By mid-February, the initial rush of New Year’s resolutions has faded, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for a fresh start. Organizing expert Shira Gill invites us to take a thoughtful, intentional approach to personal growth by conducting a “life audit”—a simple, yet impactful, process of evaluating key areas of our lives, from career and finance to hobbies and well-being. By honestly assessing where we stand and identifying where to focus, we gain the clarity needed to align our energy with what truly matters.
In this exclusive excerpt from her new book LifeStyled, Shira Gill shares her process for conducting a life audit each year, offering a clear method for identifying what matters most and where to focus our efforts. Her approach encourages us to reflect, prioritize, and take intentional action, all while embracing the practice of self-compassion and realistic goal-setting. Read on for Shira’s actionable steps and insightful prompts to kickstart meaningful change.
Featured image from our interview with Monique Volz by Suruchi Avasthi.
Shira Gill is a globally recognized home-organizing expert, bestselling author, and speaker. Shira is the author of Minimalista and Organized Living, and has been featured in 100+ print and media outlets including Vogue, Dwell, Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Domino, Forbes, Goop, Harper’s Bazaar, HGTV, Today, InStyle, Parents, Real Simple, and The New York Times.
How to Do a Life Edit—An Organizing Expert Shares Her Insights
Every year on New Year’s Eve, I sit down and rank each area of my life on a scale of 1 to 5, based on level of fulfillment and overall satisfaction. Once I’ve ranked each area, I’ll jot down some quick reflections, and note a thing or two I can do to improve each area for the following year. This exercise only takes me about thirty minutes and always helps me clarify where I want to focus my time, energy, and effort for the coming season, or even the coming year.
Overachievers, take note—the objective here is not to get a perfect score of five in each area of your life. In fact, it’s the opposite. This process is designed to help you make intentional decisions about which areas can hang out on the back burner, and which areas need your attention most urgently. It’s about making thoughtful, clear, and concrete decisions about what you can let go of (for now) instead of trying to do everything, and inevitably failing.
Career and Finance
Score: 4
- Notes: Love my career, thriving creatively, need to start adulting with finances.
- Priority: Bank account management.
- First Little Step: Look at my bank account once a week to review income and expenses.
Leisure and Recreation
Score: 1
- Notes: Total rubbish at leisure, always working, no hobbies to speak of! (True story. The first time I took myself through this process, I ranked this category as a big fat 0, and, if I’m being honest, it’s still my most neglected area. In a culture that rewards achievement and celebrates being frenetically busy, it can be far too easy to forget to create space for relaxation. I realized that I need to schedule it to make it happen— to get that big boost in the mental health department and energy for the next big thing I want to cross off my to-do list.)
- Priority: Add a relaxing activity.
- First Little Step: Read for an hour in bed every Sunday morning before breakfast with the family.
Your Turn
Let’s do a quick audit of each area of your life to determine what needs the most care and attention right now. Just as a physician can’t write a prescription without a clear diagnosis, you must assess how each area in your life is functioning before embarking on a plan toward transformation or change. You can use the broad categories I’ll be outlining in the upcoming chapters (health and wellness, relationships and community, career and finance, home and environment, personal development) or create your own. Next, rank each category from 1 to 5, jot down any insights that arise, and take a little time to reflect so you can determine which area you want to invest in improving.
To recap:
- Jot down your broad categories (ideas include health, relationships, career, finance, environment, personal development, and spirituality).
- Rank each category from 1 to 5, based on level of satisfaction. These rankings are totally subjective—be honest with yourself.
- Jot down any notes or insights.
- Pick ONE area to invest in improving right now.
- Write down any first little steps you’d like to take to feel better about that area in your life.
If you feel stuck or unsure, try the following prompts:
• Which area of my life feels the most neglected?
• What is calling out for my attention?
• Which area do I most want to improve?
• What is my deepest need right now?
• What about the lives of others makes me feel the most envious?
The most important thing is to gain clarity about where you want to invest your precious time, energy, and resources on purpose.
“LifeStyled” Copyright © 2024 by Shira Gill. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Vivian Johnson. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
This story was originally published on page 55 of the Wellness issue of Camille Styles EDIT, a digital magazine designed to help you create your most beautiful life. Grab your issue here.
