A method for power resource management in a portable communication device includes a first step (200) of defining power profiles of a plurality of operational modes of the communication device. A next step (202) includes calculating available power. A next step (204) includes inputting operating parameters of a selected operational mode. A next step (206) includes predicting whether there is sufficient power to operate the selected mode before entry therein, such that, if there is insufficient power, restricting (208) operation of one of the operational modes before entry into the selected mode, thereby preemptively preventing problems that can occur when power becomes exhausted in a portable device.