Why avoiding the checkpoint might well be a mistake
I must be hiding something.
Why else would I be nervous every time I approach a checkpoint? Despite having done nothing wrong, I’m gripped by this sense that I’m about to be found out. I feel twitchy and begin to sweat.
And, of course, I’m ok. I pass through the checkpoint. I continue my journey and everything seems possible again.
We seem to have a natural resistance to checkpoints in all aspects of our lives, but especially when it comes to our work. Given the choice between continuing our work and stopping to take stock, we typically keep busy and wait until the checkpoint is forced on us.
Yet, everything that I’m learning about work and effectiveness suggests that avoiding the checkpoint is the wrong option. Reviews of what’s working and what’s not always help us. Sometimes we do it at the end of major projects or initatives. Or when it’s forced on us by clients or bosses. No matter when, we always learn. (Or at least there’s learning there for us if we’re open to it).
It seems to me that we’re better off if we drive our own review schedule. Whether that’s daily or weekly or monthly, or even quarterly or yearly, we should set the pace that works best for us.
I’m a big fan of David Allen’s Weekly Review practice, which is part of the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology. It helps me to stay in control of what I’m doing, reminding me of things that need to be done as well as giving me a chance to update my priorities. And, no, I don’t do it every week. I would like if I did but I do it enough for me to see clear value in the practice.
Over the coming months, I’m going to try a bunch of other practices for daily reviews and checkpoints as well as exploring what works best in the monthly or quarterly realm, all as part of my Effectiveness Project. There may well be a fear that you might spend more time reviewing your work than doing it but I feel it would be difficult to take it to that extreme, especially when you have multiple areas of activity. I’m not sure if there’s an optimal percentage of time that we should invest in this kind of work and everyone’s needs are probably different. A number like 5% seems about right for me. Let’s see how I do.
If you’re not doing any kind of regular review of your work and how you do it, then think about giving it a shot. You won’t go far wrong by simply asking: what’s working, what’s not, and what can I do even better than I’ve done before now?