talent and act to address any issues.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SHOULDN’T FEEL LIKE FIREFIGHTING
Let’s be honest. Most project managers didn’t choose this career because they dreamed of maintaining spreadsheets. They chose it because they enjoy bringing people together, solving problems and making things happen.
YET Many project managers spend their days:
- Chasing updates.
- Sitting in meetings that achieve very little (I swear, I’m having “This could have been an email etched on my gravestone).
- Managing competing priorities.
- Hunting down documents.
- Updating endless spreadsheets.
- Trying to keep stakeholders happy.
… Add your own to the list!
Basically, I can’t remember when I last got to face off against the evil Emperor Zurg and his robot army and call it work!
Somewhere between governance, reporting and administration, the exciting part of delivering IT projects gets buried. Instead of creating great outcomes, many IT Project Managers that I know are simply trying to survive the week.
In my experience, the happiest project managers aren’t necessarily the ones with the easiest projects. They are the ones who have the time, support and space to do what they do best.
THREE AREAS PMaaS CAN HELP HAPPINESS
If this were a Disney movie, Project Management as a Service (PMaaS) would NOT be the hero. You, the project manager is the hero, PMaaS is just the thing that gives YOU your cape back!
Here are three ways we can do that.
- Reducing “Cognitive Overload” Through Specialist Support
The challenge
One minute you’re discussing architecture decisions with technical leads. The next you’re chasing someone for a missing action update. Then you’re rewriting a status report for a steering committee. That constant switching is exhausting
The Happiness solution
PMaaS enables organisations to bring in the right level of support for the right tasks. Instead of asking a senior project manager to spend hours tracking actions, updating documentation or coordinating meetings, those activities can be handled by dedicated project support professionals.
The benefit
Your project managers spend more time leading projects, solving problems and engaging with stakeholders—the aspects of the role that are typically the most rewarding.
- Avoiding the Understaffing/Overstaffing Trap
The challenge
IT project workloads rarely stay constant. A major systems upgrade, cloud migration or digital transformation programme can place huge pressure on internal teams almost overnight. Yet recruiting permanent staff for short-term demand isn’t always practical.
The result? Existing project managers often absorb the extra workload, increasing the risk of stress, burnout and excessive overtime.
The Happiness solution
PMaaS provides flexible access to experienced project professionals when demand increases. Support can be scaled up during busy periods and reduced again when workloads return to normal.
The benefit
Instead of unpredictable late nights and weekend working becoming the norm, project managers receive the support they need to maintain a healthier, more sustainable workload.
- Reducing Stakeholder Pressure
The challenge
IT project managers work in complex environments where priorities change, requirements evolve and unexpected technical issues emerge. Despite many of these factors being outside their control, project managers often find themselves carrying the responsibility when delivery dates slip.
The Happiness solution
An experienced PMaaS partner brings established governance, independent reporting and proven delivery frameworks. They provide an objective view of project health, helping organisations make informed decisions based on evidence rather than opinion.
The benefit
Internal project managers gain a trusted partner who helps communicate difficult messages, supports robust governance and reduces the pressure of navigating challenging stakeholder conversations alone.
THE HAPPIEST PROJECT MANAGERS AREN’T DOING EVERYTHING THEMSELVES
I love the Disney concept of Imagineers.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most IT project managers I talk with are either clients or potential clients. That means either they have a problem and need a solution or they and I are already working towards solving the challenges that they face.
Doing this DOES make me and them happy.
When everyone focuses on what they do best, everyone benefits.
Think about Disney. The Imagineers aren’t personally pouring concrete, sewing costumes, writing software and operating the rides.
They have specialists.
Designers design.
Engineers engineer.
Operations teams operate.
Project managers manage projects!
Stoneseed’s PMaaS project managers can allow you to do exactly this.
Project Management as a Service (PMaaS) isn’t about replacing project managers. It’s about giving them the support they need to focus on the work that really matters.
Imagine having someone who can:
- Keep project documentation organised.
- Produce reports before stakeholders ask.
- Coordinate actions and follow-ups.
- Maintain plans and schedules.
- Handle project administration.
- Keep governance running smoothly.
- Pick up the tasks that quietly consume hours every week.
Instead of drowning in admin, you get back to leading your project and actually enjoying the job again. OK, maybe not as much as someone who manages Pixar themed rides, but a close second!
LESS STRESS. BETTER PROJECTS.
When the administrative burden disappears, other interesting things happen.
Conversations become more strategic.
Risks are spotted earlier.
Stakeholders receive better communication.
Teams spend less time waiting for information.
And project managers finally have time to think ahead, rather than constantly reacting.
That’s not just good for delivery.
It’s good for wellbeing too.
BEHIND EVERY GREAT PROJECT IS A GREAT SUPPORT TEAM
Disney guests rarely see the people backstage making everything work.
Yet without them, there is no magic.
IT projects are no different.
Success isn’t created by one overworked project manager carrying everything on their shoulders. It comes from giving talented people the support, structure and breathing room they need to do their best work.
The happiest project managers aren’t the ones who do everything themselves.
They’re the ones who know they don’t have to.
We should all be giving Disney’s Vanessa a run for her money in the happiness stakes.
Maybe the question isn’t:
“How can I become a happier project manager?”
Maybe it’s:
“What’s stopping me?”
If the answer is endless administration, constant context switching and too little time to lead, PMaaS might be the support you’ve been missing.
Because great project managers don’t need to be rescued.
They need the right team beside them.
More about Project Management as a Service from Stoneseed
SOURCES
Vanessa Huber’s story:
The APM Survey: