Creating a Weekly Review Process for Better Focus

I never thought something this simple would make such a difference in how I work and manage my time. This 15-minute weekly habit changed everything for me: The weekly review. This is one of the most simple yet powerful practices I've built over the years. It helps me reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and what needs adjusting. The concept, introduced by David Allen in “Getting Things Done”, emphasises the importance of closing open loops and staying on top of commitments before they pile up. Over time, it’s become a cornerstone of my productivity system. Here’s what my weekly review looks like: - Review the past week – I list the dates from the past week and, using my calendar and notes, jot down key events and tasks. - Reflect on achievements and challenges – Take a moment to celebrate what went well and spot areas for improvement. - Plan for the upcoming week – Adjust goals and priorities to make sure I’m focusing on what really matters. It’s a small investment of time, but the impact is huge. Every week, those 15 minutes give me clarity, keeps me on track, and make decision-making easier. Instead of constantly chasing the next thing, it gives me a chance to pause, take stock, and plan with intention. Do you have a system for reflecting on your week, or is this something you’d want to try?

I block 60 minutes every Sunday for my weekly rhythm session. It’s the best way I’ve found to clear my brain and gain clarity for the week ahead. Here’s how it works: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟬: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀’ 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 Often there are patterns & lessons I missed or need to follow up on. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 During this, I ask myself: • what gave me energy vs. what drained it  • what I should have said no to • what could have been deleted, automated, or delegated 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗗𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 • list wins, mistakes, and shiny objects (things that distracted me) • write a brain dump journal entry with whatever's bouncing around in my head 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗽 This includes: • email • Slack • WhatsApp (biggest challenge) • Desktop/downloads • loose notes Now I’ve gotten the last week completely out of my system. I’m ready to look ahead. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 • ensure every meeting makes sense • cut the unnecessary ones • move meetings based on priority 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 Make sure everything has an action step attached. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟲: 𝗚𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 Ask the team for updates where relevant. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟳: 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 • schedule half days without any meetings for deep work • prep/debrief time for meetings if needed • workout blocks for exercise 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟴: 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 I Write down my top priorities for the week. From these, I define a #1 goal. --- All this takes 45 to 90 minutes. I usually block two hours for it. The most important outputs are the journal entry and the clean calendar. They make my life so much lighter by getting everything out of my brain. No more nagging feeling that I’m missing something. And it gives me a sense of progress every week. Highly recommended. P.S. If you want my notion template, comment “rhythm” and I’ll send it your way.

When was the last time you asked yourself: ‘What’s really working and what isn’t?’ Most professionals don’t. They keep moving from one task to the next, mistaking busyness for progress. But here’s the truth I’ve seen in 10+ years of coaching: 👉 Your career doesn’t stall because of lack of effort. 👉 It stalls because of lack of reflection. That’s why I use a structured self-reflection framework every week and I teach my clients to do the same. 🟢 My Reflection Framework 1. Core Purpose Questions (Weekly) ✔ Am I still excited about my end goal? ✔ What did I do this week that moved me closer? ✔ Which activities pulled me away? 2. Growth & Learning Check (Bi-weekly) ✔ What new skills am I building? ✔ Have I challenged my assumptions lately? ✔ Who can I learn from right now? 3. Action & Adjustment (Monthly) ✔ Are my daily habits supporting my vision? ✔ What’s working well that I should double down on? ✔ What’s one thing I need to stop doing? 4. Impact & Connection (Quarterly) ✔ How am I helping others while pursuing my goals? ✔ Who are the key people supporting me? ✔ Which relationships need more attention? 5. Vision Alignment (Every 6 Months) ✔ Does my current path still excite me? ✔ Have my priorities changed? ✔ Do I need to adjust my timeline? I keep these questions in my phone’s notes app. Every week, I revisit them. Every month, I review patterns. Every quarter, I reset my focus. And over the last 3 years, this single habit has helped me: ✨ Stay aligned with my vision ✨ Catch blind spots early ✨ Celebrate progress (even the small wins) ✨ Avoid drifting when things got busy 👉 So, when was the last time you asked yourself the hard questions? P.S. If you want more updated insights, practical strategies, and frameworks like this to stay aligned and accelerate your career. 👉 Join my Career Spotlight Group (link in comments). #Goal #PersonalGrowth #Clarity

