Catching up after getting off-track

I recently took on a consulting gig that turned into a full-time job and more. Putting out fires and carrying loads that weren't mine. Needless to say, every other project and consideration was pushed to the back-burner.

For the past two days I have been working on getting things sorted out and back into a routine for getting things done. Here is an outline of what I have come up with:

1. Take Stock of the Situation

Stop and take a look at your last Weekly Review notes, to get caught up on where you stood the last time you gave your Actions and Projects a review. This will freshen your mind and perhaps trigger your thoughts for the coming week. Also go through your capture device and make sure that anything that may have been delegated or deferred can be followed-up on.

2. Review Your Hard Landscape

Review your calendar, Waiting For, and Next Actions lists, making sure that anything you might have had planned gets re-scheduled if you missed it. Some time-specific events or notes may no longer be valid, and perhaps a deadline was missed and the Next Action is no longer appropriate. On the other hand, a Next Action or Waiting For that was not pressing may now need to be moved up on your list of priorities - becoming a Most Important Task for today.

3. Plan Ahead for the Next Weekly Review

Anytime your schedule gets thrown off, for whatever reason, it is important to plan for your next review of Next Actions and Projects. Make an appointment with yourself to get back into your routine. I would recommend blocking out some extra time for this next Weekly Review in order to do some extra brainstorming and/or creative thinking about where you are and where you want to be. This kind of activity can give you a jump-start into the following week, providing inspiration for future goals rather than prolonging the feeling of