Finding the Optimum Time/Day for the weekly Review

[Anonymous]

Folks:

How do you go about finding the best time for the weekly review. The nature of my job doesn not allow me uninterupted time during business hours as my group provides technical support to manufacturing.

I have tried Friday AM, PM and even the 11-1 long lunch slot. Mondays didn't work because I need to hit the ground running. Thursdays didnt work for me either.

Once you do the weekly review consistenly for about a month all the benefits of the system come into play, once you are inconsistent in this key dicipline, the results are equally inconsistent. To be honest with the weekly review is core for success.

Anyone can share how they have been able to find the best time to turn the world off, and go about the weekly review?

 

[stargazer_rick]

As I've discussed here in the past, I do two weekly reviews. (I have a side business and it wouldn't be right to be reviewing that stuff at my full-time job.)

I do my weekly home review on Saturday mornings before my wife gets up. It's a great quiet time.

I do my weekly work review on Wednesday mornings. I try to get to work an hour to a an hour-and-a-half earlier on Wednesdays so that I have some uninterupted time. (I'm a salaried employee so I don't get paid for the extra time.)

These times may not work for you. I do use a checklist for my weekly review to keep everything organized and flowing. Otherwise I would be all over the place. If you develop a checklist for your weekly review, consisting of tasks that can be carried out in 5-10 minute chunks of time, you may be able to stretch your weekly review over an entire Friday and get everything done between your other work. If you can't turn off the world for one or two hours, maybe you can turn it off for 5-10 minutes 10-20 times in a day.

Good luck!

Thanx,
Ricky

 

[AMS]

Friday, mid-afternoon works best for me. It's not completely uninterrupted, but it's the least interrupted. I could do evening or weekend, but I am simply unwilling. I do a quick home review on Saturday. I also do a "mini review" on Wednesdays. Even with an interruption or two from my boss on Fridays, it keeps things humming and I can start the weekend knowing nothing is going to blow up in my face Monday morning. Nothing that I can control, anyway.

 

[TPorter2]

Friday afternoon, shortly after lunch. I used to do this late Friday afternoons. But then I found that I wanted some time after the review to get things done, because I am normally ready to go once I have everything reviewed.

 

[Anonymous]

Ricky,
What does the checklist for your weekly review look like??

Like Joe, I'm also having trouble making time for this. Shorter times would work better for me. Someone once suggested 15mins a day but I keep reviewing the same (highest priority) stuff in the 15mins. A checklist could help with this.

Thanks.

 

[stargazer_rick]

Volunteer:

I dumped this from Shadow and I've tried to clean it up a little. I hope you find it useful.

Thanx,
Ricky

	- Gather any papers, notes, mail,postits,...
	  - Remove all old receipts from wallet
	  - Collect papers, notes, mail from desktop <Note: It should be totally clean after this>
	  - Collect papers from living room
	  - Collect papers from briefcase
	  - Review all voice memos
	  - Delete old icons from desktop <Note: I use my desktop for temporary file storage>
	- Palm Desktop
	  - Review Open @HomeProjects and check off completed
	  - Review Ooen @Home tasks and check off completed
	  - Review Open @WaitingHome items and check off completed <Note: Plan follow-up if needed>
	  - Review Completed @Home items and purge <Note: If they inspire a new action then write it down on a note and put it in the Inbox>
	  - Review Completed @Errands items and purge <Note: Record a next action for any needed follow-up. Check off completed ones. If they inspire a new action then write it down on a note and put it in the Inbox>
	  - Review @WaitingHome items and purge <Note: If they inspire a new action then write it down on a note and put it in the Inbox>
	- Process collected "stuff" <Note: Use decisioning flow chart>
	- Process Email Inbox <Note: Decide and enter action items, waiting-for's, or projects this may inspire>
	- Review Journal for Previous Week <Note: Decide and enter action items, waiting-for's, or projects this may inspire>
	- Review previous week's calendar <Note: Decide and enter action items, waiting-for's, or projects this may inspire>
	- Review next 4 week's calendar <Note: Decide and enter action items, waiting-for's, or projects this may inspire>
	- Review @HomeProjects
	  - Evaluate the status of each one
	  - Ensure there is at least one current next action from each one
	  - Browse through project support material <Note: Look for triggers for next actions, waiting-fors, or completions.>
	- Review @HomeSomeday/Maybe List
	  - Move active items to Projects list
	  - Delete items no longer of interest
	- The Bigger Picture
	  - 10,000' - Does every project have a next action?
	  - 20,000' - Does every item on your areas of focus have a project?
	    - Husband
	    - Financial Provider
	    - Family Protector
	    - Homeowner
	    - Spiritual Leader in the Home
	    - Business Owner
	    - Business Partner
	    - Web Developer
	    - Customer Service
	    - Full-time Webmaster
	    - Church Webmaster
	    - Sunday School Teacher
	    - Personal Health
	    - Personal Relaxation and Knowledge
	  - 30,000' - Does every item on your 1-2 year goals have a project?
	  - 40,000' - Does every item in your 3-5 plan have a goal?
	    - Remain Happily Married
	    - Develop Retirement Plan
	    - Make my side business my full-time business
	    - Canoe, Cycle, and Hike in exotic places
	    - To have a strong support network in my church
	  - 50,000' - Is your personal mission statement supported in your 3-5 year plan? <Note: My mission is: To Empower, Challenge, and Advance People through Technology in Personal Growth>
	- Review the Incompletion Triggers List <Note: Decide and enter action items, waiting-for's, or projects this may inspire>
	- Questions
	  - What would you really like to be free of? What discipline is needed where, to accomplish that?
	  - Where could you use more looseness?
	  - Where could you use more structure?
	  - What most needs cleaning up or organizing?

 

[Anonymous]

Wow. That is awesome. Thanks!
(You give me hope - you seem to be successfully applying GTD with many home and work roles.)

 

[Anonymous]

I do mine on Monday afternoon. I am the Senior Pastor of a church and Monday morning is follow up work from Sunday (Review guest cards, attendance, offerings, letters, phone calls, etc) with my administrative assistant. Then it's a quick lunch and a couple of hours doing the Weekly Review. That sets me up for the week. I then review my next actions and do a quick scan of my project list each day before I retire. It works great for me!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Folks:

Thanks for the replys....

I think I am going to try Wed either early AM or late PM(After 5:30). When I say I'm being interupted, I'm talking relentless. I can't even walk from my office to the Cafeteria without having people literearally clutching me at the ankles.

My Group and I own every problem that is associated with 2 satelites of Manufacturing.... During normal work hours I find the only place that is sacred is the mens room.