I do not believe in New Year resolutions. It is an illusion to think that flipping a digit, from 2025 to 2026, will magically deliver new outcomes when you have not examined, redesigned, and deepened what truly matters: your processes. Good People, one of the greatest victories in life is the victory over time. Time is allocated equally to all of us, 24 hours a day. Yet even in its seeming abundance, time is the scarcest resource we have. Until you learn to win over time through better processes, your future will remain unresolved. So, forget grand New Year resolutions. Focus instead on fixing your daily and weekly non-optimal processes. The richest among us spend money to save time; they fly. The poorest among us spend time to save money; they take the road. It is not just about transport; it is optimizing processes. In the same way, wealth builders convert money into capital; they invest. But the wishers want capital-like outcomes from money without conversion; they gamble, driven by a wager spirit. One group uses resources to compress time and compound value. The other trades time away and hopes for miracles. How do we get better on processes? Consider this simple framework. Buy an exercise book or diary. Every Sunday night, take ten minutes to list the most important things you want to accomplish in the week. Then, each night before bed, or early each morning, write down the key tasks for the day. As the week unfolds, cross out what you complete. Then reflect: what worked, what did not, and how can you do it better next time? Keep optimizing. And track just two indicators: quality and speed. In the professional world, those who thrive are not necessarily the smartest. They are the ones who can deliver high-quality outcomes in the shortest time. That is the edge. And that edge comes from process, not merely from brilliance. It is not about being the best graduating student in your class. Grades matter, yes, but what matters more is the process that produced those grades. If you are naturally gifted and coast to an A, you may feel confident. But if that same talent leads you to a C because your process is weak and you refuse to change it, you could be in trouble. Compare that with someone who struggled, worked relentlessly, and still earned a C. That person has built tenacity and discipline into their process. And when that same effort is applied to other areas of life, results will follow. Yes, in the long run, process beats raw undeveloped talent. Largely, when you resolve your processes, mountain-sized New Year resolutions become irrelevant. So as the year turns, I wish you a happy new one, but more importantly, I wish you a year where New Year resolutions become unnecessary, because every day, you are already resolving your processes https://lnkd.in/egmkUsm5

I eliminated the #sundayscaries from my weekly routine. Every attorney knows the feeling: Sunday night anxiety, bracing for another week of deadlines and fire drills. What if a simple ritual could transform how you experience your work week? This week, on The Grace Period, I share my “Sunday Reset”—a weekly review that’s become my professional anchor. It’s not about rigid systems, but about carving out intentional time to reflect on the past week, review what’s coming, block out deep work, and set realistic intentions. Sometimes it takes ten minutes, sometimes two hours—the magic is in the pause. Here’s what my reset looks like: ♥️ Reflect on the past week (without judgment): What worked? What didn’t? ♥️ Identify upcoming deadlines and pressure points ♥️ Block “open space” for deep work and prep for key meetings ♥️ Set daily to-do lists and meaningful intentions ♥️ Prep social media content in advance when possible This ritual has dramatically reduced my “Sunday Scaries” and lets me start Monday prepared—intentional, not reactive. You don’t have to choose between your wellbeing and your ambition. By setting boundaries, building supportive habits, and giving yourself permission to pause, you can thrive in law—and in life. ♥️🔥✌🏻 --- I’m Emily, a commercial litigator, AmLaw100 partner, and advocate for practical, people-first lawyering in big law. Follow me for checklists, litigation insights, and stories about building resilient teams and careers. All stories and reflections are my own, based on my journey in law. Unless otherwise noted, examples are generalized and do not reflect current client matters or firm positions.

