A Deeper Dive Into GTD Reflect and Review – TPW445

This week we continue our mini-series about the GTD productivity with a look at why and how we reflect and review. The reflect and review process is key to a truly effective productivity systen A few weeks ago, in episode 440, I started a short series on David Allen’s Getting Things Done productivity system with a brief overview of the system. Then in episode 441, in response to a listener request, I did a little more detailed review of the first step in the GTD system, which is capture. In episode 443 I looked more closely at the next two steps: clarify and organize. This week I’ll be reviewing the next step in the GTD system: reflect and review The "reflect and review" aspect of the GTD method involves regularly examining your task lists, projects lists, calendar, and so on to ensure you're on track with your goals, updating priorities, and maintaining focus. This practice is essential for keeping your system relevant and effective. On the official GTD website they say this is the step where you make optimal use of your system. Another writer says the weekly review is about getting clear (reflecting on the past week and clearing up all loose ends); getting current (deciding what needs to be done during the current/coming week), and getting creative (planning for the future and coming up with “new ideas to improve your life and work”) Importance of review Regular reviews help you identify any changes in priorities, discover overlooked tasks, and ensure that your system remains current and accurate. By reflecting on your tasks and progress, you can make informed decisions about what to work on next and maintain a clear sense of direction.  “You can only feel good about what you’re not doing when you know what you’re not doing.” (GTD website)  It doesn’t mean you do everything on your list. Regular review allows you to have a good sense of what’s there so you can make informed choices about what to do day to day and allows you to be spontaneous.  Regularly reviewing and reflecting on your system gives you perspective. In the midst of day-to-day life we can lose that, get caught up in reacting to what life throws at us. Taking the time to step back and look at the big picture--even if only for a few minutes--can restore perspective and focus our attention on what matters most to us, so we can be more proactive and less reactive. When to review Weekly review: The weekly review is a core component of the GTD system. This is when you can restore order and balance, and make sure you have the perspective needed to feel confident that at any given time you’re doing what you should be doing. Lots of thinkers recommend doing this Friday afternoon or Sunday evening, but you can do it whenever it makes sense for your weekly schedule. I do recommend picking a day/time and trying to use it consistently.  Daily review: In addition to the weekly review, it's beneficial to conduct a brief daily review, specifically of your current active tasks and commitments. This can be done on the morning on the day of, or in the afternoon or evening of the day before. I tend to do both,