“GTD” stands for Getting Things Done, which comes from a popular book by David Allen. Several people of all ages, races, colors, and creeds have benefited from this weekly review process over the years. It has now become established as one of the most effective productivity-boosting techniques.
The GTD weekly review is a systematic review process of the work you did during the week, which includes, but is not limited to:
- The projects you completed.
- The work you hope to get done the following week.
- What opportunities you are waiting for next.
- All the work you should have done but didn’t.
- Ideas and opportunities you haven’t had time to think about.
An effective idea from the Getting Things Done book is getting to a state of “mind like water.” The weekly review is a great tool to help you reach that stage every single week. The only thing important is consistency.
So, how can you be consistent with your GTD weekly review? This post discusses some effective steps you can apply right away to incorporate this amazing productivity-boosting exercise into your schedule.
Step one: Look back into the week gone by
Think of this step as looking backward to tie all the loose ends from the bygone week. Here are some steps to help you achieve the same:
- Grab the journals and papers where you have kept track of your progress.
- Go through your notes.
- Look at your calendar and address the time slots that are empty and need to be filled up, or too full and need to be emptied.
- Look at your email inbox. Did you miss anything?
- Pause for a reflect on any new ideas that might come to your head regarding how you can make the most of the upcoming week.
Step two: Plan to make the most of the current week
The next step is to sort all your bearings and make the most of the upcoming week. Here are some steps you can apply to implement this phase of the GTD weekly review:
- Look at what projects you have lined up next.
- Consider and plan your next actions.
- Review your calendar to see where you can fit these slots in. Make sure you include time for self-care as well.
Step three: Get creative
The final step in getting consistent with your GTD weekly review is to get creative and think of all the ways you can get even more done in a short time. This step includes the following aspects:
- Look at your “someday I will get these done” list and see if there is something you can ditch or accomplish right away.
- What can you eliminate from your current list that will open up more exciting opportunities and help you get more work done?
- What are some “big ideas” you have that you can execute right away?
Bonus tips to be consistent
Once you know what you can do to accomplish a proper GTD weekly review, here are some bonus tips on how you can be consistent with this new habit.
- Keep aside a few hours every Friday afternoon for your GTD weekly review.
- If Friday afternoons don’t work for you, you can also try to do your review on Saturday mornings or Friday nights. There is no hard and fast rule regarding when you need to complete your review. You can pick the time that works best for you, even if it requires a few rounds of iteration before you can zero in on the perfect time slot that works for you.
Get a habit tracker
Using a habit tracker to mark the days you stuck to your goal of performing a GTD weekly review can be an excellent way to make sure you don’t fall off the wagon. Seeing a streak of several weeks would be an excellent motivation to keep pushing yourself. It can also serve as a reminder of what you are capable of and how much remains to be done before you can reach where you’re supposed to.
Get an accountability partner
Having someone else perform a GTD weekly review every Friday with you can make building any new habit easier. You can join a community of people who are committed to boosting their productivity.
If you can’t find a friend who’s also learning to work on a GTD weekly review, you can hire an accountability coach to help keep you on track. These are trained individuals who will hold you accountable and help you get back on track if you ever fall off the wagon.