This is one of the most powerful tools in my toolbox for powerful productivity: It's the Friday Reflection Habit from the Agile Results Productivity System. How powerful is it? Powerful enough that I shared it with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella after reflecting on 20+ years of high performance at Microsoft. It's more than productivity--it's also a tool for personal transformation and career growth. The Friday Reflection Habit actually helped me become an innovator at Microsoft. It's a key to what helped me become the head coach for Satya Nadella's innovation team. 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗧 The 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁 is a weekly routine where you pause to review your week, extract key lessons, and plan actionable steps for the future. It's designed to inspire your continuous growth and improvement by regularly evaluating your progress and refining your approach. 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 1. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: It helps you learn from your experiences, turning setbacks and successes into insights for growth. 2. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Keeps your actions aligned with your long-term goals, ensuring consistent progress toward your future self. 3. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: Regular reflection sharpens your focus, making sure you’re working on what truly matters. 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 1. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: Dedicate a specific time each Friday for reflection, typically 15-30 minutes. 2. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: Ask yourself questions like: What went well? What didn’t? What did I learn? 3. 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Identify patterns or lessons from your week that you can apply moving forward. 4. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: Set intentions or goals based on your reflections to make the next week more effective. 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙 To become your Future Self with Friday Reflection, follow these steps: 1. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳: Clearly define who you want to become—your goals, skills, habits, and values. 2. 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: During Friday Reflection, assess how your actions and decisions from the past week align with the vision of your Future Self. Identify progress and gaps. 3. 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀: Review what worked and what didn’t, drawing insights from your experiences that can guide you closer to your future self. 4. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Based on your reflection, set specific, actionable goals for the coming week that will move you toward your Future Self. Adjust habits and strategies accordingly. By consistently reflecting and adjusting your path, you ensure steady progress toward becoming the person you envision. 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 I wrote Getting Results the Agile Way to share the ultimate productivity system.

Stop obsessing over yearly goals—start mastering weekly systems. It’s January 1, and everyone’s setting lofty goals for the year ahead. Here’s the truth: success doesn’t come from a single, grand plan. It’s built through intentional systems and consistent execution, practiced weekly. If you want real growth and results in 2025, start with these two powerful practices: WEEKLY REVIEW (SUNDAY – 30 MINUTES) Reflection is the foundation of progress. Take 30 minutes every Sunday night to evaluate your past week and to be intentional about the week ahead. Ask yourself: ✅ What truly matters in my life right now? Am I dedicating the necessary energy to it? ✅ What gave me or created energy? ✅ What drained me of my energy? ✅ What should I have said no to? ✅ What could have been delegated, deleted, minimized, or automated? Inspired by Sahil Bloom, this simple practice keeps you aligned with your priorities and helps you course-correct before small missteps turn into major detours. MONDAY HOUR ONE (MONDAY – 30-60 MINUTES) Inspired by Brooke Castillo, this time management strategy is about designing your week with precision and purpose so you can focus on execution. ✅ Plan Everything in Advance: Dedicate 30-60 minutes Monday morning to schedule work tasks, personal commitments, and even downtime. ✅ Focus on Results Over Tasks: Prioritize outcomes over endless to-do lists. Plan key actions that move the needle on your goals. ✅ Honor Your Calendar: Treat your schedule in your calendar as sacred. Follow it like a meeting with a CEO. ✅ Minimize Decision Fatigue: Pre-decide your week to save mental energy for actual execution, not planning on the fly. ✅ Anticipate Obstacles: Proactively identify challenges that might derail you, and plan solutions in advance. How to Implement This System: 1️⃣ Brain Dump: During a dedicated time block on Monday morning, write down everything you need or want to do. 2️⃣ Sort by Priorities: Identify the most important results and the tasks required to achieve them. Choose your top 3 most important tasks of the week. 3️⃣ Time Block: Assign specific times for tasks. Use color-coded categories (e.g., Business Meetings, Personal, Fun) to stay organized. 4️⃣ Stick to the Plan: Follow through. Consistency is your power. These systems aren’t just about productivity—they’re about creating clarity, peace of mind, and living with intention. Start 2025 by mastering your weeks. The year will take care of itself. What’s your go-to weekly ritual for staying organized and aligned? Drop it below—I’d love to hear how you keep yourself on track! Enjoy my content? Like, comment, repost, or follow me on LinkedIn for more content just like it — https://lnkd.in/ggMv_GwP.

