June and July are such excellent months to do an assessment for the entire year. Why? Because you have lived through half the year and have collected enough data to evaluate. What’s more, there is still enough time left for meaningful adjustments. The seasonal transitions that occur at this time, like vacations, school breaks and more, create natural opportunities to take a step back and evaluate.
Late June (and early July) are great times to look at a number of areas in your life. Allow yourself to check in on the goals you set in January. Determine which of them still matter, which no longer fit, and identify what unexpected opportunities have emerged since. Evaluate your progress, energy level, relevance, and the opportunity cost related to each.
Next, look at your time. Review your calendar and notes; they have the most accurate information. Figure out where most of your time went. Check on meetings, social commitments, entertainment habits, and side projects. Decide what would happen if you repeated the same schedule over the last six months of the year. Will you make enough progress by December if so?
Now is also an excellent time to check on your finances and fiscal goals. Review your spending, saving and investment habits. What did you do over the past 6 months to reduce debt, and did you make any major purchases? It’s also wise to check in on your subscriptions and see what you can cut. Lifestyle inflation is also fair game. Are your spending habits aligned with what matters to you? Do you have any goals that are underfunded or do you have any tax planning opportunities? All of these answers matter.
You should also assess your health. How have you been feeling? Are you getting enough sleep and exercise? What are your stress and energy levels like? What steps have you taken in terms of preventative care? Are you due for a physical? Make adjustments as needed.
Next, think about your relationships. How are they doing? Have you taken any steps to improve and grow them? Focus on your partner, family, and friends. Have you neglected anyone? Who have you invested in and who gave you energy?
Assessing your work and growth are also important. Which projects and goals have you completed? What have you learned and become better at, and where do you want to be in the next 1-3 years?
Why not conduct a full annual review? It should take you about 2-3 hours to do. Create a few separate lists. One should be your Wins. The second should be your Lessons and the third should be your Surprises.
Then, review your calendar and mark high energy days, low energy days, days that are worth repeating, and days that you want to eliminate. How can you apply these lessons in the coming months?
After that, go over your finances. Look at bank accounts, credit cards, and investments. Compare your actual spending to your intended spending. Figure out what adjustments are needed.
Once you’re done with all of these activities, create some new goals for the second half of the year. Don’t just reuse old goals; take a deeper dive. Create a score card for the first half of the year related to different areas, as well as identifying the score you would like for the second half of the year. Use these tools wisely. You still have plenty of time shape the outcome. Make the most of the second half of the year! You’ve got this!