I’ve got a challenge for you. Are you up for it? Seriously, it’s going to take some guts. Let’s go. Go to your __Downloads__ folder. Click on it to see all the contents. Hit CMD + A to __Select All.__ ![Blog post image](/images/blog/giphy.gif) Now hit delete. ## How does it feel? Chances are you couldn’t pull the trigger. After all, that downloads folder has some gems in it. A 1099 for your upcoming tax return. Your half-completed application to renew your driver’s license. And a video your mom sent you of the kids. So the files just accumulate. Unorganized. Un-searchable. Clogging up mental bandwidth. ## Meet the Zeigarnik Effect There’s a quiet tax to this digital hoarding. It’s called the Zeigarnik Effect. [Simply Psychology]() describes it as: > The tendency of the human memory to remember interrupted or incomplete tasks more easily than completed ones The inability to delete the __Downloads__ folder means that you have _incomplete tasks_ (or actions) hiding in that folder. And your brain subconsciously clings to them. At RadReads, we’re big believers that “open loops,” whether they’re tasks, projects, messages or files are __a latent source of stress.__ Which is why we created a playbook to manage and eliminate anything that “hangs over your head.” ## Meet the Weekly Review Checklist The Weekly Review should be used as an anchor to any productivity system. It’s a simple checklist to __eliminate any open loops__ and then __set your plan__ to do your most important [$10K Work](). Here’s a checklist you can steal from our [Life Operating System (LifeOS)]() that we designed in Notion. It’s a simple process that can be conducted in under 25 minutes on _any task management system._ ![Blog post image](/images/blog/image-6-903x1024.png)Get Weekly Review template as part of [the LifeOS template](). ## Step 1: Delete your aged tasks One of the quiet stressors of modern task management is your __aged tasks.__ The digital nature of our lives makes it easy to add something to the list – yet never act upon it. So here’s an easy antidote: * Go into your task list and sort by incomplete, __oldest first__ * Look at the dates, yes there’s going to be some old stuff in there * Create a rule (i.e. “If it’s been there for more than 3 months, delete”) This simple step will release a tremendous amount of cognitive load – and again – can be done on any productivity system. ![Blog post image](/images/blog/image-7-1024x546.png)[The LifeOS]() makes it easy to find your aged tasks. ## Step 2: Review your Projects and Domains The biggest challenge with traditional task management is that many activities don’t fit neatly into project lists. Activities such as “__be a good dad”__ or “__learn a new language__ ” or __“eat better”__ – the proverbial _Important, but not Urgent_ – are ongoing and don’t work with [fake due dates](). Our $10K Task Management philosophy creates [two types of lists](): __Projects__ and __Domains__. And as part of the Weekly Review, we recommend you review all the tasks in these two lists. ![Blog post image](/images/blog/2.1-tasks-within-foundation-1024x672.png)It’s easy to set up and review your projects in [the LifeOS](). ## Step 3: Who owes you stuff? One of the biggest sources of anxiety is keeping tabs on __who owes you something.__ It could be: * A direct report owes you an analysis * Your boss owes you edits on your proposal * Your accountant owes you your estimated taxes These tasks present a conundrum: They can’t be marked “complete,” yet you don’t need to do them. The solution is using a tag (or in GTD-terms, _a Context_) called __Waiting On__ which gets checked every week during the Weekly Review. ![Blog post image](/images/blog/image-2-1024x323.png)We created a custom “Waiting On” context in [the LifeOS](). ## Step 4: Who do I need to contact this week? One of the most beautiful (and natural) ways to create serendipity in your life is to cultivate your weak ties. This includes [“networking” from a place of generosity](), sending [mutually beneficial intros]() and random birthday videos to your friends. Here’s where __a simple system to stay connected__ comes into play. It’s not meant to be slimy, transactional, nor forced. Think of it as _a serendipity engine_ to accelerate your good intentions: ![Blog post image](/images/blog/image-5-1024x208.png)[The LifeOS]() has a built-in Personal CRM. ## Step 5: What’s my $10K Work for the week? Next, you want to set your intention for the week. One of the primary learning outcomes from Supercharge Your Productivity is that all students do 25 minutes of their highest-leverage, highest impact $10K Work. Once again, you can use a tag (the LifeOS calls it _Task Value_). Next, instead of using __Due Dates__ we recommend setting __Do Dates__ for your $10K Work. The _Do Date_ probably won’t work in most task management systems (as it requires a custom field). An alternative would be to use a task corresponding to each day of the week. Here’s the corresponding calendar view for the LifeOs: ![Blog post image](/images/blog/4.-game-plan-calendar-1024x629.png)Can you spot the $10K Tasks in [the Life Operating System]()? ## Step 6: What awesome things happened this week? Now time for the cherry on top. When we’re so busy on the hedonic treadmill (chasing [the when-then-trap]()), it’s easy to move the goal posts on the great things happening in your life. A simple remedy is to [document your wins]() – both small and large in your Jar of Awesome. Then, whenever you’re ever feeling down or you you want to experience gratitude, it’s right there. ![Blog post image](/images/blog/image-4-1024x155.png)[The LifeOS]() has a built-in Jar of Awesome. ## And the last step? Delete your downloads folder. Actually, I forgot one last step. Wipe down those screens with some disinfectant. Cuz you know, they _nasty_! ## Get our Black Friday Practical Productivity Bundle ![Blog post image](/images/blog/LifeOS-Box-Vertical-small.jpeg) We created the __Practical Productivity__ bundle (valued at $792) which includes __The LifeOS plus:__ * The Ultimate Productivity Tool-Kit * How to Build Indestructible Habits * Using a Digital Calendar for Effortless Execution * Master your inbox (without the stress or burnout) * Reach Inbox Zero Everywhere (RIZE) 👉 [ Buy the LifeOS + Practical Productivity bundle (and save $395) ]()