This easy habit you don’t do can seriously change your life
In 2001, the productivity consultant, David Allen, published the book “Getting Things Done”. It brought up new ideas & systems which improved productivity dramatically. This was where the weekly review for the first time got real attention.
“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” — David Allen
The weekly review was seen as a 30–60 minute activity that consisted of reflecting, planning and innovating. It was the perfect way to round off a productive week and set up for another one. Allen demonstrated how implementing it, together with the rest of the system, into the individuals personal and professional development could change their lives for good.
It was a way to summarize the week and de-stress.
It used reflection and goal setting to inspire growth.
It functioned as a startup process to launch oneself into the next week.
In short, the weekly review was the one productivity tool to rule them all.
David Allen integrated this review as a core part in his Getting Things Done system, and it allowed the users of it to not just get things done, but instead get the right things done, and get them done properly.
“Most people feel best about their work the week before their vacation, but it’s not because of the vacation itself. What do you do the last week before you leave on a big trip? You clean up, close up, clarify, and renegotiate all your agreements with yourself and others. I just suggest that you do this weekly instead of yearly.” — David Allen
Taking it a step further
However, even though the weekly reviews are great, they’re often lacking one key thing Allen skipped: the bigger picture.
— That’s where the monthly and annual reviews come in.
Think of the reviews as parts of a human
The weekly review focuses on the muscles — How are you physically? What can you train to become better? Is everything working?
The monthly review focuses on the brain — How’s your mental state? What problems are you facing? How do you solve them?
The annual review focuses on the heart — What is it you really want to do? What, where and who makes you fulfilled?
By using all three reviews together you can define your high-level goals, dynamically modify them to fit better as your personality changes, and track them all the way down to your daily actions.
Monthly review
After the 4 weekly reviews of the month have passed, the monthly review takes its place. It’s less of a check-in and more of a thought exercise.
You’ll go through what you completed, and also what you didn’t finish.
You’ll consider your greatest achievements for the month, and your current priorities for the next one.
But most importantly, you’ll contemplate your guiding goals & principles.
The monthly review is what connects the annual and the weekly review together. It performs as a middleman who analyzes both sides and finds what should be the current priorities & how they should be taken into action.
Annual review
In the last couple days of December, just before the fireworks start exploding in the night sky, you’ll sit down, and go through your annual review.
It’s about looking both back & forward long-term. It’s during the yearly reviews that you’ll discover your passion, and that you’ll find who & what it is you want to spend time on.
You’ll dig into the experiences, the people, and the communities in your life.
The yearly review is where you reflect on the bigger picture and discover what it actually is life means to you. It’s an eye-opening exercise.
A template for creating your reviews
If you’re a Notioneer — or have wanted to become one, here’s something I’ve made for you.
I’m a Notion power user, so after finding the lack of proper revision templates, I decided to spend the last couple months collating all available resources into a single comprehensive review system — which you can now get access to.
If you’re instead up for making the templates yourself, here’s what to keep in mind:
- Create thought-provoking questions. It’s easy to start answering the questions subconsciously. Make sure this doesn’t happen!
- After completing the templates, keep editing them. You can even add “refining the template” as a part of the reviews.
- Use other resources to inspire your questions / tasks. Don’t reinvent the wheel.
Reviewing may not fix all your problems, but it will point you in the right direction.
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