The Weekly Review: Why it’s Essential for Wellbeing-Driven Productivity and How to do it Consistently
The weekly review is an essential pillar of the wellbeing-driven productivity approach.
It is the key to achieving your goals, maximising your mental health and wellbeing, and getting things done.
This article will explain what a weekly review is, why it’s important, and how to do it consistently.
What is a Weekly Review?
Productivity expert and author David Allen describes the weekly review as a time to:
Gather and process all your stuff.
Review your system.
Update your lists.
Get clean, clear, current and complete.
(Allen, 2015).
Allen offers an excellent description, but it makes the weekly review sound far more extensive than needed. A comprehensive weekly review takes me 20 minutes on a Sunday afternoon. I look back, look forward and do a few administrative tasks. That's it.
How I Carry Out a Weekly Review
I have a template for my weekly review in Tana (but you could set up something similar on a different platform or in your journal).
First, I look back on the previous week – I check my life logs and what has been on my mind that week. I pick out any trends that need addressing.
After that, I reflect on my week using the Plus Minus Next model:
Plus: what worked?
Minus: what didn’t?
Next: what next?
Then, it is time to review my annual goals – I write a comment outlining my progress on each.
Finally, I summarise my week in a GIF – just for fun! Thanks to Ev Chapman for this inspired idea.
Alongside this review, I also carry out some administrative tasks set up as a recurring entry in my task manager, Todoist. These include processing my emails, getting to Inbox Zero, reading email newsletters, and doing a weekly budget review.
Why is a Weekly Review so Important?
Without a weekly review, I would collect lots of digital “stuff” (such as articles and ideas notes) and never do anything with them. My weekly review sends the content I consume to my personal knowledge management system. This has helped me transition from consumer to creator and supports my love of lifelong learning.
My weekly review makes me less anxious. My biggest stress triggers are emails and “fear of the unknown”. Getting to Inbox Zero every week and knowing what's coming up (as much as I can) reduces my anxiety levels considerably.
Finally, my weekly review keeps my annual goals front and centre. If I did not see them every week, I'd forget about them and would not be likely to achieve them.
My weekly review helps me be productive, prioritise my wellbeing, and achieve my goals.
When is the Best Time for a Weekly Review?
I like doing a weekly review on Sunday afternoons, but others prefer a Friday or Monday. Find your flow – do what works for you.
How to Ensure You Remember to Do a Weekly Review
One of the biggest challenges of completing a weekly review is doing it consistently. I recommend adding a “weekly review” to your calendar and ensuring it is on your to-do list or task manager. Pretty soon, your weekly review will become a habit.
What Next?
If you want one-to-one support setting up your weekly review process, you can book a Power Hour. Alternatively, access a variety of helpful templates as part of the Set and Smash Your Annual Goals Masterclass.
References
Allen, D. (2015) Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity.
