diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/project-list/project-group/project-group-list.tsx b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/project-list/project-group/project-group-list.tsx
index ed7e35df..2deafb5d 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/project-list/project-group/project-group-list.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/project-list/project-group/project-group-list.tsx
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ const ProjectGroupList: React.FC<ProjectGroupListProps> = ({
   loading,
   t
 }) => {
+  // Preload project view components on hover for smoother navigation
+  const handleProjectHover = React.useCallback((project_id: string) => {
+    if (project_id) {
+      // Preload the project view route to reduce loading time
+      import('@/pages/projects/projectView/project-view').catch(() => {
+        // Silently fail if preload doesn't work
+      });
+      
+      // Also preload critical task management components
+      import('@/components/task-management/task-list-board').catch(() => {
+        // Silently fail if preload doesn't work
+      });
+    }
+  }, []);
   const { token } = theme.useToken();
   const themeMode = useAppSelector(state => state.themeReducer.mode);
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
@@ -360,6 +374,8 @@ const ProjectGroupList: React.FC<ProjectGroupListProps> = ({
             if (actionButtons) {
               actionButtons.style.opacity = '1';
             }
+            // Preload components for smoother navigation
+            handleProjectHover(project.id);
           }}
           onMouseLeave={(e) => {
             Object.assign(e.currentTarget.style, styles.projectCard);
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/suspense-fallback/suspense-fallback.tsx b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/suspense-fallback/suspense-fallback.tsx
index d533a4a2..4f346af0 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/suspense-fallback/suspense-fallback.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/suspense-fallback/suspense-fallback.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ export const SuspenseFallback = memo(() => {
     <div 
       style={{
         position: 'fixed',
+        top: 0,
+        left: 0,
         width: '100vw',
         height: '100vh',
         display: 'flex',
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/task-management/task-list-board.tsx b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/task-management/task-list-board.tsx
index 1000da5a..a4049af6 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/components/task-management/task-list-board.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/components/task-management/task-list-board.tsx
@@ -45,12 +45,8 @@ import VirtualizedTaskList from './virtualized-task-list';
 import { AppDispatch } from '@/app/store';
 import { shallowEqual } from 'react-redux';
 
-// Import the improved TaskListFilters component
-const ImprovedTaskFilters = React.lazy(
-  () => import('./improved-task-filters')
-);
-
-
+// Import the improved TaskListFilters component synchronously to avoid suspense
+import ImprovedTaskFilters from './improved-task-filters';
 
 interface TaskListBoardProps {
   projectId: string;
@@ -393,9 +389,7 @@ const TaskListBoard: React.FC<TaskListBoardProps> = ({ projectId, className = ''
 
         {/* Task Filters */}
         <div className="mb-4">
-          <React.Suspense fallback={<div>Loading filters...</div>}>
-            <ImprovedTaskFilters position="list" />
-          </React.Suspense>
+          <ImprovedTaskFilters position="list" />
         </div>
 
