It’s so easy today to get caught up in whatever is vying for your attention and at the end of the day feel like you really didn’t accomplish anything of importance. You live reacting to what’s happening around you, rather than being proactive.

With this lose of focus, you fail to do what really matters + make progress on your goals. Bills, appointments and deadlines so easily slip through the cracks while your distracted.

And for all your busy work, your todo list still stairs you down.

It feels terrible when you feel unable to keep your word, you disappoint yourself and others. Even worse than the feeling of never being caught up is living a life where you are too busy to really live life.

Brigid Schulte talks about this time pressure of modern life in her book “Overwhelmed – Work. Love and Play when No One Has the Time”, and the three villains of overwhelm : our jobs, our expectations and ourselves. They leave us scattered, fragmented and exhausted.

I’ve certainly felt these effects as a work-at-home-schooling mum. And I’ve believed the lie that once I get all these things done, then I can relax, enjoy life, to stop and smell the roses. Only to discover that moment never comes.

Busyness has become the assumed default of so many that it feels like the norm.

You can do things differently.

You can do to create a sense of order and peace in your schedule, stay on top of things.

And most importantly you can live in the moment, whether it’s enjoying working when it’s time to work and relax when it’s time for family fun.

You can enjoy + savour life like you were meant to.

Reflection in the form of a weekly review meeting is the key to staying on top of things, to reducing the overwhelm and to dealing with those villains : our jobs, expectations and ourselves.

Reflect is one of the three steps in doing life The FUSElife Way. I actually think it’s the most powerful of the three. With reflection as part of your life’s rhythm you can get back on track more easily when life doesn’t go to plan, find solutions to problems, stay focused and avoid pitfalls. You can see where you’ve been and where your headed.

All it takes to find focus, freedom and more peace in your day is to stop and think. I like to journal my thoughts.

Sounds crazy right. To stop and think. How’s that going to get things done? I’m glad you asked.

To stop and think is simply reflection.

Reflection is the key to staying on top of things, to reducing the overwhelm and to dealing with those villains Brigid talks about, our jobs, expectations and ourselves.

Reflect is one of the three steps in doing life The FUSElife Way. I actually think it’s the most powerful of the three. With reflection as part of your life’s rhythm you can get back on track more easily when life doesn’t go to plan, find solutions to problems, stay focused and avoid pitfalls. You can see where you’ve been and where your headed.

Reflection in the form of a weekly review meeting benefits business and family life the same. It helps you to really live life. Or as I like to say … flourish in business + life.

Our family started intentional weekly review meetings about two and half years ago when we didn’t have our car for a month. At the time we didn’t know it was going to take that long when our car went in for repair.

While we were without our car we thought it would be a good idea to get some things done about the house that we’d been meaning to do for some time.

So we cooked up what’s become our cooked breakfast together : gluten + egg free waffles with melted cheese, mushrooms, eggs and bbq meat. And with our delicious breakfast before us we had our first meeting and planned the week ahead.

#tip : Centering your weekly meeting around a delicious + special meal is a great way to quickly make it a tradition that never gets old.

Over two and a half years on our weekly review meetings are an integral part of our family + my business life. We’ve accomplished so much together since starting our meetings. But more importantly we’ve enjoyed life so much more together.

So how do you have a weekly review meeting?

You can follow along in the FUSElife Planner Playbook on page 44 or use these steps below.

1. Collect : Bring everyone together

Choose a day, time + format for your weekly meetings. Don’t forget to decide how you’d like to make it a celebration, something to look forward to each week for your family and/or colleagues.

2. Reflect : Looking back to move forward

Have a list of what you want to discuss in your meetings. Make sure everyone has this list so they can be prepared ahead of time.

For our family meetings we start with an update of work and school, take a look at the calendar for any bills that need to be paid in the coming week, add any appointments and recap on what’s coming up in the next few weeks.

It’s also a great time to discuss anything that’s not working or needs attention and we find a solution together.

We finish with gratitude + prayer for the week ahead.

Gratitude is so important. Celebrating the wins along the way fuels you. It gives you energy + builds momentum.

For business, I make a note of my income for the week, check my stats, review what’s working, what isn’t. It’s a time when I put on the CEO hat and collect data about what’s happening now so I can look back in the future and make informed decisions.

#tip : At your second meeting and all those that follow are built in reviews to help keep you focused, motivated and on track to reach your goals. Ensure you take the opportunity to reflect the week gone by to check on your progress + make minor adjustments as needed.

3. Connect : Make a plan

Each of us writes our own notes on what we need to do in the coming week as we all have a different way of planning and getting things done. What’s more important is that you work together to achieve your goals.

I use the Monthly Master, ToDo List and Action Plans from my printable planner kits to note what needs doing from our family meeting and I later add to it from my own business meeting.

#tip : I’ll take a little while to find your rhythm for your own meetings. Commit to having a weekly meeting for three months and create something your family and/or work colleagues enjoy.

For help establishing a strong foundation, including weekly review meetings, grab your copy of the FUSElife Planner Playbook.

Reflection is one of the most powerful activities you can include in your daily life. By having weekly review meetings with your family and colleagues you’ll not only be more productive + achieve your goals, your relationships with strengthen as you celebrate + problem solve life together.