Monthly Reviews and Resets: Could They Help You Stay Focused and Personally Grow?
Start small for success
Aloha Lovelies,
Good habits, better moods, less reactivity—none of that happens on its own, not in a sustained way.
Monthly reviews and resets could no doubt help me stay focused on the positive changes I want to make in my life. But I have a problem with consistency when it comes to routines like this.
One month blends into the next and a year goes by. Did I really accomplish what I wanted to? Do you sometimes feel this way too?
But I know I can establish a monthly check-in habit if I put my mind to it.
After five years, I now use my planner every single day. But you should see all my week and month-long gaps in previous planners! At least I benefited from the days I did use them. And eventually, daily planning has become second nature to me.
So I intend to start small with monthly reviews and resets. I don’t want to get overwhelmed by a long list and give up. I’ll also make reviews and resets “to-dos” in my planner the last week of each month. That way, they will be harder to forget.
Here’s my plan.
Monthly Review
A monthly review involves reflecting upon and assessing what occurred during the month. It can focus on specific goals, intentions, accomplishments, habits, and progress you’ve made in designated areas—whatever you wish.
I’ve selected six question for my monthly review as follows, with a few response examples included:
What happened? I won’t remember unless I consciously sit down and make a list. Last month included a new study focus, tropical storm Calvin, and treatment for three pre-cancerous skin lesions, and more.
What was the predominant emotional tone of the month? This is important because I want to transform my less desirable mental and emotional patterns. Overwhelm colored many of my weeks last month. Recognizing that has allowed me to consider better strategies for coping with overwhelm.
What brought me joy? The brain has a negativity bias, a primal way of protecting you from harm. You have to intentionally recall the positives in order to offset the negatives already haunting your brain. Doing so can lift your heart and re-fuel your motivation. I had to deal with termite droppings—eek! But I had a lovely female exterminator who didn’t overcharge me.
What challenged me or caused me pain? My tendency to get caught in overwhelm comes out high on this list. But I also countered that by taking three slow, self-nourishing days.
What did I accomplish? I took care of the termite problem. I took care of my health in several different ways. I reached 15,000 followers on Medium.
What have I learned and what are the actions steps I will take as a result? I don’t have to explain myself to anyone!!! It’s okay to assert my boundaries when people ask unnecessarily intrusive questions.
That’s just a sample of my fuller responses.
Six questions may prove too long. I’ll consider it a win if I answer even one question a month, at least for a start.
Monthly Reset
A monthly resets means clearing out the unnecessary and completing action items from the past month so I can begin the new month fresh.
I’ve seen arm-length monthly reset lists that have included coloring your hair, giving yourself a facial, deep cleaning your office, reviewing your goals, auditing your finances and more, more, and more.
A list that long would make me get back into bed. I’d never attempt a monthly reset again.
I selected just three items for my monthly reset. Completing these three will be challenging enough for me. Here they are:
Delete unneeded emails from my inbox and unsubscribe from subscriptions that no longer interest me.
Clear my computer desktop.
Check my financials. How much did I spend during the month? What’s the status of each of my accounts?
That’s my plan for getting started with regular monthly reviews and resets. Wish me luck.
Of course, resets can be done weekly, monthly, or quarterly—whatever suits you. You can even be an organizational athlete and complete all three types.
I personally can’t imagine getting anything else done if I attempted that!
What about you? Do you do monthly reviews and/or resets? If not, would you like to? What’s holding you back? I would love to hear from you in the comments.
[Photo by Pixabay]
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Until Next Time
I feel pretty bubbly this month so far. I got exposed to COVID-19 for an entire hour when my friend was not yet aware but at his most contagious. Miraculously, I didn’t catch the virus.
Counting my blessings!
Thanks for reading. It means a lot to me!
Much love to you. Wishing you well, always.
xo Sandra
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Hi Sandra, I don't do monthly reviews but I do tend to stop, sometimes pretty often, to check in on how I am feeling and why and what I can do to change the feeling if I need to or want to. I am retired from teaching art (about time at 76, almost 77) but I still go to the studio to make art at least 4, usually 5 days a week. I also try to either walk an hour or do a weight (not real heavy) workout 5 or 6 days a week. My main job now is to keep my self and hubby as healthy as possible because we are at the age when health is the most important thing to work on. I also have to maintain the house and keep an eye and ear out for troubles that happen to old houses. I know I need to go to bed earlier so I can get up earlier than 8 but so far I have not made it a ritual. Maybe one day! Sending you love!
I saved this article for the end of August because it intrigued me. I update my "Things" list daily and keep a running list in the Notes app on my iPhone. I've been finding that both lists are too long, or perhaps I am simply too optimistic about what I can accomplish in a day. Too many items get added or carried over. A monthly review and reset seemed like a good way to assess what I've actually done in the past month, how I feel about that, and what I want to prioritize for the next month. It did take a chunk of time to do this as thoroughly as I wanted, but I also felt a sense of relief in eliminating some items completely, delegating others to someone else, or scheduling a few to review again in the future. I, too, am retired, and like jean Sampson, prioritizing health for my self and my husband, both over 80. Our health problems are minor for the most part, but there is no arguing with the fact that we have less energy than we had even ten years ago. I find that planning is perhaps more important now than ever, and the idea of a monthly review and reset resonates with my intentions. As important as it is to find time and energy for the daily physical requirements of living, it is equally important to prioritize time and energy for hobbies, relationships, and activities that feed our mental health and our souls. Thanks for inspiring me to take a closer look at how I spend my time and tweak it to make it better.