Episode #43: The Power of the GTD Weekly Review®

David Allen shares his thoughts on what a good GTD Weekly Review is and isn’t, as well as some valuable tips and tricks from his years in the trenches. This episode pairs well with Episode #7, the Guided Weekly Review. David has said that the Weekly Review is the “critical success factor” in making your GTD practice stick. This episode is for you if you are new to the Weekly Review, but have not yet built it into a habit, or if you simply want a refresher and new inspiration.

Listen Now—The Power of the GTD Weekly Review

The 11 steps to the Weekly Review

GET CLEAR
COLLECT LOOSE PAPERS AND MATERIALS
Gather all accumulated business cards, receipts, and miscellaneous paper-based materials into your in-tray.
GET “IN” TO ZERO
Process completely all outstanding paper materials, journal and meeting notes, voicemails, dictation, and emails.
EMPTY YOUR HEAD
Put in writing and process any uncaptured new projects, action items, waiting fors, someday/maybes, etc.

GET CURRENT
REVIEW NEXT ACTIONS LISTS
Mark off completed actions. Review for reminders of further action steps to record.
REVIEW PREVIOUS CALENDAR DATA
Review past calendar in detail for remaining action items, reference data, etc., and transfer into the active system.
REVIEW UPCOMING CALENDAR
Review upcoming calendar events—long and short term. Capture actions triggered.
REVIEW WAITING FOR LIST
Record appropriate actions for any needed follow-up. Check off received ones.
REVIEW PROJECT (AND LARGER OUTCOME) LISTS
Evaluate status of projects, goals, and outcomes, one by one, ensuring at least one current next action item on each. Browse through project plans, support material, and any other work-in-progress material to trigger new actions, completions, waiting fors, etc.
REVIEW ANY RELEVANT CHECKLISTS
Use as a trigger for any new actions.

GET CREATIVE
REVIEW SOMEDAY/MAYBE LIST
Review for any projects or actions which may now have become active, and transfer to the appropriate list. Delete items no longer of interest.
BE CREATIVE & COURAGEOUS
Any new, wonderful, hare-brained, creative, thought-provoking, risk-taking ideas to add into your system?

Download a free Weekly Review Checklist in PDF format

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2 Comments

  1. question, how do you differentiate between the weekly review and simple processing? I’ve heard material where DA apparently processes in those in between times… like 5 minutes between meetings or activities… how is that quality decision making?? but mostly, how is that different to the decision making of a weekly review? or is it implicit that when your higher horizons are clear, processing becomes semi automatic in the moment?

    1. The weekly review is a specific time dedicated to reviewing the week. regardless of how much processing you do during the week. in the old gtd book ,there are altitudes, and this should not necessarily go beyond the operational level. basically did you accomplish what you decided to do during the last weekly review. are there any hangups that need to go in to maybelater folders or info to be moved around in other projects? its not an exact science.

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