The weekly review: a 15-minute system that compounds
A weekly review is fifteen minutes that closes open loops, surfaces drift, and forces you to pick three priorities for next week. Brain-dump, scan inbox and calendar, review goals, choose three priorities, and name one thing you'll explicitly drop. Keep the constraint to fifteen minutes.
Fifteen minutes once a week turns a reactive week into an intentional one. Here's a six-step template that closes loops, surfaces drift, and forces real priorities.
Frequently asked questions
What is a weekly review?
A short, fixed-time session — usually 15 minutes on Friday or Sunday — to close last week's open loops, look at what drifted, and choose what matters for the coming week.
How long should a weekly review take?
Fifteen minutes is the right cap. Longer and you'll skip it. Shorter and you won't get past triage. Six small steps fit comfortably in that window.
When is the best time to do a weekly review?
Friday afternoon (close the week clean) or Sunday evening (set up Monday). Avoid Monday morning — by then reactive work has already taken the wheel.
How many priorities should I pick for the week?
Three. Not ten. Lists of ten are wish lists; lists of three force the hard choice the review exists to make.
What if I miss a week?
Just do the next one. The value compounds, so each review you do is worth it whether or not the last one happened. Don't try to 'catch up' by doing a double review — it'll take an hour and you'll quit.