The 30-minute Weekly Review

Get everything out of your head and into one place.

• Gather the loose endsSticky notes, receipts, screenshots, papers on your desk, voice memos. Put them all in one inbox.
• Empty your headWrite down every open loop: calls to make, things you promised, worries, ideas. Don’t sort yet, just capture.
• Process your inbox to zeroFor each item, ask “what’s the next step?” Under 2 minutes? Do it now. Otherwise make it a next action, a project, a Someday item, or let it go.

Make sure your lists match reality.

• Look back at last week’s calendarAny meeting or event that left something to follow up on?
• Look ahead at the next two weeksBirthdays, trips, deadlines. What do you need to prepare?
• Review your next actionsTick off what’s done. Delete what no longer matters. Reword anything vague into a clear first step.
• Review what you’re waiting forReplies, deliveries, favors. Who needs a friendly nudge?
• Review your projectsEvery project needs at least one next action. A project without one is a project that’s stuck.

Now that your head is clear, look forward.

• Skim your Someday / Maybe listIs it time to start one of these? Is anything no longer exciting? Move it or delete it.
• Capture new ideasA clear head tends to have good ideas. Write them down before they fade.
• Pick 1 to 3 priorities for next weekNot everything. Just what would make the week feel like a win.