The end of the year is a good time to reflect. Don’t know where to start? You can modify the agile retrospective used in project management and use it to both look back on what you accomplished this year and look forward to what you want to accomplish next year.
Start with Four Basic Prompts:
What went well?
Acknowledge wins, big or small. Maybe you mastered a new tool, streamlined your workflow, or received positive feedback from a client. Recognizing these moments builds confidence and clarifies what you should keep doing.
What didn’t?
Reflect on challenges. Did you struggle to meet deadlines or communicate effectively with a coworker? Identify pain points without self-judgment.
What do I need to improve?
Be specific. If you found time management difficult, pinpoint the cause. Was it procrastination, overcommitment, or distractions?
What are some ideas for achieving that improvement?
Brainstorm solutions. If you aim to improve your productivity, think about turning notifications off on all your devices.
Need a template?
Here is an example to help you get started. Let’s say you struggled with time management this year. Your reflection might look like this:
What went well? You met your quarterly goals for client deliverables.
What didn’t go well? You felt constantly rushed and missed a few deadlines.
What do I need to improve? Prioritizing tasks better.
Ideas for improvement: Use a time-blocking app to organize your day, plan weekly reviews, and delegate admin tasks to focus on high-value work.
But Wait, There’s More
Now that you have a framework, here are some additional prompts to help you reflect more deeply.
What tasks energized me this year? What drained me?
If presenting at meetings invigorates you, but repetitive admin work wears you down, consider delegating low-impact tasks or automating processes to free up energy for high-value activities.
What can I let go of?
Free yourself from habits or projects that no longer serve you. Maybe it’s saying no to tasks outside your organization’s mission or stepping away from a committee that’s not aligned with your goals.
What skills do I want to develop next year?
If you’re aiming for a leadership role, focus on skills like strategic thinking or team-building.
Where did I spend most of my time? Was it aligned with my goals?
If a significant portion of your time went to handling urgent but unimportant tasks, consider revisiting your prioritization methods. For suggestions on tools, Google “time management techniques.”
What feedback did I receive this year? Did I act on it?
If you received repeated comments about your unclear communication, then use them to set improvement goals.
What decisions or actions had the most impact? What can I learn from them?
Reflect on high-impact decisions, whether positive or negative. Did you successfully manage a challenging project? Or did you miss an opportunity because you hesitated? Identify patterns in your decision-making process. It will sharpen your capability to continuously improve.
What prompts do you use to gain insight on your professional development? Please share in the comments.