Why Reviews Matter: From Agile Sprints to Personal Growth

One of the most powerful habits I’ve learned from my work in project management—and that I now apply to my personal life—is the art of the review.

In Agile methodologies, we have daily stand-ups to check in on progress, clear blockers, and keep everyone aligned. We also have weekly or biweekly sprint reviews to assess what’s been done, what needs improvement, and what we’ve learned. These moments of reflection are not just rituals; they are rhythm-setting tools that keep the project moving in the right direction.

But the concept of reviewing isn’t limited to teams or tech projects. It shows up in productivity systems like David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) too. GTD emphasizes regular review: checking your daily to-do list, updating your priorities, and setting aside time—ideally weekly—to reflect on open loops, completed tasks, and upcoming responsibilities. Without the review process, the whole system can break down.

This made me realize: whether it’s a client project or a personal goal, reviewing is how we stay on track. Without reviewing, we risk falling into the trap of being busy without being intentional.

The Power of One Weekly Goal

Lately, I’ve adopted the habit of setting a weekly goal—just one. I ask myself, “What would make this week feel like a win?” It could be something work-related, a step in my PhD research, or even something personal like organizing my closet or calling a friend I’ve been thinking about. That one goal becomes my anchor, and the review at the end of the week helps me see whether I honored it—or what got in the way if I didn’t.

And here’s something I’ve noticed: that weekly goal doesn’t have to be something big. In fact, sometimes the most meaningful progress comes from finally tackling something I’ve been procrastinating on. Often, I’ve found that the reason I was avoiding the task wasn’t laziness or poor time management—it was lack of clarity. I didn’t have all the necessary information, or the next step wasn’t clear enough. Once I take a moment to write down exactly what’s missing, the resistance starts to fade.

So now, part of my weekly review includes asking myself:

What am I avoiding?
Why?
Is it truly difficult, or just undefined?

This small habit has helped me turn stuck tasks into finished ones—and reduce the mental clutter that comes with carrying them around week after week.

The Reviews That Matter Most

Here are the types of reviews I’ve found most helpful, both in my professional and personal life:

Daily Review: A quick check-in to see what’s on your plate, adjust priorities, and clear any mental clutter. It helps you stay grounded and realistic about what can actually get done today. I often do this the night before, reviewing my calendar and time-blocking focus time so I’m set up for a productive morning.
Weekly Review: This is where the magic happens. It’s a deeper reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and what needs attention next. From this weekly review, three key outcomes emerge:
1. Define a Weekly Goal – Just one. Something meaningful that, if completed, would make the week feel like a win.
2. Clarify Next Actions – Break down lingering tasks or open loops into specific, doable steps. This reduces friction and makes execution easier.
3. Review Upcoming Meetings – Look at your schedule to mentally prepare for the week and ensure your time is aligned with your priorities. Sometimes this helps me reschedule, cancel, or better prepare for what’s ahead.

These reviews don’t have to be lengthy, but they can transform how you experience your week—turning chaos into clarity, and busyness into intentional progress.

A Final Reflection

In the end, whether it’s Agile, GTD, or just your own way of staying organized, the common thread is reflection. Reviews help us slow down, spot what’s working, and gently course-correct when it’s not. By setting one clear weekly goal, checking in with ourselves, and examining the reasons behind procrastination, we create a rhythm that supports real progress—both professionally and personally.

Whether you’re managing a product launch or managing your own life, reviews give you perspective. They help you adjust, recalibrate, and move forward with intention.

So here’s your invitation: What would make this week feel like a win?

It’s Not About the Answers — It’s About the Questions

Learning has always felt like an old friend to me — a companion that has walked beside me through every stage of my life. From the time I opened my dad’s books and realized that entire worlds lived inside its pages, to the many times I’ve sat in classrooms, webinars, coffee shops, or simply by myself with a notebook, chasing a new idea — learning has been one of the purest sources of joy, curiosity, and growth for me.

In a world that moves faster than ever, where knowledge doubles and industries transform seemingly overnight, the ability to learn is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s essential. But beyond necessity, I believe learning is what keeps us vibrant, humble, and connected to the vastness of life. It’s the art of becoming — again and again.

In this post, I want to share a little bit about where my love for learning comes from, how my understanding of learning has evolved, and a few strategies that have helped me become a better learner over time. Whether you consider yourself a lifelong student or are simply looking to reconnect with your curiosity, I hope you’ll find something here that inspires you to embrace learning in your own way.

Where My Love for Learning Comes From

My love of learning comes from my parents. My dad loves reading, and my mom loves schools—it’s probably the most beautiful gift they could have given me. Growing up surrounded by books, curiosity, and encouragement made learning feel less like a task and more like an exciting part of life.

Through my academic journey, I’ve had the chance to develop solid learning skills. I graduated at the top of my class in high school and earned an Excellence Award at university for maintaining grades above 95 (out of 100). But beyond the grades, what stayed with me was a deep belief: learning is something natural. I trust our brain’s and body’s innate abilities—just as our body knows how to move, our brain knows how to learn. The key is consistency. Small daily steps, in both movement and learning, lead to steady and lasting growth.

I still remember walking around our living room with a stack of index cards, studying for exams. Pacing back and forth, reading the concepts aloud to myself, I could almost feel the ideas settling in deeper with every step. I also loved studying at the school library — it became one of my favorite places. I would find a quiet corner, put on my earphones, listen to music, and dive into my notes. Surrounded by the soft rustle of pages and the quiet hum of concentration, learning felt peaceful, almost like entering a world of my own.

At home, my mom was always by my side in her own way. She would never go to bed until I had finished studying or doing my homework. No matter how late it was, she stayed awake, sometimes offering me food, tea or tomato juice, quietly encouraging me without ever rushing me. Her silent support made those long nights feel less lonely and reminded me that I wasn’t on this journey alone.

