How to Do a Mid-Year Review
What is a mid-year review?
It's a time where you sit down and look at what you've done in the first six months of the year and what you need to do or change in the second half. You may have made goals in January which are no longer relevant, or able to be accomplished. Things change and a mid-year review is a great time to check up on things.
You Will Need. . .
•A notebook or piece of paper (I do this in my bullet journal personally)
•A pencil
•30-60 minutes
•Optional: highlighters or markers to make things pretty (because why not)
Step 1: Accomplishments
The first thing I always do is write a list of what I've accomplished so far. It's so easy to get caught up in what you haven't done yet, at least for me. So take five minutes and write a list of at least five things, big or small, you've done so far. It can be something big like getting a new job or something small like forming a new habit. You rock, and don't you forget it.
Step 1a: Proudest moments
To go along with my accomplishments, I like to list what three of my proudest moments have been so far this year. It's an optional step, but it's a little different than accomplishments and this is more personal, I feel. I think it gives good insight into how you've grown so far as well. But again, completely optional.
Step 2: What worked
The second list you'll make is a list of things that worked well for you thus far. You can be more specific if you'd like, but the general question "what worked?" works for me. Here you'll highlight any habits, new things you tried, or adjustments you made in the last six months that have worked well in your life. These are the sorts of things you'll want to continue doing and improving on as you go forward.
Step 3: What didn't work
To go with the above step, you'll make a list of things that haven't been working for you. Bad habits you've gotten into, areas you don't feel like you're doing well in, etc. This list is helpful to see what areas you should work on improving on and finding solutions for.
Step 4: Stop/start
What sort of things would you like to stop doing in the second half of the year? What would you like to start? Write a short list of about three things for each list. These are not goals, exactly, but they can be if you want. They're more reminders for you for the rest of the year.
Step 5: To improve
Your final list is an idea of ways you'd like to improve. Maybe you want to try time-blocking your days, or reading a Psalm every night. Write any of those ideas here. This is more concrete than the last lists you made, giving you applicable ideas to implement.
Step 6: Journal your thoughts
If you're not much of a journaler, then feel free to skip this step. But I find it helpful to take a minute and reflect on the year so far. My thoughts and feelings on what's happened and how I've done on my goals. How has God been working in your life the last few months? Have you done more than you think?
Step 7: Update your goals
Now it's time to look at the goals you made at the beginning of the year and compare it to the lists you've made. Is there a goal you no longer think you can or want to accomplish this year? Drop it. Is there another goal you'd like to tweak to make more specific? Do that now. I always write a list of updated goals in the variety of categories I have, such as personal, writing, and blog.
You can pick and chose from these steps what you want to do. If you only want to do some, go ahead. I know I'm pretty extensive, so what works for me might not work for you. But I hope this encourages you to give the last six months a review and see where you are.
Have you ever done a mid-year review? Do you like making lists or no? Tell me in the comments.
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