If you use any kind of productivity system, you probably at least attempt to do a weekly review of some kind. Two of the most popular productivity methodologies, Getting Things Done and Franklin Covey practically require a weekly review to work. There are lots of ways to approach doing a review, but the basic idea is to look at your current tasks (or to dos), your projects and your larger roles in life, then turn all of those things into concrete tasks for the next week.

Getting Things Done has a system based on altitude to classify all of these areas. It is explained pretty well in this passage from WikiSummaries:

The Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your Own Work is presented in terms of altitude:

• 50,000 + feet: Life
• 40,000 feet: Three- to five-year visions
• 30,000 feet: One-to two-year goals
• 20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility
• 10,000 feet: Current projects
• Runway: Current actions

Each of these levels should enhance and align with the levels above it. Priorities are driven from the top. However, without a sense of control over current projects and actions, trying to manage oneself from the top down can create frustration. Allen recommends starting at the bottom level, first ensuring all action lists are complete, and then working up the model.

Franklin Covey uses a tool called the Weekly Compass Card in their planners to translate your key roles in life to weekly tasks. This is an excerpt from their site:

Behind the Values/Mission Tab in the Personal Management section, you’ll find ideas and activities that will help you identify the key roles you fill in life. After reviewing this information, you’ll understand how the Weekly Compass Card helps you add meaning to your planning every day. Please take the time to review this material.

I’ve tried both of these systems (and a few others) at various times, and I’ve always had trouble with the weekly review thing. It just wasn’t concrete enough for my little brain to understand. That all changed a couple of years ago when I discovered mind mapping.

There are many excellent explanations of mind mapping such as this one at MindTools. If you don’t have time to read that guide, I’ll just say that mind mapping is a great note taking and planning tool for nonlinear thinkers. Instead of writing in an outline format, mind mapping gives you tools to do these things in a hub and spoke type of configuration. It’s a lot more flexible because you can use to draw connections between the spokes, create multiple branches, link one map to another, and a lot more that you can’t do with linear notes. Plus, you get to use pretty colors and pictures!

Different Levels of Commitment

When I thought about all of the roles that I have in my life (or areas of responsibility as they are called in GTD), I realized that they have different levels of commitment and complexity. For example, I am an employee and also a hobby sailor. Being an employee takes a lot more of my time, but I can’t just forget about my sailing commitments. The problem that I was having with the GTD and Covey systems is that they make it difficult to discern major and minor roles. They’re just too linear for me.

My solution was to create a mind map with ALL of the roles and commitments I have in my life right now. Because some are more complex than others, I used the branching and nesting abilities of the mind map to show the relative importance of the roles. I created this sample in the excellent mind mapping software FreeMind, to show you what I mean:

The main branches of the map list the major roles that a typical person might have. These are the things that you could identify with the Franklin Covey major roles in life exercise, or through any other number of tools. What makes mind mapping unique is that you can go deeper into each of these levels to identify sub-roles and even tasks that you need to take care. I went three layers deep with the “Owner of a Body” role to illustrate this:

With the mind map, I am able to not only list out the major components of taking care of a body, but even go down to the task level of seeing a dentist twice per year. You can do similar things with fitness, such as scheduling three workouts per week, or diet with tasks like making a shopping list and cooking healthy meals for the week.

Now when I sit down to do my weekly review, I open up my Roles in Life file and have the whole of my life laid out in front of me. I can think about whether I have a friend that I haven’t called in a while, be reminded that I need to schedule a doctor’s appointment, and create a task to check in with a client about a stagnating project – all in one place.

Create Your Own Map

Now that you’ve seen my sample roles in life mind map, try to create your own. Download FreeMind – it works in all operating systems – or take out a big piece of paper and some colored pens. At the center of the map, write your name, or draw a picture of yourself. Then start drawing branches for your major roles. Some of them might include:

• Employee
• Parent
• Spouse
• Volunteer
• Owner of a Body
• Community Member
• Friend
• Child
• Sibling
• Aunt/Uncle
• Entrepreneur

After you’ve identified your major roles, start drawing sub-branches off of them that further define those roles. For example, under “Parent” you could list the names of your children, their activities, your chaperoning and carpooling obligations, kids doctor appointments, and anything else that comes to mind. Don’t forget to include any major goals you have, such as getting a promotion in the “Employee” category, or completing a triathlon under “Owner of a Body.”

Now, take a look at all of these roles and sub-roles and identify 3-5 concrete tasks you can do to move forward in the areas that are most important to you. Don’t restrict yourself to just work and family related tasks. Try to fit in at least one task that will move you closer to your larger goals and dreams. Make this a hard appointment on your calendar if you need to.

At the end of the week, sit down again and review how well you did in accomplishing these tasks, readjust, and create a new schedule for the week ahead. Remember to update your mind map as your roles change, and rinse and repeat for superior results.

Why Bother?

Now that I’ve figured out my own way to conduct a weekly review, I’ve started to realize what a powerful tool it can be. As I’ve written before, I’m not a big fan of traditional goals and planning techniques (see Having Goals Will Make You Blind!) because I feel that they lack flexibility. What I really like about the weekly review is that you only need to plan one week into the future, but you keep your long distance targets in site. In other words, you are constantly calibrating your compass and keeping on track with your larger vision for life.

Unless your one of these naturally super-motivated and focused people (I’m not!!), it is very easy to drift along and not make much progress. Your life might turn out great that way – or it might not. By having a weekly review, you give yourself a powerful tool for creating the life that you want.

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