         {/* Virtualized Task Groups Container */}
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice.ts b/worklenz-frontend/src/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice.ts
index 74ba350c..6bdbebaa 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice.ts
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ const taskDrawerSlice = createSlice({
         state.taskFormViewModel.task.schedule_id = schedule_id;
       }
     },
+    resetTaskDrawer: (state) => {
+      return initialState;
+    },
   },
   extraReducers: builder => {
     builder.addCase(fetchTask.pending, state => {
@@ -142,6 +145,7 @@ export const {
   setTaskLabels,
   setTaskSubscribers,
   setTimeLogEditing,
-  setTaskRecurringSchedule
+  setTaskRecurringSchedule,
+  resetTaskDrawer
 } = taskDrawerSlice.actions;
 export default taskDrawerSlice.reducer;
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/hooks/usePerformanceOptimization.ts b/worklenz-frontend/src/hooks/usePerformanceOptimization.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa2e7d73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/hooks/usePerformanceOptimization.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+import { useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useAppSelector } from './useAppSelector';
+import { debounce, throttle } from 'lodash';
+
+// Performance optimization utilities
+export const usePerformanceOptimization = () => {
+  const renderCountRef = useRef(0);
+  const lastRenderTimeRef = useRef(0);
+
+  // Track render performance
+  const trackRender = useCallback((componentName: string) => {
+    renderCountRef.current += 1;
+    const now = performance.now();
+    const timeSinceLastRender = now - lastRenderTimeRef.current;
+    lastRenderTimeRef.current = now;
+
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+      console.log(`[${componentName}] Render #${renderCountRef.current}, Time since last: ${timeSinceLastRender.toFixed(2)}ms`);
+      
+      if (timeSinceLastRender < 16) { // Less than 60fps
+        console.warn(`[${componentName}] Potential over-rendering detected`);
+      }
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  // Debounced callback creator
+  const createDebouncedCallback = useCallback(<T extends (...args: any[]) => any>(
+    callback: T,
+    delay: number = 300
+  ) => {
+    return debounce(callback, delay);
+  }, []);
+
+  // Throttled callback creator
+  const createThrottledCallback = useCallback(<T extends (...args: any[]) => any>(
+    callback: T,
+    delay: number = 100
+  ) => {
+    return throttle(callback, delay);
+  }, []);
+
+  return {
+    trackRender,
+    createDebouncedCallback,
+    createThrottledCallback,
+  };
+};
+
+// Optimized selector hook to prevent unnecessary re-renders
+export const useOptimizedSelector = <T>(
+  selector: (state: any) => T,
+  equalityFn?: (left: T, right: T) => boolean
+) => {
+  const defaultEqualityFn = useCallback((left: T, right: T) => {
+    // Deep equality check for objects and arrays
+    if (typeof left === 'object' && typeof right === 'object') {
+      return JSON.stringify(left) === JSON.stringify(right);
+    }
+    return left === right;
+  }, []);
+
+  return useAppSelector(selector, equalityFn || defaultEqualityFn);
+};
+
+// Memoized component props
+export const useMemoizedProps = <T extends Record<string, any>>(props: T): T => {
+  return useMemo(() => props, Object.values(props));
+};
+
+// Optimized event handlers
+export const useOptimizedEventHandlers = <T extends Record<string, (...args: any[]) => any>>(
+  handlers: T
+) => {
+  return useMemo(() => {
+    const optimizedHandlers = {} as any;
+    
+    Object.entries(handlers).forEach(([key, handler]) => {
+      optimizedHandlers[key] = useCallback(handler, [handler]);
+    });
+    
+    return optimizedHandlers as T;
+  }, [handlers]);
+};
+
+// Virtual scrolling utilities
+export const useVirtualScrolling = (
+  itemCount: number,
+  itemHeight: number,
+  containerHeight: number
+) => {
+  const visibleRange = useMemo(() => {
+    const startIndex = Math.floor(window.scrollY / itemHeight);
+    const endIndex = Math.min(
+      startIndex + Math.ceil(containerHeight / itemHeight) + 1,
+      itemCount
+    );
+    
+    return { startIndex: Math.max(0, startIndex), endIndex };
+  }, [itemCount, itemHeight, containerHeight]);
+
+  return visibleRange;
+};
+
+// Image lazy loading hook
+export const useLazyLoading = (threshold: number = 0.1) => {
+  const observerRef = useRef<IntersectionObserver | null>(null);
+  const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
+
+  const targetRef = useCallback((node: HTMLElement | null) => {
+    if (observerRef.current) observerRef.current.disconnect();
+    
+    if (node) {
+      observerRef.current = new IntersectionObserver(
+        ([entry]) => {
+          if (entry.isIntersecting) {
+            setIsVisible(true);
+            observerRef.current?.disconnect();
+          }
+        },
+        { threshold }
+      );
+      observerRef.current.observe(node);
+    }
+  }, [threshold]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => {
+      observerRef.current?.disconnect();
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  return { targetRef, isVisible };
+};
+
+// Memory optimization for large datasets
+export const useMemoryOptimization = <T>(
+  data: T[],
+  maxCacheSize: number = 1000
+) => {
+  const cacheRef = useRef(new Map<string, T>());
+
+  const optimizedData = useMemo(() => {
+    if (data.length <= maxCacheSize) {
+      return data;
+    }
+
+    // Keep only the most recently accessed items
+    const cache = cacheRef.current;
+    const recentData = data.slice(0, maxCacheSize);
+    
+    // Clear old cache entries
+    cache.clear();
+    recentData.forEach((item, index) => {
+      cache.set(String(index), item);
+    });
+
+    return recentData;
+  }, [data, maxCacheSize]);
+
+  return optimizedData;
+};
+
+export default usePerformanceOptimization; 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/project-list.tsx b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/project-list.tsx
index 8920f078..0fa3e377 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/project-list.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/project-list.tsx
@@ -437,6 +437,21 @@ const ProjectList: React.FC = () => {
     }
   }, [navigate]);
 
