Choose a useful task to improve
Pick one repeated task worth improving, using three plain questions and a clear finish line.
5 min · BeginnerRead guide
Everyday productivity
Run a weekly work review
Collect your tasks, see what got done, clear blockers, choose three priorities for next week and book the next review.
Before you start
What you’ll work toward
You will finish with three clear priorities for next week and your next review already in the calendar.
What you’ll need
- A list of what you worked on, or at least your calendar for the past week
- A notes app, a document or paper
- A calendar to book your next review
Cost
- No paid tool required
Scope
- A manual routine; nothing is synced or automated
STEP 1 OF 5
Collect your tasks
Gather everything on your plate in one place.
- Open your to-do list, inbox, calendar and any notes from the week.
- Write every open task on one page, without sorting.
- Add anything you promised someone.
Worked example. Seventeen items, including “Send Ravi the revised quote” from Tuesday’s call.
Expected result
One page listing every open task.
Check your work
Check nothing important is sitting only in your head or in a message.
If something goes wrong
- If the list is overwhelming, stop at twenty and note that more exist.
Read all steps
Collect your tasks
Gather everything on your plate in one place.
- Open your to-do list, inbox, calendar and any notes from the week.
- Write every open task on one page, without sorting.
- Add anything you promised someone.
Worked example. Seventeen items, including “Send Ravi the revised quote” from Tuesday’s call.
Expected result. One page listing every open task.
Check your work. Check nothing important is sitting only in your head or in a message.
If something goes wrong
- If the list is overwhelming, stop at twenty and note that more exist.
Review what you completed
See what got done and what did not.
- Tick off what was finished this week.
- Note anything you planned and did not do.
- Write one line on why, for each of those.
Worked example. Did not finish the website text. Reason: waiting on photos.
Expected result. A list of completed items and a short reason for each that was not.
Check your work. Be honest: only tick what is genuinely finished.
If something goes wrong
- If you finished little, look for the reason rather than blaming yourself.
Resolve the blockers
Find what is holding tasks up and decide what to do about it.
- List every task that is waiting on someone or something.
- For each, choose: nudge, decide, drop or wait.
- Write the nudge or decision as an action with a date.
Worked example. Waiting on photos: nudge the photographer on Monday. Dropped the newsletter redesign.
Expected result. Every blocked task has a next action or has been dropped.
Check your work. No task should be labelled “waiting” without a date to check again.
If something goes wrong
- If you cannot decide, set a ten-minute timer and choose the smaller next step.
Choose three priorities
Pick the three things that matter most next week.
- Read your task page and mark the tasks that would make next week a success.
- Choose no more than three.
- Write each as a clear outcome with a finish line.
Worked example. 1. Send the revised quote. 2. Publish the website text. 3. Book the open day permit.
Expected result. Three written priorities for next week.
Check your work. Check you can say clearly when each one is done.
If something goes wrong
- If everything feels equally important, pick the one with the earliest deadline.
Schedule the next review
Make the review a habit by booking it now.
- Pick the same time next week.
- Add it to your calendar as a repeating event.
- Put your three priorities somewhere you will see them on Monday.
Worked example. Fridays at 3:30pm, 20 minutes, repeating.
Expected result. A repeating calendar event and your priorities in view.
Check your work. Look at your calendar and confirm the event is there.
If something goes wrong
- If Fridays are always disrupted, move the review to Monday morning.