Review Your Week With Three Simple Questions

Friday is for assessment, not more action. You've completed four days of specific tasks this week. Today you reflect on what those actions accomplished and what you learned.

This isn't about judging whether you did enough or criticizing what you didn't finish. Weekly reviews serve one purpose: understanding what's working so you can make informed decisions about next week's focus.

Three questions capture what matters without requiring extensive analysis or creating additional work.

Why Weekly Assessment Matters

Most people move from week to week without pausing to recognize progress or identify patterns. They feel busy but can't articulate what they accomplished. They repeat the same mistakes because they never stopped to notice what didn't work.

Weekly assessment creates visibility. You see what you protected, what you learned, and what reduced your vulnerability. This information tells you whether your current approach serves you or whether adjustment is needed.

Assessment also provides psychological benefit during economic pressure. When everything feels uncertain, documented progress proves you're not just reacting. You're making deliberate choices that improve your situation incrementally.

The Three Assessment Questions

Answer these three questions based on this week's work:

Question 1: What did I protect this week?

This question focuses on defense, not achievement. You're not looking for what you built or accomplished. You're identifying what you kept stable or prevented from deteriorating.

Examples of what you might have protected:

Your job security by documenting work that was previously invisible. Now there's evidence of your contributions if layoff discussions happen.

Your financial position by calculating actual expenses and identifying where you can reduce spending if needed. You didn't cut anything yet, but you know exactly what levers you can pull.

Your workplace standing by observing communication patterns and avoiding a political mistake you might have made without that awareness.

Your career flexibility by identifying transferable skills. You're not using them differently yet, but you know what capabilities give you options if circumstances change.

Your immediate financial situation by filing for unemployment benefits or contacting creditors about hardship programs. These actions created breathing room.

Write down one specific thing you protected this week. Be concrete: "I documented three undocumented projects that now have a paper trail" or "I identified that I can reduce monthly expenses by $150 if needed."

Question 2: What did I learn about my workplace?

This question captures insight, not just information. You're looking for understanding that changes how you navigate your work environment or approach your job search.

Examples of workplace learning:

You observed that data-driven arguments get dismissed in your workplace while relationship appeals get traction. This tells you to lead with relationships, not analysis, when you need buy-in.

You noticed that certain people get consulted before decisions get made officially. This revealed the actual decision-making path differs from the org chart.

You identified that your work supports seven different people across four departments. This showed you have broader organizational impact than you realized.

You mapped which of your skills transfer to other roles or industries. This revealed you're less trapped in your current position than you thought.

You discovered through networking conversations that hiring timelines in your industry have stretched from four weeks to three months. This adjusted your job search expectations realistically.

Write down one thing you learned this week that changes your understanding of your situation. Focus on insight that informs future decisions, not just facts you collected.

Question 3: What small action reduced my vulnerability?

This question identifies what made you more secure, even if only incrementally. You're looking for actions that expanded your options, increased your visibility, or strengthened your position.

Examples of vulnerability reduction:

You created a work log that documents your daily contributions. This reduces vulnerability to being forgotten during layoff ranking decisions.

You identified your three largest discretionary expenses. This reduced vulnerability to financial surprise by showing exactly where you have flexibility.

You sent networking messages to five former colleagues. This reduced vulnerability to isolation by reactivating relationships that might lead to opportunities.

You spent 30 minutes learning an adjacent skill. This reduced vulnerability to obsolescence by expanding your capabilities slightly.

You set up freelance profiles that could generate income if needed. This reduced vulnerability to complete income loss by creating a backup option.

Write down one action from this week that made you less vulnerable than you were seven days ago. Be specific about what changed: "I now have written evidence of my work" or "I know exactly how long my savings will last."

What to Do With Your Answers

After answering the three questions, read what you wrote. Look for patterns or themes:

If what you protected matters to you - Good. You're focusing on defending what's important. Continue this protective work next week.

If what you learned surprises you - Pay attention. Unexpected insights reveal blind spots or incorrect assumptions. Let this learning adjust your approach.

If the action that reduced vulnerability felt small - That's exactly right. You're not trying to transform your entire situation in one week. You're making incremental progress that compounds over time.

If you struggled to answer any question - That tells you something. Maybe this week's tasks didn't produce the outcomes you needed. Maybe you need to focus on a different pillar next week. Maybe you didn't actually complete the daily actions and need to recommit to following through.

How This Informs Next Week

Your three answers guide your priorities for the coming week:

If you protected something important - Consider what else in that category needs protection. If you documented invisible work, what other undocumented contributions should you capture?

If you learned something useful - How can you apply that learning next week? If you discovered data doesn't persuade in your workplace, what relationship-building action would serve you?

If an action reduced vulnerability effectively - What's the next logical step in that direction? If networking outreach generated good conversations, who else should you contact?

Don't overthink this. Weekly assessment takes 10-15 minutes. You're not writing an essay or conducting deep analysis. You're answering three questions that keep you aware of progress and patterns.

Complete Your Assessment Today

Open a document or grab a notebook right now. Write today's date and the three questions:

1. What did I protect this week?
2. What did I learn about my workplace?
3. What small action reduced my vulnerability?

Spend 10-15 minutes answering honestly. Write 2-3 sentences per question. That's sufficient.

Save this somewhere accessible. Next Friday, you'll answer these same three questions again and can compare to see patterns over time.

This weekly practice creates accumulated awareness that helps you navigate uncertainty more effectively than people who never stop to assess what's working.

You spent this week taking specific actions. Today you understand what those actions accomplished. That understanding makes next week's choices clearer.