Naiman Labs Newsletter #44. Reflect and review

As we approach the year’s end, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on the past 365 days. Don’t worry; this isn’t the platform where I’ll be sharing my reflections on 2023 🙂

Today, let’s delve into the incredible power and usefulness of the productivity trick — review and reflection. Over the recent months, I’ve been consistently surprised by how impactful this productivity trick can be.

First of all, why do we even need reflections? 🤔 Reflection is an exercise where we can help our minds. We have a lot of thoughts whirling in our heads, and this reflection practice works for me — it helps me to “off-load” these warp of thoughts from my head on paper.

Reflection can have multiple ways depending on the purpose. I find three types particularly useful:

📖 Journalling (when you feel the need to do this)

🗓️ Weekly review (for your notes, tasks, and projects)

⭐ Annual reflection (to check the dashboard and adjust the journey)

When I feel the need, I do journaling 📖

I don’t follow the daily journaling practice. However, I do this from time to time when I feel the need. How do I understand that I need this? When I have too many thoughts, emotions, and ideas, I feel overwhelmed — that is when I know that journalling can help me.

Once, after I had several rounds of conversations and planning with my partners at work, I realized that my to-do list looked very creepy — a lot of scattered to-dos, project ideas, and notes. Of course, I also was processing all those conversations in my head. So I realized that was just too overwhelming, and the ultimate right solution is to write it down.

I went to Starbucks and got a cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and a splash of caramel syrup. Then I opened my notebook and started writing.

I started with: “How I am feeling” — I think it is critical journaling practice — to write down your emotions. When you do this, you express them and look at them from the outside as a spectator. It is beneficial for acceptance and moving on. So I was writing down: motivated, scared, overwhelmed, glad. Also, I added some reasons why I was feeling this. I am not sure if I was doing it right, but I felt like so.

Secondly, I wrote down all the projects and project ideas I discussed earlier—I just made a long list of those projects and ideas. I remember I had 45 items there. Okay. I got some clarity — I immediately felt how my anxiety level went a little bit down.

Third, I looked at the list. What items are the most important and have the highest priority? What are the most interesting and exciting for me? What items can be removed from the list? What items can be grouped? We often have our projects, tasks, and ideas of different sizes listed together, so I always try to see if I can group some minor things to complete each other in a project. I noticed that quite often, in work-related tasks and ideas, I really can do this, and it is very effective.

So, when I feel overwhelmed, I usually open my notebook and start writing my feelings, tasks, and plans. This is helpful.

At the end of the week, I do my weekly review. 🗓️

This is an efficient practice. I review my e-mail, calendar, notes, and tasks for the week. This helps me be confident that I have all the important information and ideas, and it helps me plan the week, being confident that everything is in the right place and not somewhere in your head.

My review process is quite simple:

Step 1: E-mails and work messengers.

Step 2: Notes

Step 3: Calendar

Step 4: Tasks

The logic and the process are pretty straightforward. I scheduled one hour on Sunday and went step-by-step. E-mails, notes, and calendars might feed my task manager with new tasks and ideas. If I find something interesting to read in my e-mails, I add it to the read-later app or my notes. And if I want to plan something for the next week and I know the specific time for it — I add it to the calendar. I find this practice very inspiring, especially the part with notes review. Usually, this action helps me to bring new ideas because something was hidden in my notes.

At the end of the year, I do a year review ⭐

Why is it important? It helps us look back, recognize our achievements, and consider our goals for the following year. Whenever you work at the company, you have it every year — why not do this for the most important company — you?

I usually do the yearly review together with my wife. We sit together in one room, and firstly, each of us writes our reflections on the year:

• How we generally feel about it

• The biggest overall achievement

• Key milestones in family life

• Key milestones in the career

• Key milestones in personal development

Then we exchange and discuss it together, drinking wine and having a Harry Potter movie in the background.

For this year, I want to try something different, and I want to share with you a list of reflection prompts that I find very intriguing. I took this list from Ali Abdaal’s weekly e-mail. As always, it is too complicated, but we can always adjust it for our needs, can’t we?

Here’s Ali’s list: 

• Major Milestones: What were the 3–5 most significant events or achievements in 2023 for you? How did these impact your life?

• Challenges Overcome: What were your biggest challenges or obstacles in 2023? How did you overcome them, and what did you learn from these experiences?

• Growth and Development: In what ways have you grown or changed as a person over the past year? Consider changes in your beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.

• Unfulfilled Aspirations: Were there goals or aspirations you had for 2023 that you did not achieve? Reflect on why they were not met and how you feel about it.

• Surprises: What took you by surprise this year, whether positively or negatively? How did you adapt to these unexpected events or revelations?

• Gratitude: What are you most grateful for in 2023? Think about people, experiences, or opportunities that enriched your life.

• Self-Care and Well-being: How did you take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health in 2023? Were there new habits or practices you adopted?

• Relationships and Connections: Reflect on your relationships in 2023. How have they evolved? Were there new relationships that had a significant impact on you?

• Professional or Academic Growth: How did you progress in your career or studies in 2023? What were the key learnings and how have they shaped your future aspirations?

• Looking Forward: Based on your experiences in 2023, what would you like to do differently in 2024? Are there new areas you’d like to explore or changes you want to make?

For my list, I simplified it to:

1. Major milestones

2. Key growth and development

3. Surprises and gratitude. I find this part super powerful. This will bring pure joy and will spark confidence. Don’t forget to say thank you to yourself!

4. Well-being

5. Relations

6. Career / Professional achievements

7. Looking forward

This is going to be my 2023 reflection checklist. Feel free to use Ali’s or mine, depending on your dedication to the reflection practice.

So that is it for today. Enjoy the end of 2023, and get ready for the best year of your life!