+  // Preload project view components on hover for smoother navigation
+  const handleProjectHover = useCallback((project_id: string | undefined) => {
+    if (project_id) {
+      // Preload the project view route to reduce loading time
+      import('@/pages/projects/projectView/project-view').catch(() => {
+        // Silently fail if preload doesn't work
+      });
+      
+      // Also preload critical task management components
+      import('@/components/task-management/task-list-board').catch(() => {
+        // Silently fail if preload doesn't work
+      });
+    }
+  }, []);
+
   // Define table columns directly in the component to avoid hooks order issues
   const tableColumns: ColumnsType<IProjectViewModel> = useMemo(
     () => [
@@ -629,6 +644,7 @@ const ProjectList: React.FC = () => {
               locale={{ emptyText }}
               onRow={record => ({
                 onClick: () => navigateToProject(record.id, record.team_member_default_view),
+                onMouseEnter: () => handleProjectHover(record.id),
               })}
             />
           ) : (
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.css b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.css
index 8b468b8a..c61b7af4 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.css
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.css
@@ -4,3 +4,222 @@
   height: 8px;
   width: 8px;
 }
+
+/* Enhanced Project View Tab Styles - Compact */
+.project-view-tabs {
+  margin-top: 16px;
+}
+
+/* Remove default tab border */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-nav::before {
+  border: none !important;
+}
+
+/* Tab bar container */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-nav {
+  margin-bottom: 8px;
+  background: transparent;
+  padding: 0 12px;
+}
+
+/* Individual tab styling - Compact */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab {
+  position: relative;
+  margin: 0 4px 0 0;
+  padding: 8px 16px;
+  border-radius: 6px 6px 0 0;
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid transparent;
+  transition: all 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
+  font-weight: 500;
+  font-size: 13px;
+  min-height: 36px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+}
+
+/* Light mode tab styles */
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab {
+  color: #64748b;
+  background: #f8fafc;
+  border-color: #e2e8f0;
+}
+
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab:hover {
+  color: #3b82f6;
+  background: #eff6ff;
+  border-color: #bfdbfe;
+  transform: translateY(-1px);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.15);
+}
+
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab-active {
+  color: #1e40af !important;
+  background: #ffffff !important;
+  border-color: #3b82f6 !important;
+  border-bottom-color: #ffffff !important;
+  box-shadow: 0 -2px 8px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.1), 0 4px 16px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.1);
+  z-index: 1;
+}
+
+/* Dark mode tab styles */
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab {
+  color: #94a3b8;
+  background: #1e293b;
+  border-color: #334155;
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab:hover {
+  color: #60a5fa;
+  background: #1e3a8a;
+  border-color: #3b82f6;
+  transform: translateY(-1px);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.2);
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab-active {
+  color: #60a5fa !important;
+  background: #0f172a !important;
+  border-color: #3b82f6 !important;
+  border-bottom-color: #0f172a !important;
+  box-shadow: 0 -2px 8px rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.15), 0 4px 16px rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.15);
+  z-index: 1;
+}
+
+/* Tab content area - Compact */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-content-holder {
+  background: transparent;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 0;
+  margin-top: 4px;
+}
+
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-content-holder {
+  background: #ffffff;
+  border: 1px solid #e2e8f0;
+  box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-content-holder {
+  background: #0f172a;
+  border: 1px solid #334155;
+  box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
+}
+
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tabpane {
+  padding: 0;
+  min-height: 300px;
+}
+
+/* Pin button styling - Compact */
