Weekly Review

Weekly Review

Why Weekly Review Matters

Without a weekly review, trusted systems decay: inboxes overflow, projects stall without next actions, and commitments slip. A weekly review is the maintenance that keeps a productivity system reliable.

The Complete Weekly Review Checklist

Phase 1 — Capture (5-10 min)

• Process all physical inboxes to empty
• Process all digital inboxes (email, Slack DMs, notes apps) to empty
• Review desktop, downloads, and any ad-hoc note files
• Transfer any thoughts, ideas, tasks from scraps of paper or phone notes

Phase 2 — Clarify & Organize (10-15 min)

• Process each captured item: delete, delegate, do (< 2 min), or defer
• Assign next action to all deferred items
• Add to project lists where applicable
• Update waiting-for list (things delegated to others)

Phase 3 — Review Active Projects (10-15 min)

• Scan every active project
• Confirm each project has at least one clear next action
• Mark completed projects as done
• Identify projects that have stalled — decide: activate, pause, or kill

Phase 4 — Review Calendar (5 min)

• Review past week: any commitments not met? Follow up needed?
• Review upcoming 2 weeks: any prep needed? Conflicts to resolve?
• Block focused work time if calendar is over-scheduled

Phase 5 — Reflect & Calibrate (5-10 min)

• What went well this week?
• What didn't go as planned? What will I change?
• Am I working on the right things? (Horizon check)
• What's the most important outcome for next week?

Phase 6 — Plan Next Week (5 min)

• Identify 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) for the week
• Slot deep work blocks for the week
• Note any non-negotiable deadlines

Horizon Planning Framework (GTD)

Areas of Responsibility (20,000 ft) Checklist

Review each area of your life to ensure nothing is being neglected:

• Work / Career
• Health / Fitness
• Relationships / Family
• Finances
• Learning / Growth
• Creative / Side projects
• Home / Environment
• Spiritual / Wellbeing

Weekly Review Variants

15-Minute Express Review

For travel weeks or time-crunched situations:

1. Process email and Slack to inbox zero (5 min)
2. Scan project list — confirm next actions exist (5 min)
3. Set 3 MITs for next week (5 min)

60-Minute Deep Review

For quarterly or post-vacation resets:

1. Full capture + clarify (20 min)
2. Complete project review with status update (20 min)
3. Horizon review (20,000-50,000 ft) (10 min)
4. Goal progress check + adjust (10 min)

Weekly Review Template

## Weekly Review — Week of [Date]

### This week's wins
- 
- 

### What didn't go as planned
- 
- 

### Stalled projects — decision
| Project | Status | Decision |
|---------|--------|----------|
| | | activate / pause / kill |

### Inbox status
- [ ] Email: ___
- [ ] Slack: ___
- [ ] Notes: ___
- [ ] Physical: ___

### Next week's priorities
1. [MIT 1]
2. [MIT 2]
3. [MIT 3]

### Horizon check (any adjustments?)
- Goals: 
- Areas being neglected: 

### Energy level this week: /10
### Focus level this week: /10

Making the Review Stick

Scheduling

• Book it as a recurring calendar block (Friday 4-5pm works for many)
• Treat it as a hard commitment, not optional
• Have a backup slot if the primary gets bumped

Environment

• Go somewhere you don't normally work (coffee shop, different room)
• Close all tabs except your review setup
• Use a ritual to signal the review (music, tea, specific app layout)

If You Miss a Week

• Don't skip the next one to "catch up"
• Do a 30-minute version instead of nothing
• Process the most critical inboxes first