Weekly Review

The Weekly Review is the secret weapon of GTD. It keeps your system trusted and current.

"If you don't have a Weekly Review discipline, you simply won't trust your system past a couple of days." — David Allen

Why Weekly Review?

Without regular review:

• Lists get stale
• Trust erodes
• Captured items pile up
• Projects stall
• Stress returns

With weekly review:

• System stays current
• Mind stays clear
• Nothing falls through cracks
• You engage with confidence

When to Review

Schedule: Same time, same day each week
Popular times:

• Friday afternoon (end the work week clean)
• Saturday/Sunday morning (start fresh)

Duration: 30-90 minutes

Tip: You can set a recurring reminder for your Weekly Review in Settings → Notifications. Use this to protect your review time.

The Mindwtr Review Wizard

Mindwtr provides a guided weekly review. Access it from:

• Desktop: Weekly Review in sidebar
• Mobile: Review tab or drawer

Step 1: Process Inbox

Goal: Inbox Zero

Review each inbox item:

1. Is it actionable?
2. What's the next action?
3. Clarify and organize

In Mindwtr:

• See your inbox count
• Process items using the clarify workflow
• Empty the inbox completely

Step 2: Review Calendar

Look back 14 days:

• Did you miss anything?
• Any completed appointments need follow-up?
• Capture new actions that arose

Look ahead 14 days:

• What's coming up?
• What preparation is needed?
• Capture any new tasks

In Mindwtr:

• Review the Calendar view
• Check past and upcoming events
• Add any needed actions

Step 3: Waiting For

Review delegated items:

• Have you received what you're waiting for?
• Do you need to send a reminder?
• Update notes with latest status

In Mindwtr:

• View all waiting tasks
• Follow up on stale items
• Move completed items to Done

Step 4: Review Projects

For each active project:

• Does it have at least one next action?
• Is it still relevant?
• Has it been completed?

In Mindwtr:

• See projects with/without next actions
• Add next actions where missing
• Mark completed projects as Done

Step 5: Someday/Maybe

Review incubated items:

• Do you want to activate any?
• Should any be deleted?
• Are any still relevant?

In Mindwtr:

• Browse Someday/Maybe list
• Promote items to Next Actions
• Archive or delete stale items

Complete

You're ready for the week ahead:

• All inboxes empty
• Calendar reviewed
• Projects have next actions
• Lists are current

Optional AI Review

If enabled, Mindwtr can analyze stale tasks during review and suggest:

• Move to Someday/Maybe
• Archive
• Break down
• Keep

You always choose which suggestions to apply.

Detailed Review Checklist

Get Clear

• Collect loose papers and materials
• Process physical inbox
• Process email inbox
• Process notes and voicemails
• Empty your head (capture any lingering thoughts)

Get Current

• Review action lists (mark completed, add new)
• Review previous calendar (capture follow-ups)
• Review upcoming calendar (prepare, capture actions)
• Review waiting-for list (follow up, update)
• Review projects (ensure each has next action)
• Review someday/maybe (activate or delete)

Get Creative

• Review goals and vision
• Any new ideas or initiatives?
• What would make next week great?

Splitting the Review

If 90 minutes feels too long, split into two sessions:

Session 1: Get Clear (Friday, 45-60 min)

• Collect everything
• Process inboxes to zero

Session 2: Get Current & Creative (Weekend, 45-60 min)

• Review all lists
• Update projects
• Look ahead

Tips for Consistent Reviews

Environment

• Same time each week
• Same location
• Minimize distractions
• Consider background music

Make It Ritual

• Start with tea or coffee
• Use a checklist
• Celebrate completion

When You Skip

If you miss a week:

• Don't beat yourself up
• Do a shorter review to catch up
• Get back on schedule

Common Review Mistakes

1. Skipping the review — Systems fail quickly without it
2. Just scanning lists — Actually process and update
3. Rushing through — Give it proper time
4. Not capturing — Write down new items discovered
5. Ignoring stuck items — Address or delete stale tasks

See Also

• [GTD Overview]
• [GTD Workflow in Mindwtr]
• [GTD Best Practices]