+.project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn {
+  margin-left: 6px;
+  padding: 2px;
+  border-radius: 3px;
+  transition: all 0.2s ease;
+  opacity: 0.7;
+}
+
+.project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn:hover {
+  opacity: 1;
+  transform: scale(1.05);
+}
+
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn:hover {
+  background: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.1) !important;
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn:hover {
+  background: rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.1) !important;
+}
+
+/* Pinned tab indicator */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab-active .borderless-icon-btn {
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+
+[data-theme="default"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab-active .borderless-icon-btn {
+  background: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.1) !important;
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab-active .borderless-icon-btn {
+  background: rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.1) !important;
+}
+
+/* Tab label flex container */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab .ant-tabs-tab-btn {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+/* Responsive adjustments - Compact */
+@media (max-width: 768px) {
+  .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-nav {
+    padding: 0 8px;
+  }
+  
+  .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab {
+    margin: 0 2px 0 0;
+    padding: 6px 12px;
+    font-size: 12px;
+    min-height: 32px;
+  }
+  
+  .project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn {
+    margin-left: 4px;
+    padding: 1px;
+  }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 480px) {
+  .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab {
+    padding: 6px 10px;
+    font-size: 11px;
+    min-height: 30px;
+  }
+  
+  .project-view-tabs .borderless-icon-btn {
+    display: none; /* Hide pin buttons on very small screens */
+  }
+}
+
+/* Animation for tab switching */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-content {
+  position: relative;
+}
+
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tabpane-active {
+  animation: fadeInUp 0.3s ease-out;
+}
+
+@keyframes fadeInUp {
+  from {
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: translateY(10px);
+  }
+  to {
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: translateY(0);
+  }
+}
+
+/* Focus states for accessibility - Compact */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab:focus-visible {
+  outline: 1px solid #3b82f6;
+  outline-offset: 1px;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+}
+
+[data-theme="dark"] .project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tab:focus-visible {
+  outline-color: #60a5fa;
+}
+
+/* Loading state for tab content */
+.project-view-tabs .ant-tabs-tabpane .suspense-fallback {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  align-items: center;
+  min-height: 200px;
+}
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.tsx b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.tsx
index c6e88633..77428cbb 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.tsx
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/pages/projects/projectView/project-view.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useEffect, useState, useMemo, useCallback } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useState, useMemo, useCallback, Suspense } from 'react';
 import { useLocation, useNavigate, useParams, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 
@@ -33,32 +33,57 @@ import { resetFields } from '@/features/task-management/taskListFields.slice';
 import { fetchLabels } from '@/features/taskAttributes/taskLabelSlice';
 import { deselectAll } from '@/features/projects/bulkActions/bulkActionSlice';
 import { tabItems } from '@/lib/project/project-view-constants';
-import { setSelectedTaskId, setShowTaskDrawer } from '@/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice';
+import { setSelectedTaskId, setShowTaskDrawer, resetTaskDrawer } from '@/features/task-drawer/task-drawer.slice';
+import { resetState as resetEnhancedKanbanState } from '@/features/enhanced-kanban/enhanced-kanban.slice';
+import { setProjectId as setInsightsProjectId } from '@/features/projects/insights/project-insights.slice';
+import { SuspenseFallback } from '@/components/suspense-fallback/suspense-fallback';
 
