Setting aside 15-20 minutes each week for a simple reflection exercise can yield huge positive returns in your life. If you try it for a few weeks in a row, you'll quickly notice the benefits. You will also find it becomes a habit and an enjoyable part of your routine.

Pick a date and time each week (e.g. Sunday morning after breakfast) and find a quiet space to sit down and write. We recommend using the same physical notebook, or a digital notepad so that you can review past entries for reference.

Take your time. Some answers may come much more quickly than others. Give yourself the space to sit with these questions and let your mind explore them without any expectation about what you should respond with.

Try to eliminate distractions, as well. Put your phone on "silent mode" while you reflect and write.

12 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Week

1. What is one thing I learned this past week that I will be able to apply going forward? There will be weeks when your learnings represent significant shifts in your worldview, and other times when the lessons are much more nuanced. What counts is your awareness of what you are learning.
2. What is one of my most significant accomplishments from last week? It might help to think about the most important goals or objectives you have set for yourself. In what ways did you make meaningful progress towards them this week?
3. What is the most important thing I need to accomplish this week? If you imagine yourself one week from now doing this reflection, what would you like to be able to say (for your own personal reasons) that you were able to accomplish?
4. What is one thing I can do right now to make this coming week less stressful? If it can be done in 3 minutes or less, pause your reflection and do it now. For example, you could schedule your workouts for the week.
5. What was last week’s biggest time sink? What can you do this week to avoid giving up so much of your valuable time to things that aren't meaningfully productive?
6. What have I been avoiding that needs to get done? You know what you need to do but are avoiding. Make a clear plan for when and how you are going to get it done. If it will take 3 minutes or less, do it now.
7. What opportunities are still on the table? Is there anything you can do to take advantage of (or better understand) these opportunities?
8. Is there anyone I've been meaning to speak with? Make room for the important conversations that you know you need to have. You might benefit from spending 3 minutes right now taking notes on what you'd like to discuss.
9. Is there anyone that deserves a big 'thank you'? Who showed up this past week to support you? Who challenged you or helped you learn something new?
10. How can I help someone else this coming week? What are the most important people in your life up to, and how can you support their efforts?
11. What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? It's always energizing to reflect on the aspects of your upcoming week that you're most interested in and excited about.
12. What am I most grateful for?