🛠 5 Product Habits I’ll Never Break

Every Product Owner develops their own way of working.

But over time, I’ve found a few principles I keep coming back to, especially when things get fast, complex or messy.


Here are 5 things I don’t compromise on:

1. Capture clarity in writing

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve left a meeting thankful I took notes  →  not just for myself, but for the team.

👉🏼 Writing brings clarity, alignment and accountability.

It’s not admin. It’s how we stay on the same page when everything’s moving fast.


2. Talk to stakeholders early and often

Misalignment usually starts with assumptions.

If I’m not sure, I ask.

👉🏼 A 10-minute conversation now beats a 2-week rebuild later.

The biggest mistake I avoided last quarter?
A quick Teams call that saved us from a 2-week dev spike on the wrong thing.


3. Build what makes a difference

“Nice idea” doesn’t mean “right idea”.
If we can’t define success, we’re just guessing.

👉🏼 Push for clarity  →  not just on what we’re building, but why it matters.


4. Protect the team’s focus

A team’s attention is one of the most valuable things we have.
I’ve seen sprints fall apart fast when devs are overloaded with noise.

👉🏼 Treat focus like something to design for. Say no (or not now), write cleaner tickets, set boundaries.

The best teams aren’t the busiest  → they’re the most focused.


5. Prioritise the problem, not the plan

Roadmaps change. They should.
What matters is staying anchored to the real problem and adapting with purpose.

👉🏼 Check in often: is this still the right problem to solve? If not, pivot.

The backlog isn’t a checklist. It’s a living thing.

It’s not just about moving fast  →  it’s about making sure what we build actually matters.