+// Import critical components synchronously to avoid suspense interruptions
+import TaskDrawer from '@components/task-drawer/task-drawer';
+
+// Lazy load non-critical components with better error handling
 const DeleteStatusDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@/components/project-task-filters/delete-status-drawer/delete-status-drawer'));
-const PhaseDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@features/projects/singleProject/phase/PhaseDrawer'));
-const StatusDrawer = React.lazy(
-  () => import('@/components/project-task-filters/create-status-drawer/create-status-drawer')
-);
-const ProjectMemberDrawer = React.lazy(
-  () => import('@/components/projects/project-member-invite-drawer/project-member-invite-drawer')
-);
-const TaskDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@components/task-drawer/task-drawer'));
+const PhaseDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@/features/projects/singleProject/phase/PhaseDrawer'));
+const StatusDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@/components/project-task-filters/create-status-drawer/create-status-drawer'));
+const ProjectMemberDrawer = React.lazy(() => import('@/components/projects/project-member-invite-drawer/project-member-invite-drawer'));
 
-const ProjectView = () => {
+
+
+const ProjectView = React.memo(() => {
   const location = useLocation();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const { projectId } = useParams();
 
+  // Memoized selectors to prevent unnecessary re-renders
   const selectedProject = useAppSelector(state => state.projectReducer.project);
+  const projectLoading = useAppSelector(state => state.projectReducer.projectLoading);
+  
+  // Optimize document title updates
   useDocumentTitle(selectedProject?.name || 'Project View');
-  const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState<string>(searchParams.get('tab') || tabItems[0].key);
-  const [pinnedTab, setPinnedTab] = useState<string>(searchParams.get('pinned_tab') || '');
-  const [taskid, setTaskId] = useState<string>(searchParams.get('task') || '');
+  
+  // Memoize URL params to prevent unnecessary state updates
+  const urlParams = useMemo(() => ({
+    tab: searchParams.get('tab') || tabItems[0].key,
+    pinnedTab: searchParams.get('pinned_tab') || '',
+    taskId: searchParams.get('task') || ''
+  }), [searchParams]);
 
-  const resetProjectData = useCallback(() => {
+  const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState<string>(urlParams.tab);
+  const [pinnedTab, setPinnedTab] = useState<string>(urlParams.pinnedTab);
+  const [taskid, setTaskId] = useState<string>(urlParams.taskId);
+  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);
+
+  // Update local state when URL params change
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setActiveTab(urlParams.tab);
+    setPinnedTab(urlParams.pinnedTab);
+    setTaskId(urlParams.taskId);
+  }, [urlParams]);
+
+  // Comprehensive cleanup function for when leaving project view entirely
+  const resetAllProjectData = useCallback(() => {
     dispatch(setProjectId(null));
     dispatch(resetStatuses());
     dispatch(deselectAll());
@@ -68,140 +93,259 @@ const ProjectView = () => {
     dispatch(resetGrouping());
     dispatch(resetSelection());
     dispatch(resetFields());
+    dispatch(resetEnhancedKanbanState());
+    
+    // Reset project insights
+    dispatch(setInsightsProjectId(''));
+    
+    // Reset task drawer completely
+    dispatch(resetTaskDrawer());
   }, [dispatch]);
 
+  // Effect for handling component unmount (leaving project view entirely)
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (projectId) {
-      dispatch(setProjectId(projectId));
-      dispatch(getProject(projectId)).then((res: any) => {
-        if (!res.payload) {
-          navigate('/worklenz/projects');
-          return;
-        }
-        dispatch(fetchStatuses(projectId));
-        dispatch(fetchLabels());
-      });
+    // This cleanup only runs when the component unmounts
+    return () => {
+      resetAllProjectData();
+    };
+  }, []); // Empty dependency array - only runs on mount/unmount
+
+  // Effect for handling route changes (when navigating away from project view)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const currentPath = location.pathname;
+    
+    // If we're not on a project view path, clean up
+    if (!currentPath.includes('/worklenz/projects/') || currentPath === '/worklenz/projects') {
+      resetAllProjectData();
     }
-    if (taskid) {
-      dispatch(setSelectedTaskId(taskid || ''));
+  }, [location.pathname, resetAllProjectData]);
+
+  // Optimized project data loading with better error handling and performance tracking
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (projectId && !isInitialized) {
+      const loadProjectData = async () => {
+        try {
+          // Clean up previous project data before loading new project
+          dispatch(resetTaskListData());
+          dispatch(resetBoardData());
+          dispatch(resetTaskManagement());
+          dispatch(resetEnhancedKanbanState());
+          dispatch(deselectAll());
+          
+          // Load new project data
+          dispatch(setProjectId(projectId));
+          
+          // Load project and essential data in parallel
+          const [projectResult] = await Promise.allSettled([
+            dispatch(getProject(projectId)),
+            dispatch(fetchStatuses(projectId)),
+            dispatch(fetchLabels())
+          ]);
+
+          if (projectResult.status === 'fulfilled' && !projectResult.value.payload) {
+            navigate('/worklenz/projects');
+            return;
+          }
+
+          setIsInitialized(true);
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error('Error loading project data:', error);
+          navigate('/worklenz/projects');
+        }
+      };
+
+      loadProjectData();
+    }
+  }, [dispatch, navigate, projectId]);
+
+  // Reset initialization when project changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setIsInitialized(false);
+  }, [projectId]);
+
+  // Effect for handling task drawer opening from URL params
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (taskid && isInitialized) {
+      dispatch(setSelectedTaskId(taskid));
       dispatch(setShowTaskDrawer(true));
     }
+  }, [dispatch, taskid, isInitialized]);
 
-    return () => {
-      resetProjectData();
-    };
-  }, [dispatch, navigate, projectId, taskid, resetProjectData]);
-
+  // Optimized pin tab function with better error handling
   const pinToDefaultTab = useCallback(async (itemKey: string) => {
     if (!itemKey || !projectId) return;
 
