Let’s be honest: you’ve probably tried a weekly review before. You set up a fancy template, promised yourself every Sunday, and maybe made it two weeks. Then life happened, and the review became another thing on the to-do list.
But here’s the thing: the weekly review is the single highest-leverage habit you can build as a solopreneur. It’s not about doing more—it’s about making sure you’re doing the right things. And Notion is the perfect home for it, because you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you want.
I’ve been running a weekly review for over a year now, and I’ve refined it to a 30-minute ritual that keeps me sane. In this post, I’ll share exactly how I set it up in Notion, the prompts I use, and the mistakes I made along the way.
## Why a weekly review matters (especially for solo creatives)
When you’re a solo business, you wear every hat: marketer, accountant, designer, project manager. Without a regular check-in, it’s easy to get sucked into the urgent and ignore the important. A weekly review forces you to step back and look at the big picture.
You might think, ‘I don’t have time for that.’ But consider this: a 30-minute review can save you hours in a week by catching problems early and clarifying priorities. It’s like brushing your teeth—annoying at first, but you’ll notice the difference when you skip it.
## The core components of my Notion weekly review template
I keep it to three pages: a Weekly Log, a Review Dashboard, and a Next Week Plan. The Weekly Log is where I jot down quick notes throughout the week—not a full journal, just bullet points. The Review Dashboard is where I answer a set of questions every Sunday. The Next Week Plan is where I set my top three priorities.
Here’s the exact setup:
– **Weekly Log**: A simple database with a date property and a notes property. I add entries as I go, so the data is already there when I review.
– **Review Dashboard**: A page with a few headings and some toggles. I have sections for ‘Wins’, ‘Challenges’, ‘Energy’, and ‘Lessons’. I write one or two lines for each.
– **Next Week Plan**: A list of three tasks, each with a linked database entry. I keep it intentionally small—three, not ten.
## The weekly review prompts that actually help
Generic questions like ‘What did you accomplish?’ are fine, but they don’t dig deep. Here are the prompts I use, and they’ve been game-changers:
– **What drained my energy this week?** This is about identifying tasks or situations that exhaust you, so you can delegate, automate, or eliminate them.
– **What energized me?** This helps you do more of what lights you up.
– **What’s one thing I’m avoiding?** Procrastination is usually a signal. Name it, and decide if it’s still worth doing.
– **What did I learn?** This could be a skill, a client insight, or something about yourself.
These aren’t meant to be answered in a single word. Write a sentence or two. The act of writing clarifies your thinking.
## How to make the review stick
Building a habit is about environment and consistency. Here’s what works for me:
– **Set a recurring reminder** in Notion or your calendar. I have a reminder every Sunday at 4pm.
– **Make it easy to start**. My review page is pinned, and the prompts are visible. No clicking through multiple pages.
– **Aim for 30 minutes, not perfection**. If you only have 10 minutes, do the ‘Lessons’ and ‘Next Week Plan’ sections. Something is better than nothing.
– **Tie it to a reward**. After my review, I make a cup of tea and watch a show. It sounds silly, but it works.
You don’t need a complicated system. You need a simple one that you’ll actually use.
## My template is a starting point
I’ve created a free Notion template that includes these sections, but you can build your own in ten minutes. The key is to make it yours. Add sections that reflect your work—maybe ‘Client Wins’ or ‘Content Ideas’.
Remember, the weekly review is not a report card. It’s a tool for self-awareness and intentionality. Start small, be consistent, and adjust as you go. In a month, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without it.
So this Sunday, block out 30 minutes. Open Notion, answer those five questions, and plan your week with intention. Your future self will thank you.