The examen is St Ignatius of Loyola's daily review of conscience, from his Spiritual Exercises (1548). It takes about fifteen minutes and is usually prayed at the end of the day.
The 5 steps
Give thanks
Thank God for the good things of the day, large and small, as gifts received.
Ask for light
Ask for the grace to see your day truly, as God sees it, and to know where you fell short.
Review the day
Go through the day hour by hour: thoughts, words and actions. Notice where you loved well and where you did not.
Ask forgiveness
Ask pardon for your faults. An Act of Contrition is a good way to say it.
Resolve
Resolve, with God's help, to do better tomorrow, and close with an Our Father.
Prayers to use
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Latin
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.