How a simple monthly or quarterly review keeps you clear, aligned, and resilient
You know that feeling when you’ve been sprinting through your business for weeks? Then all of a sudden you realize you’ve forgotten why you’re doing half the things on your plate? Before you know it, you have made five new offers, overhauled your onboarding process, and said yes to everything— only to end up more scattered than successful!
That’s not just a time management issue. That’s a governance rhythm gap.
Here’s how to build a lightweight, values-aligned rhythm to keep your business not just moving — but moving in the right direction.
🔄 Governance Is a Practice, Not a One-Time Setup
Most people think of governance as something you set up once:
- Write a contract ✅
- Make a boundary ✅
- Choose a pricing model ✅
Done? Not quite.
True governance is cyclical. It’s the art of asking:
“Is this still working?”
“Is this still aligned?”
“Where am I drifting off course?”
Without regular check-ins, even the best systems can start to run you instead of supporting you.
🧭 What Is a Governance Rhythm?
A governance rhythm is a recurring review you build into your business—monthly, quarterly, or whatever cadence fits your life.
It’s not about spreadsheets and strategy decks (unless that’s your jam).
It’s about making space to:
- REFLECT
- REALIGN
- REPAIR what’s off
- RECOMMIT to what matters
Think of it as a pause for business self-care.
🕰️ Monthly or Quarterly or Yearly? Choose What Feels Sustainable
- Monthly Reviews: Great for solo practices with a faster pace. Keeps you close to your decisions.
- Quarterly Reviews: Ideal for deeper, seasonal reflection. Gives you a wide-angle view without the pressure of monthly updates.
- Yearly Reviews: The big picture snapshot. The annual report. A deep, thorough review of all the important successes and areas of improvement in your business.
You can even combine both: short monthly check-ins, plus a deeper quarterly rhythm.
✍️ What to Include in Your Governance Review
Here’s a simple framework you can customize (no corporate jargon needed):
1. What’s Working?
- Which offers felt good and aligned?
- Where did you feel most in flow?
- Which systems saved you time or energy?
Celebrate what’s going well—governance includes affirming what works.
2. What’s Not?
- What drained your energy?
- Where did boundaries get crossed?
- What didn’t land with clients (or with you)?
Don’t judge—just notice. Every misalignment is data.
3. What’s Changed?
- Has your vision or capacity shifted?
- Are your clients asking for something new?
- Have your values evolved?
Governance means adapting consciously—not reacting unconsciously.
4. What Needs Adjusting?
- Do you need to tweak your pricing, policies, or scope?
- Is there a system that needs cleaning up?
- Are there offers or habits it’s time to sunset?
Small adjustments = big energy wins.
5. What’s the Next Right Step?
- What do you want to focus on next month or quarter?
- What’s the one thing you’ll commit to protecting?
This keeps governance grounded. It’s not about fixing everything—it’s about moving with intention.
📒 How to Make It Happen
Keep it light, soulful, and doable:
- Create a ritual: Light a candle, journal in a favorite spot, or pair it with a walk. Make it feel nourishing.
- Use prompts: You can reuse the ones above or create your own.
- Block the time: Literally put it in your calendar. If it’s not scheduled, it probably won’t happen.
- Involve your bench (optional): Bring one or two people in for your quarterly review for outside insight.
💡 Bonus: Build a Simple Governance Dashboard
Not a fan of long reviews? Try this:
Create a single-page document (or Notion page, or whiteboard) that shows:
- Your current offers and prices
- Your top 3 values
- Your main governance practices (like communication policies or refund terms)
- Your bench (who’s on it, and when you last checked in)
- Your rhythm calendar (dates for your next review)
Update it each quarter. Now you’ve got a living map of your business backbone.
🧘🏽 Final Thought: Check In Before You Burn Out
You don’t need to overhaul your business every season.
You just need to give it enough attention to evolve with you.
A governance rhythm isn’t about being “more strategic.”
It’s about being more attuned.
It says:
“I care enough about this work, and myself, to pause. To realign. To move forward on purpose.”
That’s how you run a business that sustains not just your income… but your integrity.
That’s governance, made human.
If you want to to explore this topic in-depth with a coach, we would love to meet you!