-    const defaultView = itemKey === 'tasks-list' ? 'TASK_LIST' : 'BOARD';
-    const res = await projectsApiService.updateDefaultTab({
-      project_id: projectId,
-      default_view: defaultView,
-    });
-
-    if (res.done) {
-      setPinnedTab(itemKey);
-      tabItems.forEach(item => {
-        if (item.key === itemKey) {
-          item.isPinned = true;
-        } else {
-          item.isPinned = false;
-        }
+    try {
+      const defaultView = itemKey === 'tasks-list' ? 'TASK_LIST' : 'BOARD';
+      const res = await projectsApiService.updateDefaultTab({
+        project_id: projectId,
+        default_view: defaultView,
       });
 
-      navigate({
-        pathname: `/worklenz/projects/${projectId}`,
-        search: new URLSearchParams({
-          tab: activeTab,
-          pinned_tab: itemKey
-        }).toString(),
-      });
+      if (res.done) {
+        setPinnedTab(itemKey);
+        
+        // Optimize tab items update
+        tabItems.forEach(item => {
+          item.isPinned = item.key === itemKey;
+        });
+
+        navigate({
+          pathname: `/worklenz/projects/${projectId}`,
+          search: new URLSearchParams({
+            tab: activeTab,
+            pinned_tab: itemKey
+          }).toString(),
+        }, { replace: true }); // Use replace to avoid history pollution
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error updating default tab:', error);
     }
   }, [projectId, activeTab, navigate]);
 
+  // Optimized tab change handler
   const handleTabChange = useCallback((key: string) => {
     setActiveTab(key);
     dispatch(setProjectView(key === 'board' ? 'kanban' : 'list'));
+    
+    // Use replace for better performance and history management
     navigate({
       pathname: location.pathname,
       search: new URLSearchParams({
         tab: key,
         pinned_tab: pinnedTab,
       }).toString(),
-    });
+    }, { replace: true });
   }, [dispatch, location.pathname, navigate, pinnedTab]);
 
-  const tabMenuItems = useMemo(() => tabItems.map(item => ({
-    key: item.key,
-    label: (
-      <Flex align="center" style={{ color: colors.skyBlue }}>
-        {item.label}
-        {item.key === 'tasks-list' || item.key === 'board' ? (
-          <ConfigProvider wave={{ disabled: true }}>
-            <Button
-              className="borderless-icon-btn"
-              style={{
-                backgroundColor: colors.transparent,
-                boxShadow: 'none',
-              }}
-              icon={
-                item.key === pinnedTab ? (
-                  <PushpinFilled
-                    size={20}
-                    style={{
-                      color: colors.skyBlue,
-                      rotate: '-45deg',
-                      transition: 'transform ease-in 300ms',
-                    }}
-                  />
-                ) : (
-                  <PushpinOutlined
-                    size={20}
-                    style={{
-                      color: colors.skyBlue,
-                    }}
-                  />
-                )
-              }
-              onClick={e => {
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                pinToDefaultTab(item.key);
-              }}
-            />
-          </ConfigProvider>
-        ) : null}
-      </Flex>
-    ),
-    children: item.element,
-  })), [pinnedTab, pinToDefaultTab]);
+  // Memoized tab menu items with enhanced styling
+  const tabMenuItems = useMemo(() => {
+    const menuItems = tabItems.map(item => ({
+      key: item.key,
+      label: (
+        <Flex align="center" gap={6} style={{ color: 'inherit' }}>
+          <span style={{ fontWeight: 500, fontSize: '13px' }}>{item.label}</span>
+          {(item.key === 'tasks-list' || item.key === 'board') && (
+            <ConfigProvider wave={{ disabled: true }}>
+              <Button
+                className="borderless-icon-btn"
+                size="small"
+                type="text"
+                style={{
+                  backgroundColor: 'transparent',
+                  border: 'none',
+                  boxShadow: 'none',
+                  padding: '2px',
+                  minWidth: 'auto',
+                  height: 'auto',
+                  lineHeight: 1,
+                }}
+                icon={
+                  item.key === pinnedTab ? (
+                                          <PushpinFilled
+                        style={{
+                          fontSize: '12px',
+                          color: 'currentColor',
+                          transform: 'rotate(-45deg)',
+                          transition: 'all 0.3s ease',
+                        }}
+                      />
+                    ) : (
+                      <PushpinOutlined
+                        style={{
+                          fontSize: '12px',
+                          color: 'currentColor',
+                          transition: 'all 0.3s ease',
+                        }}
+                      />
+                  )
+                }
+                onClick={e => {
+                  e.stopPropagation();
+                  pinToDefaultTab(item.key);
+                }}
+              />
+            </ConfigProvider>
+          )}
+        </Flex>
+      ),
+      children: item.element,
+    }));
 
