Happy February! So January seemed like the LONGEST month ever but we’re finally onto a new month, full of new opportunities!

The start of a new month can be a great time to set new goals and things you’d like to achieve in the month, it’s important not to say ‘thank U, next’ to the previous month TOO quickly. Before you set your goals for February, you have to review your January to congratulate yourself on what went well, and aim to improve on what didn’t go so well.

In this post, I’ll be showing you how to carry out a monthly review so that you can set yourself up for an AMAZING February!

  1. Do a general check in.

Your general check in is a good starting point when determining your current situation. Keep it short and not too detailed – one word answers will cut the mustard here, as we’ll use other exercises to expand on what we’ve discovered here. Here are some good questions to consider for your general check in:

  • What has been my overriding emotion this month?
  • My work month summed up in one word would be…
  • What was I most proud of this month?
  • What challenged me most?
  • One thing you’ve learned is…
  • What was my favourite experience?
  • Favourite event?

2. Consider your month in terms of emotions and mental health.

This is THE most important factor of any kind of life review, and should be prioritised above career etc. When you consider what your overriding emotion was the past month, it should give you a good idea if you’re doing okay, or whether it could be time to implement some change. Be 100% honest about how you’ve felt this month, and try to identify triggers for any negativity. As yourself:

  • Have I felt more stressed than not stressed his month?
  • Have there been any times where I’ve felt a sense of overwhelm?
  • Has anything happened that could have had an effect on my mental health?
  • Have I felt burnout or been close to it?
  • Have I felt truly happy this month?
  • Would my life benefit from extra support or therapy?

3. Consider your career month.

Keeping your career, goals and work fulfilment in check is very important, given that most people’s careers take up a lot of their time and energy, making it a huge part of everyone’s life. By reviewing it, you can make sure that you make headway with your goals and ambitions, and ensure that what you’re working toward is in alignment with your values and life purpose (read my Find Your Life Purpose post for inspiration!). Here are some questions to consider:

  • Do I overall enjoy the work I carry out?
  • What parts of work bring me joy?
  • Am I happy that I’ve done my best at work this month?
  • Were there any tasks where I wasn’t happy with the way I carried them out?
  • Do I feel fulfilled with the work that I do?
  • What did I do this month to work towards my goals?

4. Consider your social life.

Your social life encapsulates your relationships (family, friends, colleagues), how much social interaction you’ve taken part in, and checking in to assess the quality of your relationships. Having fulfilling relationships is super important for our personal happiness, and here we can take time to really explore whether we are happy with our relationships, and what we can do if we’re not as sociable as we want to be. Ask yourself:

  • Have I made time to socialise this month?
  • Who have I been closest to this month?
  • Who haven’t I seen much of?
  • Have I spent quality time with family?
  • Has there been a time where I’ve given support to a loved one?
  • What was my favourite social event this month and why?
  • Am I happy that I’ve made enough effort to be sociable?

So there’s some inspiration for your monthly review. Let me know what you do at the start of a new month to check in with yourself and set goals!