My weekly planning process has evolved over the years—just like my life stage. Not long ago, Saturdays were packed with family activities. Now, with two kids in college and a high school senior who often works Saturdays, my schedule looks different. I look forward to quiet Saturday mornings to reflect on the big picture while making tactical plans for the week ahead. I use Notion to organize my life by following August Bradley's PPV system. This system includes a structured weekly review. 🧭 Step 1: Getting Centered  * I start by reviewing my guiding principles—my purpose, values, and a running list of reminders that help me stay aligned. *Then, I check my vision for each area of life and the goals I’m currently working on to move toward that vision. 📥 Step 2: Clearing the Decks *I get both my work and personal inboxes to zero (though I usually get there daily anyway). *I review my daily, weekly, and monthly habits to keep myself accountable. *I skim my to-do list for the next few weeks, ensuring it reflects my real priorities. *I ask: What can I automate, delegate, or eliminate? 💡 *If something takes less than two minutes (or if I have extra time that morning), I knock it out immediately. ✅ 📌 Step 3: Priorities & Projects  I maintain a running priorities note to track all major projects. Each week, I: *Ensure every priority is moving forward as intended. *Make adjustments or plans as needed. *Review my calendar from the past two weeks for any lingering follow-ups. *Check my schedule for the next three weeks to make any necessary adjustments or prep. 🤖 Step 4: AI-Powered Planning  I paste my priorities note and an image of my calendar into a dedicated ChatGPT thread and ask it to generate an action plan for the week. I refine its suggestions and paste the final plan at the top of my note in Notion. ⏳ How Long Does It Take?  Sometimes, this process takes just 15 minutes. Other times, if I dive deep into tasks, it can stretch to a couple of hours. Either way, it ensures I start my week aligned, intentional, and ready to execute. What does your weekly planning process look like? Always open to learning new ways to refine mine! 🚀 #Planning #Productivity #Notion #AI #techniciantobusinessleader

Here’s a simple (and surprisingly powerful) communication hack to stay on top of your work, challenges, and wins—without feeling overwhelmed. Start on Monday, and each day, just jot down a few quick notes. By Friday, you’ll have a full Weekly Activity Report (WAR) ready to go. And trust me, it’s not just about keeping your boss in the loop—it’s about making your work visible, valued, and aligned with leadership’s priorities. Think of it like telling the story of your week: what moved forward, what hit a snag, and where you might need a little backup. Instead of constant check-ins, this gives your boss a clear snapshot of what’s happening—without them having to chase you down for updates. Beyond that, a WAR is a great way to showcase your impact. We all know how fast-paced things get, and let’s be real—if you don’t document what you did, it can sometimes feel like it never even happened. A quick recap ensures your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and helps leadership make informed decisions. Plus, if priorities shift or obstacles pop up, you’ll already have the context ready to adjust and get the support you need without unnecessary delays. And here’s the best part: this report isn’t just for your boss—it’s for you. Over time, it becomes a personal highlight reelof everything you’ve accomplished, making performance reviews, promotions, and even those “What did I even do this quarter?” moments so much easier. Plus, let’s be honest—no one loves being micromanaged. Sharing updates proactively builds trust, cuts down on unnecessary check-ins, and keeps things moving smoothly. Even if you’re in career transition, taking a few minutes each week to reflect on what you’ve done keeps you focused, intentional, and aware of your own progress. Big wins don’t always happen overnight, but when you track the small steps, you’ll see just how much momentum you’re building. If you want, I can help put together a simple structure to make your weekly reporting effortless! #WeeklyActivityReport #Leadership

How I Started Feeling Actually Free on Weekends (One Simple Shift) One of the sneaky ways ADHD shows up? That constant feeling of needing to finish what you didn’t get done during the week. For me, that “catch-up” energy used to bleed into evenings… then creep into weekends. Before I knew it, I was using my Sunday to plan the week ahead—telling myself, “This way I’ll hit the ground running on Monday.” But here’s what really happened: That planning session would hang over my whole weekend like a cloud. I wasn’t relaxing. I wasn’t recharging. I was waiting to plan. A few weeks ago, I tried something different. Using the Focus Formula and our daily co-working rhythm, I started doing my weekly review and next-week planning on Friday. What changed? ✅ I actually acknowledged what I got done (which my ADHD brain had already forgotten). ✅ I felt a sense of completion heading into the weekend. ✅ I had a plan before Saturday started—no more Sunday dread. It’s a small shift, but for ADHD brains, where you anchor your weekly planning makes a huge difference. Friday planning = weekend freedom. Try it out. See how it feels. #ADHD #ADHDentrepreneur #WeeklyPlanning #FocusFormula #NeurodivergentWorkflows