“Regularly review your system and goals to stay on the right track.”
Regular review is one of the most powerful habits in the ZTD method. It ensures that nothing escapes your attention and that you are actually making progress toward your most important goals.
Why review is essential
Without regular review:
- Important tasks are forgotten
- Goals are lost sight of
- Priorities change without you noticing
- Lists become obsolete and useless
- Confidence in the system decreases
Review is the time when you take stock of the situation, verify progress, reorganize your priorities, and plan the next steps.
How to implement the weekly review
The weekly review should be a fixed appointment with yourself, preferably at the end of the work week or on the weekend.
Choose a quiet moment
Find an hour when you won’t be disturbed. Many prefer Friday afternoon or Sunday evening. Block this time in your calendar and treat it as an important appointment.
Gather all necessary materials
Before starting, make sure you have at hand:
- The project list
- Action lists
- The calendar
- Your long-term goals
- Any scattered notes to process
- A hot drink (optional but recommended!)
Follow a review checklist
Here are the steps to follow during the weekly review:
- Collect all scattered notes still to be processed
- Empty your head by writing down any thoughts, ideas, or tasks not yet recorded
- Review ongoing projects, updating their status and next actions
- Review action lists and update the status of tasks (completed, waiting, canceled)
- Check long-term goals to ensure that current projects are taking you in the right direction
- Check the calendar both for the past week (missed events?) and for the coming one
- Identify the “Big Rocks” for the coming week
- Identify the MITs (Most Important Tasks) for the first day of the week
Take stock of progress
During the review, take a moment to answer these questions:
- What successes did I achieve this week?
- What obstacles did I encounter?
- What could I improve next week?
- Are there habits I’m neglecting?
- Am I dedicating time to truly important things?
Daily and monthly reviews
Daily review
A brief daily review is the perfect complement to the weekly review:
- In the morning (5-10 minutes): review your MITs and plan the day
- In the evening (5-10 minutes): verify what you’ve completed, what remains to be done, and prepare the MITs for the next day
Monthly review
Once a month, dedicate a bit more time (1-2 hours) to a more in-depth review:
- Review your quarterly and annual goals
- Evaluate if ongoing projects are still relevant
- Update your “Someday/Maybe” lists
- Identify new areas of growth or improvement
- Celebrate the month’s successes
Tips for an effective review
Create a pleasant environment
Make the review a pleasant experience. Choose a comfortable place, perhaps with relaxing music in the background, a hot drink. The more pleasant it is, the more motivated you’ll be to do it regularly.
Use a checklist
Create a personalized checklist for your review and follow it each time. This will allow you not to forget important steps and make the process more efficient.
Be honest with yourself
Review is the time to be completely honest with yourself. If something isn’t working, acknowledge it and make the necessary changes.
Celebrate successes
Don’t use the review only to correct problems and plan new tasks. Take time to recognize and celebrate what you’ve accomplished.
Adapt the process to your needs
Over time, customize the review process based on your specific needs. Add or remove elements from the checklist to make it more effective for you.
Overcoming resistance
Sometimes you might find resistance in doing the review regularly:
- If it seems boring: shorten the process or make it more stimulating with small rewards
- If it seems excessive: start with a very brief review (15 minutes) and gradually expand it
- If you keep forgetting it: set a recurring reminder or associate it with an activity you already do regularly
- If you don’t see the benefits: keep track of the insights and improvements that come from your review sessions
Remember that review is the habit that keeps the rest of your productivity system working. It’s the moment when you stop, take a step back, and make sure you’re on the right path.
