Why you need personal reports for the week, month and year

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We usually prefer to act rather than reflect. But reflecting on our experience is very helpful: it will make it easier for us to understand what we have achieved and what we have learned. It also strengthens our self-confidence. And the more we believe in our strength, the more we succeed.

Researchers have found that by organizing and pondering what we learn, we remember it better. … Moreover, both in professional activity and in study there comes a time when the assessment of one's own experience is even more useful than further practice.

It is worth evaluating your results every week, month and year.

1. Weekly reports will help you remember nothing

Thanks to the weekly report, you can understand what needs to be completed, prepare for next week and take stock of short-term results.

Of course, a simple parsing of lists of completed and unfulfilled cases is not particularly interesting. They usually accumulate many tasks that we do not want to do or cannot yet.

So don't get hung up on to-do lists, but rather focus on your accomplishments for this week and plans for the next.

What to include in the weekly report

Over time, you will develop your own approach, but at first you can include the following points.

1. Disassemble all papers and documents. Arrange the necessary ones in their places, discard the rest.
2. Review your weekly notes. Check if there is anything left that needs to be completed, if important information is not lost.
3. Check your calendar. Check if everything has been completed after the past events.
4. Assess how the annual goals are progressing. Make sure that for each goal, the next step is planned and included in your schedule.
5. Check out the calendar for next week. Check if preparation is required for upcoming events and schedule it.
6. Check projects in progress. Make sure the next step is thought out and included in your schedule.
7. Track the implementation of the tasks that you delegated. Also check the projects for which you are waiting for someone else's solution or help.
8. Review your list of non-urgent tasks that you would like to complete if you have time. You can choose one of them and add it to your schedule for the next week.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but you will get used to it over time. All you need is this list and a little patience.

2. Monthly reports will help keep track of the movement towards the goal

We all love to set big goals at the beginning of the year, but they are rarely achieved. Sticking to one month's goals is much easier. And the monthly report is just perfect for setting new goals, analyzing your progress over the past month and celebrating your successes.

What to include in the monthly report

It is better not to complicate such reports.

• Write down what is important this month. It can be not only your achievements, but also events that influenced you, or events that you attended.
• Consider three such events over the past month: the most significant milestone in personal development, the greatest professional achievement, the most valuable lesson learned.
• Think about what emotion might have characterized the past month.
• Set goals for the next month.

3. Annual reports will help to comprehend the past year and tune in to the new

Naturally, annual reports take more time as you need to think more and plan more. But that doesn't mean they have to turn into hard work. You can only think about your professional achievements in a year. Or evaluate how you moved towards your goals. Or maybe you just make a list of your favorite books and films for the year.

What to include in the annual report

As with previous reports, everything is individual here. Focus on what is important to you.

1. Think back to your achievements over the past year.
2. Review the most important lessons learned.
3. Rate how the year has passed on a five-point or ten-point scale.
4. Make a list of goals for the next year by first asking yourself what you need to do in order to rate this year 10 out of 10.
5. Decide what new habits you need to develop to achieve your goals.
6. Plan the first step for each goal.

If you want to think more carefully about the past year, try Leo Babauta's advice.

• Review all your travel notes and photos to remember where you've been this year.
• Review all of the documents created this year on your computer to remember what you worked on.
• Review your online shopping history and bank card statements to remember what you spent your money on.
• Read your notes and journal entries if you keep one.

After spending just one evening reflecting on what you have accomplished in the past year and what you want to achieve in the next, you will have a much better understanding of how to build your daily schedule. To move towards several big goals at the same time, you just need to set aside time once a year to clearly define your aspirations.