Five Questions to Ask in a Monthly Review

Before you begin: gather a few clues

Start with evidence you already have: calendar entries, completed tasks, photos, notes, or a short list of plans you made at the start of the month. These are prompts for memory, not a scorecard. If your records are incomplete, say so and work with what you remember rather than treating missing data as proof that nothing happened.

A review works best when it ends with a decision you can act on. Atlassian’s retrospective guidance similarly moves from reflecting on what went well and what could improve to choosing changes for the next cycle. Its guidance is written for teams and sprints, but that sequence can also inform a personal monthly review. [Atlassian: Sprint retrospectives](https://www.atlassian.com/team-playbook/plays/retrospective)

1. What actually happened this month?

Make a short, factual timeline of the month. What did you finish, begin, attend, make, explore, or spend time on? Include ordinary moments as well as milestones: a meal with a friend, a weekend walk, a room reorganized, or a project moved forward.

This question separates events from judgments. “I did nothing” is a conclusion; “I finished two tasks, postponed one, and took a day trip” is a record you can use. If you had goals, compare the plan with what happened, but include meaningful activities that were never on the plan. The purpose is to see the month more clearly, not to rate yourself.

**Try this:** Write five to ten bullet points. If that feels difficult, look through one calendar week at a time, then stop when you have enough examples to recognize patterns.

2. Which moments or activities felt worthwhile?

Choose a few moments you would gladly make room for again. What made them enjoyable or meaningful to you? Perhaps you liked the activity itself, the people you shared it with, the setting, or the freedom to do it at your own pace. Naming the reason gives you a more useful clue than simply labeling the month “good” or “bad.”

Keep the answer personal and specific. “More exercise” is broad; “a quiet walk after work helped me enjoy being outdoors” names an actual activity and what appealed about it. This is not a demand to optimize every hour. It is a way to notice what you want to choose again.

Todoist’s annual-review guide recommends looking back at accomplishments and using concrete records to reflect on the year. A monthly review can use that same basic act of looking back on a smaller scale, while keeping the focus on your own experience. [Todoist: How to complete your own annual review](https://www.todoist.com/inspiration/annual-review)

3. What got in the way, or took more time and energy than expected?

Identify one or two specific frictions. A plan might have depended on an open evening that filled up, required materials you did not have, or competed with another commitment. Describe the circumstance without turning it into a verdict about your character.

Then ask whether anything can be adjusted. Could the activity be shorter, moved to a different day, simplified, or planned with someone else? Is it still something you want to do? Sometimes the useful conclusion is to change the plan; sometimes it is to let an activity go because it no longer interests you.

Be careful not to infer a pattern from one unusual month. A single cancellation may reflect a one-off event. If the same obstacle appears several times, note the repetition and consider a small change. The review is a practical aid, not a test with a pass or fail result.

4. What did I learn about what I enjoy, value, or want to do differently?

Turn observations into a modest insight. For example: “I enjoyed making dinner with friends more than planning a large gathering,” or “I had more time for drawing when I left supplies out.” Keep the wording close to the evidence. One month can suggest an idea; it cannot prove a universal rule about what you will always enjoy.

If you are unsure, write a question to explore next month instead of forcing a conclusion: “Would I enjoy this more on a weekend?” or “Do I want to continue this project, or was I mainly keeping it because I had already started?” Curiosity leaves room to revise your view as circumstances change.

A useful note connects the observation to a choice. “I like being outside” is a starting point. “I want to plan one easy outdoor activity next month” gives that observation a possible next step.

5. What will I carry into next month?

Choose one to three actions, intentions, or activities. [Bullet Journal’s migration guide](https://bulletjournal.com/blogs/faq/migration) likewise asks readers to check whether unfinished tasks still deserve to carry forward, though this five-question review covers more than tasks. Make each concrete enough that you will recognize it when it happens. “Spend more time with friends” might become “ask Sam about dinner during the first week.” “Make progress on the project” might become “choose the next small piece and work on it once.”

Also decide what you will keep, change, or stop. A simple three-line plan can help:

Avoid filling the page with commitments. The point is to leave with a short direction, not to schedule every moment in advance. If a plan depends on someone else or on an uncertain event, record that condition so you can adapt it later.

A worked example: turn a month into a next step

Imagine you planned to spend more time drawing. Your calendar and notes show that you drew twice, both times on a quiet weekend morning. You also remember enjoying an evening with friends, while a longer art project stalled when you could not find a clear first step.

A practical review might read:

This example does not establish a guaranteed routine or a universal rule. It shows how specific observations can lead to a manageable experiment. Next month, you can see whether you still enjoy it and adjust accordingly.

Keep the review useful, not burdensome

If you have little time, answer the five questions in one sentence each. If you missed a month, there is no need to reconstruct every detail before moving on. Start with what you can recall and choose a next step now. If numbers or trackers help you remember, use them as supporting evidence; do not let them replace the activities and moments you actually care about.

A good monthly review ends with a few clear notes: what happened, what you want to repeat, what you might change, and one next step. Save the notes somewhere you can find them. When you review again, you will have more than a vague impression to reflect on—you will have your own record of what you chose and noticed.

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