The Entrepreneur’s Monthly Checklist Could Make the Difference Between and Good Year and a Great One. Here’s the Format I Use.

Pause to Reflect

Taking 2 hours out on the last day of every month to review, recharge and recalibrate is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner.

Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned a strategy based upon insights from productivity gurus such as David Allen (Getting Things Done), Greg McKeown (Essentialism) and Michael Hyatt (Full Focus Planner). On the last day of every month, I take myself somewhere quiet to think, reflect, and work my way through a simple checklist. I find it to be a valuable process to pause for a while, review progress made and ensure that I remain focused on the right things.

A quiet 120 minutes armed only with your laptop, a pen and a notebook will make the difference between having a good year and an outstanding year.

Here’s my Review and Preview Checklist:

Review

• Review all your notes, journals, and calendar for the month
• Identify your 3 Biggest Wins.
• What Worked/What Didn’t — and why?
• What Will you Keep Doing/Stop Doing?
• Review your Goals — monthly, quarterly, annual.
• Identify unfinished tasks and carry them forward.
• Reorganise all your loose plans, ideas, and projects.
• Review your Calendar from last month — any unclosed loops?
• Get to Inbox Zero.
• Review and reflect on your Gratitude List.
• Review your Someday/Maybe List.
• Review your Bucket List (add/delete items).

Preview

• What are your Big 3 projects for next month?
• Diarise enough time to complete every project.
• Review your upcoming schedule and calendar.
• Review your ‘Waiting For’ List.
• Diarise your plans for exercise/eating/rest/recovery.
• Lock in your plans for family/friends/travel/adventure/fun.
• Ask What does a great (^next month^) look like? Write it down.

The Monthly Blend

David Allen’s GTD framework gets me organised, Greg McKeown reminds me to simplify and focus on what really matters and Michael Hyatt gives me an analogue tool (Full Focus Planner) to pull it all together into a system that works.

Here’s to a rewarding and energising month ahead — Let’s Go!

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