In life, as well as in business, we have to continuously strive for better and more effective project management. Why? Well, projects are all around us – all the time, and the better you can manage them, the more productive you get. Productivity is all about doing the right things for impact, and if you don’t understand project management, you won’t make much impact at all. In this article, we’re diving into the transformative power of reflection routines to showcase why they can propel your project management skills to new heights. Read on, friend!

What is a Reflection Routine?

A reflection routine is a practice that allows you to evaluate your actions, decisions, results, and progress in relation to a project or recurring area of operations in your life. It provides opportunity for self-evaluation and continuous improvement by gaining insights into strengths and weaknesses, identifying areas for growth, and learning from past experiences.

In a general sense, reflection routines encompass both micro-level reflection, which focuses on individual tasks and projects, and macro-level reflection, which involves evaluating long-term goals and overall strategies. That being said, you can also apply both of those techniques on a smaller scale – within each project. I love doing it that way because it lets you get a 365 degree view, and that is so powerful.

 When Do You Use a Reflection Routine?

There are many times when using a reflection routine pays off, but there is one place where it undisputedly shines: at the end of any given project. Yes, every project should have a reflection routine built into it, in the fourth and last stage. That is known as the post-production phase, and it’s where you analyze what happened during the previous (planning, pre-production, and production) phases.

In any wrap-up, it’s crucial that we look at the results of what happened. Did we meet the goal? Did we complete the project? How did it go? How do we know that? And how can we do better next time we have a similar project? These are just some of the questions you might consider as you go into the post-production phase. Your reflection routine will give you ample time to find all those answers, and that way, we can make necessary adjustments and optimize our productivity – something we all want.

The Myths & Why They’re Wrong

Most people don’t take the time to reflect enough on their results, whether good or bad, even though study after study outline the benefits. They’ll say things like “I’m not great at writing,” “I can’t focus for that long,” or “I just don’t have the time for that stuff. I’d rather move on more important things.” Any of these statements (or related ones) assume a few things. Let’s discuss.

First, they assume you have to be a “writer.” Wrong. You don’t have to be a great writer to have a great reflection routine in place. If you can spell or dictate, that’s enough. We’re not talking the Gettysburg address here.

Second, you don’t have focus for very long to reflect on anything. You can break it down into micro-goals if you need to, and answer one question at a time. It doesn’t have to take very long.

Third, you’re assuming that there is something more important to move on to instead – the next project, perhaps? Wrong. Without a reflection routine to wrap up your project, you’ll make the same mistakes over and over again, wasting time, energy, money, and other resources in vain. Bad move.

A lot of this comes from now understanding the process, or why it’s helpful, so let me break it down for you.

Why We Absolutely Need Reflection Routines

Reflection routines are an integral part of the process when trying to improve your project management skills. Not only that, but I believe they’re also the secret to a happy and fulfilling life. No question about it. It’s only by having several strong reflection routines in place that I’ve gotten to where I am today, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. They’re my secret weapon to excellence in everything I do, and they have allowed me to create a much shorter and productive work week for myself.

Not convinced yet?

Here are the top 3 benefits (IMO) that a good reflection routine will provide you:

1. Informed Future Decision-Making (i.e. Learning from Past Mistakes)

Through reflection, we have the opportunity to learn from our past experiences. By analyzing what worked well and what didn’t, we can extract valuable lessons that inform our future selves. Using reflection routines to understand where things went wrong (if they did) enables us to fine-tune our approach next time. By deliberately carving out time to process and think critically, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities. We can evaluate different approaches, consider various perspectives, and make more informed decisions going forward. This conscientious way of moving empowers us to work more efficiently. It all comes from having complete clarity on what just happened.

2. Self-Awareness (A Deeper Understanding of Yourself)

Allowing ample time to process things is a vital aspect of future success. We can’t move on well without that piece of the pie. When we rush from one shiny new project to the next without evaluating the results in between, we just don’t see our own patterns. The way in which you do one thing is the way in which you do everything, so when you reflect on your life and business regularly, you start to spot repeating patterns. If the same issues bubble up time and time again, that insight offers you an opportunity to fix them. You gain incredible self-awareness into how you operate that you may otherwise have missed. This process leads to a deeper understanding of yourself, which – in turn – makes you a better leader.

3. Efficiency in Resource Management

A reflection routine provides us with dedicated time to evaluate our own actions, and those of others, including decisions, struggles, and specific skill sets. It shows us who should be assigned to specific tasks because of their expertise, and who shouldn’t be doing certain things. Sometimes, you need to re-shuffle team members into different roles, and you’ll understand exactly what those are if you take time to reflect. Performance evaluations are common in corporate environments, but entrepreneurs and small business owners use them to much a lesser degree. Why? Evaluations don’t have to be threatening, feel awkward, or be difficult in any way. Not if done right.

Similarly, we can get much more efficient in using our other resources, like time, money, and energy when we reflect on how they have previously been used. Understanding all sides of a story lets you spot the gaps and fix them, so you can optimize the process going forward.

Ready, Set, Reflect!

Incorporating reflection routines into project management is essential for enhancing your skills and achieving future success. By dedicating time to analyze and learn from our project experiences, we can continuously improve our strategies. As entrepreneurs, embracing these reflection practices empowers us to navigate future projects with greater creativity and effectiveness.

If you’re interested in experience a guided reflection routine, I invite you to join us in an upcoming Quarterly Planning workshop. It’ll give you a taste of the insights you can gain with just a few simple questions. You’re also welcome to book a Discovery Call to discuss how we can make a reflection routine a part of your success strategy. Harness the power of reflection routines to propel your project management skills to new heights – you’ll be glad you did!

Interested in Another Discussion?

I recently chatted with Melissa Snow from Powerful Women Rising on the benefits of having reflection routines in place. Click to watch the interview on YouTube:

• About the Author
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Caroline Guntur Organizing & Productivity Coach

Hi there! I’m Caroline, and I’m here to help you get organized and be more productive, so that you can live better and have time for what matters.

www.theswedishorganizer.com

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