Get your life
together
Updated
The short answer
Start with the one area that’s slipping, and leave the rest for now. Score each part of your life from 1 to 10, pick the lowest one that matters, and give it one week: one goal, one small step a day, and a look back at the end. Then take the next area.
01 Where do I start when my whole life feels like a mess?
With a quick look at everything, before you fix anything. Score the eight areas of your life (Career, Health, Wealth, Social, Growth, Fun, Self Image and Home) from 1 to 10 for how they feel today. The wheel of life takes a few minutes and shows which area is slipping.
Pick the lowest area that matters to you right now. That’s your first week, and the others can follow one at a time.
02 How do I get my life together step by step?
One area, one week, in four steps:
- Day one: score your areas, pick one, and write one goal for it you could reach in a week.
- Every morning: choose one small step toward that goal, small enough to finish by tonight.
- Every evening: tick off what you did, and write one line about the day.
- Day seven: look back. Did the area move? Keep going with it for another week, or pick the next one.
03 What should be on a get your life together checklist?
Take one thing from the area you chose for this week, and leave the other lines for later.
- Home: a set laundry day, one place for letters and paperwork, clear one room.
- Wealth: open the bills you’ve been avoiding, move a little into savings on payday.
- Health: book the check-up you’re overdue for, cook at home five nights.
- Career: clear the replies that have piled up, book the meeting you keep putting off.
- Social: answer the messages you’ve left unread, put one plan with a friend in the calendar.
- Growth: go back to the course or book you gave up on.
- Fun: book one thing to look forward to this month.
- Self Image: get dressed like someone’s coming, even on a day at home.
04 How long does it take to get your life together?
Longer than a weekend, and you don’t need a deadline. One area can feel different after a week of small steps, and you take the others the same way, one after another, at your own pace.
05 Is it too late to get my life together at 25, 30 or 40?
No. The method is the same at any age: one area, one week, one small step a day. What changes is which area comes first.
06 What app helps you get your life together?
It depends on what “together” means to you. If it’s appointments and tasks, a calendar or a to-do app will help more, and if it’s money, a budgeting app will. If every part of your life feels like it’s slipping at once, that’s what ONA is for. It’s an iPhone and Android app that gives you one area and one small step a day, and saves the other areas for later chapters.
When is something else a better fit?
- For bills, appointments and deadlines: a calendar or a to-do app.
- For a budget: a budgeting app.
- For a cleaning schedule: a chore app.
- If it’s more than a rough patch, or getting through the day is hard: talk to a doctor or a therapist.
FAQ
Questions about getting your life together
What if I fall off after a few days?
Start again the next day; there’s no need to wait for Monday. In ONA a chapter counts the days you log, so a missed day you leave open makes it run a day longer, and the safety net covers one missed day a week so your streak holds.
Should I always fix the lowest area first?
It’s a good default. If another area would make the rest easier, like Wealth when money worries keep you up at night, start there instead.
Can I get my life together in one day?
You can make a real start in one day: score your areas, pick one, write its goal and do the first small step tonight. The rest is a run of weeks, one area after another.
Is ONA a to-do list?
No. It gives you one small thing a day toward one goal. Keep your calendar or to-do app alongside it for tasks and appointments.
Is ONA free?
Setting up is free. To start your first chapter, ONA needs a subscription: monthly, or yearly with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. More on the pricing page.
Get ONA
ONA is on iPhone. It’s free to set up, and after that it needs a subscription.
