From eec7112ec31d458b43f4e573b90b1af225de5f7d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lars Wirzenius Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:05:57 +0000 Subject: Add chapter on weekly reviews --- review.mdwn | 73 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 73 insertions(+) create mode 100644 review.mdwn (limited to 'review.mdwn') diff --git a/review.mdwn b/review.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36937d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/review.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,73 @@ +The weekly review +================= + +So you've got your lists set up, and you process your inboxes daily, +and tasks flow smoothly through the projects and next actions lists. +How do you know everything is OK? You need to take a look at every +part of your GTD system, and your life, to make sure everything's in +its right place, and you've not forgotten anything. + +The weekly review is a fundamentally important part of making sure +you stay on top of things. You need to review all your lists, and +calendars, inboxes, etc, and have a short meditative moment where +you reflect your life, and try to think of anything you may have +missed so far. If you do this regularly, and with some thoroughness, +you'll be certain that you've captured everything into your system. + +You might not need to do such a review weekly. If you live a very +calm, regular life, you might only do it rarely. On the other hand, +if your life is a maelstrom, you might want to do a review more often +than once a week. Experiment, and see what works for you. + +Here's my checklist for doing a weekly review: + +* Process inboxes. +* Review journal entries since previous review. Write a summary of the + highlights of what has happened. +* Review calendar entries since previous review, and for the next month. +* Empty head from things. +* Review projects. Make sure each has at least one next action. Remove + any projects that are finished or aborted, or move them to someday/maybe + if that's appropriate. +* Review next actions list. Are they all of good quality? + * a _physical_ action ("write", not "think about") + * thinking is part of planning! + * it's clear what I need to do (a widget to crank) + * duration at most 15 minutes, preferably + * I'm committed to doing it + * does not depend on anything, can be done immediately + * it's clear when it's done +* Review waiting for list and mail folder. +* Review pending and support files: + * physical folder at home + * folder in e-mail +* Review someday/maybe. +* Review "Read and Review". +* Review areas of focus, goals. +* Re-process inbox. + +It's common for me to postpone doing a review, since I'm tired or busy +or have any of a number of other excuses. In some cases, I postpone the +review for months. In that case, it can take a bit of an effort to do +the review, which acts as further encouragement to push it forward. + +The way I get out of that is that I need to be reminded of the strong +feeling of relief and control that I get after doing a review properly. +I feel that I'm on top of things, that regardless of what surprises +the universe may throw at me next, I know where I am now and what I need +to do next. (And then I often go read the Internet instead, but that's +another problem.) + + +Other reviews +------------- + +In addition to the weekly review, it is good to another kind of review +about once or twice a year. For this, I find it's best to do a weekly +review first, and then concentrate on bigger issues: what do I want +out of life? How do I want to live in one year, five years, twenty years, +or in my retirement? What do I need to do to achieve those things? + +I've not done much of that yet, so I dont have a lot of concrete advice +about that. I'll add more about it when I do. + -- cgit v1.2.1