Refer to Your Annual Review Throughout the Year to Make the Next One Easier

We just finished our annual review process here at Lifehacker. While the questions were pretty painless, I found myself almost banging my head on the desk trying to remember my “bests” and “worsts” from the beginning of the year. Next time, I’ll use a copy of the review form and fill it out throughout next year.

This is similar to keeping a work accomplishments file (useful when interviewing for a new job or negotiating a raise), but more specifically to make the inevitable annual review process easier. Instead of trying to think back twelve months, you’ll have a record of your performance and issues as they happened.

Looking at the questions often throughout the year could also be motivating—a reminder of your professional goals.