The 4F Audit: Organizational Strategies for Work Life Balance.
Have you ever felt like no matter how much you prepare, irrespective of all the to-do lists and visions boards and manifestations, something always manages to slip through the cracks? That no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to strike that balance between your professional and personal life? I know I have.
What's the solution? Organizational Strategies.
Feeling lost in this space is completely valid. Everyone strives for that sweet spot when it comes to strategic planning, but most fall short. But it isn’t for lack of trying. More often than not, it's for not evaluating where the self stands.
Did you know that when a business wants to achieve something, it doesn’t just go for it blindly? It checks its 5Ms: Manpower, Money, Machine, Method, & Material.
Why should we, as individuals with both professional and private lives, operate any differently?
A Strategic Planning Process for Your Private, Public, and Professional Goals.
Which is why I started to play around with the idea of what I like to call the 4F Audit.
‘Cos sometimes all you need is a reality check. Not the kind that's a downer, and crushes your dreams. Instead, one that helps tailor the steps to achieve your goals according to your circumstances. One that helps you manage your own expectations. One that grounds you. So you can keep pursuing greatness with dignity and deliberation.
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The 4F Audit is an organizational process that is broken down into 4 easy steps:
Functional Organization
What do you do? How does that change when you move from one environment to another?
I run 3 businesses: some weeks I’m gone for 4 days straight on training programs, other days I’m at home switching hats on Zoom calls and running school pickups. My days are so dynamic, and I’m still finding a routine that works.
In essence everyones’ day- everyones’ 9 to 5 looks different. And what works for some, may not work for others. Your functions play the most important role in determining how to manage your time effectively.
Financial Evaluation
The fact of the matter is that money does open a lot of doors. For example, if I wanted to I could hire a personal trainer to help me with my weight training, if that was a part of my big picture. They would come over, and help me meet those goals all on my terms. However, that’s not something I’d want to invest in at present. Thus, I can better allocate this resource towards other plans.
Ultimately: Your budget is part of your bandwidth. Effectively planning where this is allocated, helps enormously when strategically organizing your time.
First Hand Operational Support
Do you have a helper or an assistant? Someone who can hit the ground running, in your stead? Maybe you have a partner, or a trusted friend who can help out with logistics or provide some emotional support? These people are your support system. You can fall back, and rely on them for certain things. Even powerful, influential people like Abigail Johnson, and Tan Su Shan don’t operate alone. They have these strategic support systems to rely on.
And if you operate alone, consider bringing on such tactical teams, to aid you.
Family & Dependants: Factors Affecting Your Work-Life Harmony
These are the people who depend on you. This matters because: if you come home and three tiny humans are pulling at you – versus one, versus none – you’re not working with the same post-work capacity.
You owe it yourself to try and acknowledge that you’re not lazy, and that you don’t lack discipline, if you feel like you’re not giving these people enough time. Because, it’s not about time, it's about your emotional bandwidth. Like it or not, these people who depend on you, are an integral part of your life. Being there for them is also vital in achieving that balance between your work and your personal life.
An Essential Planned Process That Helps Build Balance.
Although this audit does seem like a checklist for all the reasons you have to put your dreams on hold, it's not. Think of it more as a checklist for all the areas where you should take a moment to simply give yourself some kindness, and to consequently, right-size your strategy.
It is not going to be easy. Good things rarely are. But, to free yourself from the endless loop of burnout and exhaustion, you must become aware that the weight you’re carrying will never be enough for the ideal you’ve been comparing yourself to. This audit helps you build that awareness, which in turn, contributes to better time management across the board.
Still Need Help to Achieve That Ideal Work-Life Balance?
Or if you think you could use some help in being kind to yourself, whilst also feeling more productive than ever, a tool is in the works, created for you. Strategically organize your life, and calm your mind, with the Decide + Do Method. Try it out by signing up for the VIP list, and prepare to feel like you’ve unlocked the 25th hour of your day.
