July 13, 2024
Wrap up and let go: review
Some days, I struggle to turn "off" after the home office day is done. Sometimes, even the bike ride home from university can't stop my brain after a busy day. Afternoon debugging makes me feel the worst. Drawing, cooking, and watching Netflix. Nothing worked all the time, and bad moods lingered on many evenings. But over the past six months, I developed a small habit that made it a bit easier. At the end of most working days, I write down three successes and three things I'm grateful for. It's stupid stuff like finishing a paper section, or I'm grateful it's weekend. Anything that helps to wrap up the day on a happy note. But above all, I trained myself by doing this every day: daily reflection = workday is done—time to relax.
This little ritual is my daily review. I also do other things (like collecting tasks), but the content doesn't matter. It's about taking a few minutes to reflect on something (my day) so I can let it go. I also do it when I finish a project: an experiment, a talk, or teaching a course. For a few minutes, I write about how I feel. I have prompts to help me (like the three successes and three gratitudes), but sometimes, I delete them and write whatever comes to mind.
I've reflected on my review (haha), and I have four reasons why I like it and keep setting time apart for it:
- Review helps me learn as much as I can from any opportunity. I have a terrible habit of rushing to the next thing. Then, the project I just finished slips from memory, and I repeat mistakes. Without review, I wouldn't have written the next workshop. Now, I have a list of workshop ideas based on my experiences organising the previous one.
- Review helps me celebrate my successes. I'm super critical of myself and don't pat myself on the shoulder enough. Review gives me an opportunity to do this, and it has made me much happier. It just feels so nice to give yourself a small pat on the back and be proud of yourself.
- Review helps empty my head. When I'm learning new things, my head is exploding with ideas. I'm excited because something finally clicked in my mind, or I get a little obsessive about a new function I want to add to my website. Thoughts like these gobble up a surprising amount of energy (I call it my RAM). Having a pre-defined place and time to write these things down helps. There will be a moment to dump these thoughts, or else I will start worrying about where to save these ideas. I also remember better because I write, and I can search my notes whenever I need those ideas.
- Review gives me closure. It's like cracking open a beer at the end of the week. The habit of reviewing has taught me that after I've reviewed a project/day, it's over. I can let go and archive the files in my filesystem and head.
It's on purpose that I've been vague about what I do in my review. It's like with the templates: you should find a workflow that fits you. But here's my recipe:
- Write about how you feel: satisfied/happy/disappointed?
- Write about what you learned: do you need to learn a new skill, or did you realise that you were better at something than you thought?
- Reflect on your planning: was there anything you forgot or would change next time?
- Tie up loose ends: Is there anything I forgot to do? Have I saved all the important files/tasks for future reference?
It depends a lot on the project and how long I take. My daily review is never longer than 10 minutes, including checking my email and messages for anything I forgot to add to my task manager. But sometimes I need 20 minutes or more if I learned a lot from a particular project, like an exciting course. It's essential for me that I give myself this time and don't feel rushed; otherwise, I won't get that feeling of closure.
Small habits inject a little bit of extra happiness into my life—a little bit every time, but it's reliable. Reflecting on projects and opportunities helps me find a spark of light when it's tough. When it's good, it keeps the excitement alive a little longer. You should try it, too.
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