Life Contained's Personal Productivity Blog

A Productivity Trainer's Weekly Review

  

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The following information is delivered in the less than 5-minute video above.

One of the keys to my personal time management success and that of my clients is conducting a weekly review to map out navigating the week ahead. Built on the foundation shared in David Allen's Getting Things Done, following are the components of my Friday afternoon one-hour ritual:

• First I clear my paper inbox

• Then I review my calendar
  • Using the appointments for the week I just experienced as well as the upcoming week as memory joggers, I add follow up/preparation/travel logistics not yet captured
  • Looking at office time available for completing work, I size up each day of the week for potential assignments
    

• Next I move to reviewing my next action lists

  • I delete things I already completed or no longer think are useful

  • I move items to someday if they're no longer urgent or definite 

  • I look for things to delegate to others 

  • I assign dates to the things I need to complete this week 

  • I add things not already in the system 

  • I move qualified items from my waiting for list to an active list

• Then I review a comprehensive project list

  • Using the list as a reminder, I schedule activities for active projects not yet on one of my next actions lists

• Next I begin to judge my assignments

  • Looking at the office time available, I evaluate if I've added too many or not enough tasks to each day

  • I ask myself if I have delegating as much as I can, if I have scheduled realistically, and if I have allowed enough time for unplanned work

Finally, on a daily basis, I put my tasks in priority order first thing and then work from that list. What is your routine? How do you stay on top of tasks?