Those small, focused moments, repeated over time, built not just knowledge but a deep sense of trust in the learning process — and a deep gratitude for the people who believed in me.

My Learning Methods

Over time, I’ve developed a simple and effective approach to learning that has supported me through school, work, and personal projects:

Mind Maps: I discovered mind maps in high school when one of our teachers would draw them on the whiteboard. Since then, they’ve become one of my favorite tools for breaking down new topics, organizing ideas, and planning complex work projects. Today, I use digital tools like Freemind, Freeplane, and MindNode (for Mac) to create mind maps more efficiently and keep them organized across different areas of my life.
Index Cards: I also love index cards. Whenever I learn something new, I summarize the concepts on cards—sometimes even drawing mini mind maps on them! Reviewing my cards became a habit, often while walking around or during short breaks. Nowadays, I also use Anki, a digital flashcard app that uses spaced repetition, reviewing information at carefully timed intervals. I’ve learned that spaced repetition helps knowledge settle more naturally into long-term memory compared to cramming everything at once.
Reading: Whenever I want to dive deep into a new topic, I find the three most relevant books and read them back to back. This method helps me grasp the essential ideas and see different perspectives without getting overwhelmed by too much information at once.
Notetaking: I’m a big fan of building a personal knowledge system. I enjoy using apps like Notion and Obsidian to organize my notes, capture insights from books, and track my learning progress. Having a digital space to connect ideas has made my learning deeper and more flexible over time.
Self-Explanation: Another technique that has helped me is explaining concepts out loud to myself, as if I were teaching them to someone else. If I can explain an idea clearly and simply, I know I truly understand it. It’s a small habit, but it has made a big difference in how deeply I learn.

A Lesson from Cambridge: The Power of Questions

A few years ago, I had the chance to meet Ali Abdaal in Cambridge. What surprised me the most wasn’t just his knowledge or accomplishments — it was the sheer amount of questions he asked. His curiosity was almost endless.

At that moment, something clicked for me: learning and intelligence aren’t about the answers we give, but about the questions we dare to ask ourselves.

School often emphasizes having the right replies, but true learning, the kind that stays with us and transforms us, begins with asking better and deeper questions.

Since then, I’ve tried to focus less on having immediate answers and more on nurturing thoughtful questions — trusting that the answers will come in their own time.

One practice that has helped me is elaborative questioning: asking myself “Why does this work this way?”, “What happens if I change this?”, or “How is this connected to what I already know?” Turning learning into a conversation with myself makes it richer and more memorable.

Learning Isn’t Always Easy

Learning is deeply rewarding, but it’s not always easy. There are days when the concepts seem confusing, the motivation feels low, or progress appears invisible. Over the years, I’ve realized these moments are not signs of failure — they are natural milestones. Learning is rarely a straight path; it’s full of little frustrations and moments of doubt.

But if we trust the process and stay consistent, these small efforts compound into something meaningful and lasting.

Micro-Tips for Better Learning

Here are a few simple strategies that have helped me along the way:

Start with questions. Curiosity lights the path far better than pressure.
Break it down. Small, manageable chunks make big goals feel less overwhelming.
Teach what you learn. Explaining it to someone else deepens your understanding.
Review regularly. A few minutes a week to revisit your notes can make a big difference.
Allow imperfection. Mastery grows through mistakes and revision, not instant perfection.

An Invitation to Curiosity

Learning, for me, has never been about rushing. It’s about building a relationship with curiosity, one small step at a time.

It’s about trusting that even on the days when progress feels invisible, growth is quietly happening underneath.

Wherever you are in your own learning journey, I invite you to nurture that spark of curiosity within you. Pick up a book. Ask a question. Make a mind map. Summarize what you just learned.

Because every small step you take adds to the lifelong adventure of becoming more of who you are meant to be.

The Habit That Changed Everything

A while ago, I realized something needed to change.

Life was full—overflowing, really—with work, leadership, study, and the constant hum of responsibilities. But underneath all the motion, I felt like something was off. I wasn’t showing up the way I wanted to—not for others, and not for myself. What I craved wasn’t more time or more energy (though those would’ve been nice). What I needed was consistency. I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of adding new habits—or changing existing ones—and making them stick.

So I started small.

Very small.

I decided to take my vitamins every day. I knew I had to be consistent if I wanted to see results.

That was it. No elaborate morning routine, no massive overhaul of my schedule—just one simple, intentional action I could do daily. And honestly? That decision changed everything.

At first, it felt almost too simple. But showing up for that one habit—day after day—started to shift something inside me. I began to see myself as someone who follows through. Someone who takes care of her health, even in the middle of chaos. That tiny act became a quiet vote for the person I was becoming.

It didn’t happen overnight, but gradually, consistency started to spill into other areas of my life. I got more intentional with movement, hydration, boundaries. I started reconnecting with routines I had dropped. I felt clearer, calmer, and more grounded—even on the days that were still messy.

Taking vitamins didn’t just support my body—it strengthened my identity.

That’s the thing about habits. The small ones—the ones that seem almost too easy to skip—are often the ones that carry the most power. They remind us who we are. They build trust with ourselves. And they create momentum, one simple action at a time.

So if you’re feeling like you’re drowning in demands, or like your days are running you instead of the other way around, here’s my advice:

Don’t try to change everything at once.

Start small.

Start with one habit that feels doable.

Then show up for it like it matters—because it does.

Mine was a daily vitamin.

Yours might be a glass of water. A five-minute walk. A deep breath before opening your laptop.

Whatever it is, let it be your anchor. You never know what it might lead to.