What is reflection?
Why take time to reflect?
Can reflection really contribute to greater health, productivity, and happiness?
How do you start and what are best practices?
Let’s dive into the answers to these questions so that you can transform your well-being and time management!
What is Reflection
Reflection is a deliberate process to examine, organize, and understand your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, actions, experiences, and results. The intent is to learn from the past so that you more fully live in the present and more aptly prepare for the future.
Why Reflect
To quote the Harvard Business Review: “Reflection gives the brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider multiple possible interpretations, and create meaning. This meaning becomes learning, which can then inform future mindsets and actions… This ‘meaning making’ is crucial to ongoing growth and development.”
Reflection, Productivity, & Happiness
One study found that a group of employees who spent 15 minutes at the end of the day reflecting about lessons learned performed 23% better after 10 days than their peers who did not reflect. That’s a pretty good return on investment for your time! Similarly, a UK study of commuters found that when they used their commute time to reflect on and plan their day they were happier, more productive, and didn’t feel burned out.
Best Practices
While most people see the value in taking time to reflect, very few do. Why? Because they don’t know where to start. Here are best practices to start and make reflection a life-changing habit:
- Use a Journal or Planner: You need a place to capture your thoughts, guide your reflection, and make a habit out of reflecting. Use a journal, or if you use a Becoming Your Best planner, you have built-in guides and templates to reflect.
- Reflect Daily: At the end or start of each day, prepare a list of tasks and priorities for the upcoming day (consider your pre-week planning priorities). Identify what is most important, most urgent, what you will do first, and then attack your list ruthlessly. This simple practice can boost your daily productivity by 22 percent. You might opt to include daily gratitude notes and daily “wins” in your reflection.
- Reflect Weekly by Pre-Week Planning: Block out 15-30 minutes before the week starts to review your vision and goals, determine 1-5 key actions by life role, and then schedule your priorities first. This simple reflective practice boosts productivity 30-50 percent, improves health and relationships, and decreases stress.
- Reflect Monthly with a Guided Template: At the start of each new month, take time reflect on the previous month. What went well? What have you learned? What will you stop, start, and continue? Then, prepare for the upcoming month. What will you do differently? Any habits, life roles, or rituals that need attention? Here is the “Reflection Template and Guide” you’ll find between each month in BYB planners.
- Reflect Annually on Your Goals and Personal Vision: Take time annually to evaluate your life from the 30,000 foot view. What are you key life roles? What is your vision for each role? Where are you going? Who are you becoming? Set goals that align with your vision for the upcoming year. This is a powerful way to reflect, learn, and prepare for and create a successful future!
Key Takeaways
Take time to reflect! You’ll be more productive, happier, and healthier. You’ll also be a better leader! Start by using a journal or planner. Reflect daily on your priorities. Reflect weekly by pre-week planning. Use a “monthly reflection guide” to make key pivots. Reflect annually by evaluating your vision and goals for the upcoming year. This simple process can harness the power of reflection to help you become your best!
“We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.“ – John Dewey
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