Is it time for your human quarterly check-in?
I’ve come to appreciate that there’s a part of Western corporate culture that really works.
It’s not something I often admit,
The quarterly division of the fiscal year into Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 originated from the need to standardize financial reporting and track performance in manageable timeframes.
But it has roots in something deeply natural and actually good for us humans.
Ancient agrarian societies in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China developed agricultural calendars which divided the year into four parts based on seasonal needs. This division aligned with the rhythms of the Earth and the cycles of human activity.
The ancients relied on these divisions for survival, but the essence of this rhythm is still alive in us today, even if we’re no longer planting crops or gathering harvests.
And while most of us are no longer tied to the soil, the wisdom of periodic reflection still holds.
What the corporate world tapped into with quarterly reviews especially mirrors something built into our design: the need to stop our forward momentum to reflect, revisit, and refine.
Infradian Rhythms: The Human Quarterly Check-In
These quarterly seasons that invite us to reflect and reassess are part what I’ll call a Review Infradian Rhythm. Infradian rhythms are slower than daily circadian rhythms but faster than annual cycles, governing much of our energy, focus, and emotional processing.
Every few months, it feels like life gives us a gentle/not so gentle push to pause, reassess, and adjust.
This is why quarterly reflection just feels right. It aligns with how we naturally process growth and change.
The good news is, signs of a review point are rarely subtle:
- You’re stuck. The strategies that supported forward momentum before aren’t yielding results. It feels like everything is just hard or going wrong.
- You’re tired. No matter how much you rest, the fatigue lingers.
- Life feels clunky. You’re stubbing your toe (literally or figuratively) on things that used to flow.
These aren’t “bad” signs exactly. They’re signals from your mind and body asking you to stop and recalibrate. They’re a reminder to step back so you can see the bigger picture.
*I’m actually in a review phase right now which is part of why I forgot to send this email out earlier.
The Rhythm of Review
If you’re keen to go with the flow of natural human design, the process of review actually doesn’t feel like much of a burden.
Of course, it isn’t much fun to acknowledge and fix mistakes, but once it becomes habit, a review phase can become a welcome rest from what otherwise would be a relentless pursuit.
Here’s how the rhythm unfolds:
- Reflect (Your Foundation):
What’s been working? What hasn’t? What feels aligned? - Refine (Your Experiment):
Make adjustments. What small tweaks could create meaningful shifts? Remember growth is iterative. - Revisit (Your Forgotten Things):
What ideas, projects, or connections have you neglected? Old ideas often carry fresh potential when revisited. - Reset (Your Direction):
Step into the next cycle with intention, not just momentum. The review shouldn’t stop you. Rather, it prepares you to move forward with renewed purpose.
Truth is always a paradox. And in this case, it’s that slowing down is often the fastest way forward.
Ignoring your review point might feel like strength, but in reality, powering through just leaves you fighting against yourself.
And fighting against yourself is actually insane…but not uncommon.
Let’s lead the way in changing that.