How to Reflect on Your Week: A Simple Journaling Routine That Builds Self-Awareness

Jul 28

Written By RS

Some weeks fly by. Others feel like a blur. And before we know it, we’re rolling into Monday without ever pressing pause.

That’s where weekly reflection comes in.

It’s a simple, game-changing practice: sit down once a week, look back at what happened, and ask yourself the right questions. It’s not just about productivity — it’s about understanding you. What made you tick? What made you tired? What made you feel alive?

Whether you're already journaling or just dipping your toes in, a weekly reflection ritual is one of the most powerful tools for building clarity, direction, and self-awareness. Here’s how to do it (and how Acorn Journals makes it easier to keep going).

🪞 Why Reflect Weekly?

Daily journaling is great — but weekly reflection helps you zoom out. It helps you:

Spot patterns you might otherwise miss
Celebrate progress (even when it’s small)
Reconnect with your goals and values
Reduce burnout by acknowledging stress
Build emotional intelligence and resilience

In short: it helps you live more intentionally.

✍️ A Simple Weekly Reflection Routine (15 Minutes or Less)

You don’t need to block off a whole afternoon or write a novel. Just choose a quiet space — Sunday night or Monday morning works well — and answer these five core questions:

1. What went well this week?

Start with the wins. Big or small. Give yourself credit.

📝 “I stayed consistent with workouts.”
📝 “Had a great conversation with a friend I’ve been distant from.”

2. What didn’t go so well — and what can I learn from it?

Instead of beating yourself up, treat this like gentle curiosity.

📝 “I procrastinated on that presentation and felt rushed. Need to block focused time earlier.”

3. What am I feeling right now — and why?

This helps connect the dots between events and emotions.

📝 “I feel a little scattered — too many meetings, not enough breathing room.”

4. What habits helped me? What habits hurt me?

Patterns start here. Notice what's supporting you (and what isn’t).

📝 “Morning walks really helped. Scrolling at night left me wired.”

5. What’s one thing I want to focus on next week?

Set a gentle intention. One thing. Keep it doable.

📝 “I want to make space for 2 nights of true rest — no screens, no to-dos.”

🌳 How Acorn Journals Supports Weekly Reflection

You don’t have to do it all on your own. With Acorn Journals, you can build a consistent weekly journaling practice that actually sticks.

Here’s how:

Regular Journal + Dream Journal: Choose between everyday journaling or tracking your subconscious.
AI Journaling Support: Get help getting started with smart, thoughtful prompts when you’re not sure what to write.
Mood Tracking: Tag your entries with how you feel to spot patterns over time.
Save + Revisit Past Entries: Easily look back at previous weeks to reflect on growth and progress.
Secure Journaling: Your thoughts stay private — no ads, no algorithms reading your entries.

All features are available in the free tier, and that’s more than enough to build a journaling habit that creates real change.

🧠 Bonus Prompts (If You Want to Go Deeper)

What surprised me this week?
What energized me most? What drained me?
Where did I feel most “like myself”?
What do I want to carry forward from this week?

🌱 TL;DR

A 15-minute weekly reflection builds emotional clarity, habit awareness, and personal growth.
Ask 5 simple questions: what went well, what didn’t, how you’re feeling, what habits helped/hurt, and what to focus on next week.
Acorn Journals offers a distraction-free, AI-supported space to help you journal regularly and meaningfully — all for free.