The idea behind the weekly focus session is not to catch up with noticing, capturing, deciding and parking. All those things are done as you go along according to the minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour and day-to-day rhythms of your week.

The purpose of the weekly focus session is to get your project-level thinking up to date and to assure yourself that all your lists are current, complete, correct and above all trustworthy to support you.

This reference sheet may appear lengthy to begin with, but before long you will probably do most of this automatically with only occasional reference to the sheet.

Before You Start:

• Get as close to "do not disturb" mode - physically and mentally - as you can.
• Notice: look at your desk and surroundings for anything that may need action.
• Decide: add any Next Actions that occur to you as a result of this to your Next Action lists (or action straight away if less than two minutes).
• Notice: look in your briefcase/wallet/handbag/pockets/other travel things for anything that may need action or putting somewhere else.
• Decide: add any Next Actions that occur to you as a result of this to your Next Action lists (or action straight away if less than two minutes).
• Remember REDS: Reference materials (current), Equipment (in full working order), Decoration (that you still regard as such) and Supplies (the ones you still need and use) probably belong where they are. Everything else may require action.
• Do a mini brain detox if you feel the need.
• Attend to any recent emails and everything in your in-tray. Do not attempt to clear significant backlog, if there is any, during this time.

Every external input that could be available at this time is now reflected in your lists. You are ready to start the weekly focus session itself.

Project Level:

For each project on your Projects list:

• Ask "should this still be a live project for me?"
  • If "no", consider cancellation, whether it is better placed with someone else, or move to Someday/Maybe as appropriate.
• Revisit your materials relating to the project's purpose, vision, and plan - does what you see feel current and true? How do you feel when you contemplate the project?
  • If you feel good about the project, move onto the next project straight away.
  • If you feel bad about the project, write whatever thoughts occur to you about it, continuing until there is nothing new. There may not be very much. Use what you have just written as the basis for modifying your materials relating to the purpose, vision and plan.
• Check that all possible Next Actions about this project are on the relevant Next Action lists (including calendar, where appropriate).
• Review again what you have written about the project's vision. Bring the vision back to life in your imagination for at least a few seconds. Hold onto it for long enough that you begin to feel excited about it all over again.

Next Action Level:

Look at each of the Next Actions on your lists:

• Has it been done but not yet marked as complete?
  • If "yes", mark as complete and put in the Next Action(s) that succeed it.
  • If "no",would it take two minutes or less to do it there and then? If two minutes or less, do it right away.
• Consider due dates:
  • If the Next Action has a due date, is it the right one? Should it have one at all?
  • If it has no due date, should it have one after all?
• Has it been hanging around longer than it should? Have you had opportunities to do it, but done less useful things instead? If so, do some diagnostics:
  • Check whether this is really the Next Action. If there is anything else that has to happen first, that's the Next Action.
  • Is the Next Action reminder written as an instruction to you? Is the verb concrete (says exactly what you see yourself doing)?
  • Is the chunk size right for you? (Lower skill and/or will in relation to this action need smaller chunks, high skill & will mean larger chunks could be OK.)
• Check your action support material and bin or file anything that doesn't belong there.
• Check your computer desktop and/or other folders where there may be "in" or "work in progress". Delete or move anything that no longer belongs there.
• Add any Next Actions that occur to you to your Next Action lists (or action straight away if less than two minutes)

Look at your calendar:

• Looking backwards, focus on loose ends:
  • Check each appointment on each day from yesterday back to the day after your last weekly focus session.
  • Add any Next Actions that occur to you to your Next Action lists (or action straight away if less than two minutes).
  • Request any meetings needed, or make a note to ask someone else to do so.
• Looking forwards, focus on preparation and diary management/congestion:
  • Check each appointment on each day from tomorrow forward for at least a week, or as far as there continue to be useful things to see.
  • Add any Next Actions that occur to you to your lists (or action straight away if less than two minutes).
  • Add any new projects that occur to you to your lists. For each project, create as full a plan as needed and add Next Actions to your Next Action lists.
  • Move/shorten/cancel/delegate/challenge any meetings which seem not to be good value for the time allocated.
  • Make notes to discuss aspects of diary management "standard operating procedure" with others as appropriate

For each item on your Someday/Maybe list:

• Ask "should this be live now?"
  • If "yes", move from Someday/Maybe to live status, create as full a plan as needed and add Next Actions to your Next Action lists, or take actions to initiate such moves, as appropriate.
• Ask "should this be deleted now?"

The Bigger Picture

Once a month or so have a look at each item in your role inventory:

• Is this still something you are content to be doing?
• Are there any significant things (actually happening or desired) not reflected there?
  • Consider projects to close any gaps.
• What needs to be discontinued?
  • Consider projects to withdraw from certain roles.
  • Consider cancelling or curtailing current projects which do not fit.
• What needs to be done better?
• What needs to be done more efficiently?
  • Consider outsourcing, delegation, and re-engineering.

Once a quarter or so have a look at your medium-term goals (expected to take more than one year to achieve):

• Is this still what you are aiming for?
• Are there any significant things here which are not being progressed via your Project list? Consider projects to fill any gaps.
• What needs to be discontinued? Consider cancelling or curtailing current projects which do not fit.

Once every six months or so have a look at your longer-term goals and vision (expected to take three to five years or more to achieve):

• Is this still what inspires you?
• Are there any significant things here which are not reflected in your medium-term goals?

Once a year or so have a look at your life purpose and core values:

• Is this still who you are and want to be?