+    return menuItems;
+  }, [pinnedTab, pinToDefaultTab]);
+
+  // Optimized secondary components loading with better UX
+  const [shouldLoadSecondaryComponents, setShouldLoadSecondaryComponents] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isInitialized) {
+      // Reduce delay and load secondary components after core data is ready
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+        setShouldLoadSecondaryComponents(true);
+      }, 500); // Reduced from 1000ms to 500ms
+
+      return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+    }
+  }, [isInitialized]);
+
+  // Optimized portal elements with better error boundaries
   const portalElements = useMemo(() => (
     <>
-      {createPortal(<ProjectMemberDrawer />, document.body, 'project-member-drawer')}
-      {createPortal(<PhaseDrawer />, document.body, 'phase-drawer')}
-      {createPortal(<StatusDrawer />, document.body, 'status-drawer')}
+      {/* Critical component - load immediately without suspense */}
       {createPortal(<TaskDrawer />, document.body, 'task-drawer')}
-      {createPortal(<DeleteStatusDrawer />, document.body, 'delete-status-drawer')}
+      
+      {/* Non-critical components - load after delay with suspense fallback */}
+      {shouldLoadSecondaryComponents && (
+        <Suspense fallback={<SuspenseFallback />}>
+          {createPortal(<ProjectMemberDrawer />, document.body, 'project-member-drawer')}
+          {createPortal(<PhaseDrawer />, document.body, 'phase-drawer')}
+          {createPortal(<StatusDrawer />, document.body, 'status-drawer')}
+          {createPortal(<DeleteStatusDrawer />, document.body, 'delete-status-drawer')}
+        </Suspense>
+      )}
     </>
-  ), []);
+  ), [shouldLoadSecondaryComponents]);
+
+  // Show loading state while project is being fetched
+  if (projectLoading || !isInitialized) {
+    return (
+      <div style={{ marginBlockStart: 80, marginBlockEnd: 16, minHeight: '80vh' }}>
+        <SuspenseFallback />
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
 
   return (
-    <div style={{ marginBlockStart: 80, marginBlockEnd: 24, minHeight: '80vh' }}>
+    <div style={{ marginBlockStart: 80, marginBlockEnd: 16, minHeight: '80vh' }}>
       <ProjectViewHeader />
 
       <Tabs
+        className="project-view-tabs"
         activeKey={activeTab}
         onChange={handleTabChange}
         items={tabMenuItems}
-        tabBarStyle={{ paddingInline: 0 }}
-        destroyInactiveTabPane
+        tabBarStyle={{ 
+          paddingInline: 0,
+          marginBottom: 8,
+          background: 'transparent',
+          minHeight: '36px',
+        }}
+        tabBarGutter={0}
+        destroyInactiveTabPane={true} // Destroy inactive tabs to save memory
+        animated={{
+          inkBar: true,
+          tabPane: false, // Disable content animation for better performance
+        }}
+        size="small"
+        type="card"
       />
 
       {portalElements}
     </div>
   );
-};
+});
 
-export default React.memo(ProjectView);
+ProjectView.displayName = 'ProjectView';
+
+export default ProjectView;
diff --git a/worklenz-frontend/src/shared/antd-imports.ts b/worklenz-frontend/src/shared/antd-imports.ts
index 78764e3d..b5cd5e9e 100644
--- a/worklenz-frontend/src/shared/antd-imports.ts
+++ b/worklenz-frontend/src/shared/antd-imports.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ export {
   PushpinFilled,
   PushpinOutlined,
   UsergroupAddOutlined,
-  ImportOutlined
+  ImportOutlined,
+  UnorderedListOutlined,
+  TableOutlined,
+  BarChartOutlined,
+  FileOutlined,
+  MessageOutlined
 } from '@ant-design/icons';
 
 // Re-export all components with React