How I Organize My Life Into 7 Areas (The 7 Fs Framework)

After trying various approaches to managing family life, I realized the issue wasn’t finding the right productivity system—it was finding the right way to think about all the different parts of life.

The Key Insight

Inspired by Tiago Forte’s PARA method (specifically the “Areas” concept from Building a Second Brain), I developed my own framework: the 7 Fs. It’s not a productivity system—it’s a mental model for organizing life into distinct domains, which I then apply across all my tools: Todoist for tasks, Obsidian for knowledge, and everything else.

Why I Needed a Life Organization Framework

The challenge that led to this:

About a year and a half ago, our family was drowning in the mental load of managing everything. I’d try task-focused approaches like GTD, but they assumed I had uninterrupted focus time and a single role in life. Working parents don’t have that luxury.

Then I discovered Tiago Forte’s PARA method and Building a Second Brain. The concept that resonated most was Areas—the idea that we all have ongoing areas of responsibility that need attention, distinct from projects with deadlines.

What I realized:

Task management alone wasn’t enough—I needed a way to organize all of life
The “Areas” concept was powerful, but I wanted areas tailored to my family’s reality
Once I had the right mental framework, I could apply it to any tool

What I actually needed:

A mental model: A way to think about all the parts of life that need attention
Flexibility: Something I could apply to Todoist, Obsidian, work tools, and family planning
Low overhead: The framework should clarify thinking, not add complexity
Family-friendly: Areas that make sense for working parents managing multiple responsibilities

The PARA Inspiration

What I Learned from PARA

Tiago Forte’s PARA method (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives) gave me the crucial insight that life has ongoing “Areas” of responsibility—not just projects with end dates. The 7 Fs Framework is my adaptation of that concept, customized for family life.

PARA’s Areas concept was transformative for me. But I found myself wanting areas that were more specific to my situation as a working parent. Instead of generic areas, I wanted categories that captured where my mental energy actually went.

What I kept from PARA:

The distinction between projects (with end dates) and areas (ongoing responsibilities)
The idea that areas need regular attention even without urgent deadlines
The practice of organizing resources by area

What I adapted:

Instead of defining my own arbitrary areas, I developed the 7 Fs as a consistent framework
I made the areas interconnected—how they affect each other matters
I designed it to work across multiple tools, not just one app

Introducing the 7 Fs Framework

The 7 Fs are seven life domains that cover where my mental energy and attention actually go. Each one represents an ongoing area of responsibility:

The 7 Life Areas at a Glance

FAMILY - Foundation & Relationships: Family relationships, parenting, household management, and family goals. This is where it all starts.
FINANCE - Security & Growth: Budgeting, investing, financial planning, and cost optimization. Financial health enables choices everywhere else.
FITNESS - Energy & Longevity: Physical health, mental wellness, nutrition, and energy management. This affects everything from work productivity to family energy.
FLOURISH - Growth & Learning: Personal development, skill acquisition, and learning systems. Continuous learning keeps you adaptable.
FORTE - Interests & Balance: Hobbies, creative pursuits, and personal interests. This provides counterbalance to the high-pressure stuff.
FREEDOM - Independence & Opportunities: Career advancement, financial independence, and creating options for the future.
FUNCTION - Performance & Expertise: Professional skills, work effectiveness, and technical competence. Strong performance at work supports everything else.

Why Seven Specific Areas?

The 7 Fs aren’t arbitrary—they emerged from tracking where my mental energy actually went over several months. Each area represents something that needs ongoing attention and affects the others. The alliteration makes them memorable, but the substance is what matters.

How I Apply the 7 Fs Across Tools

This is what makes the 7 Fs a framework rather than an app-specific system. The same seven areas show up everywhere:

In Todoist (task management):

Each F becomes a top-level project
Tasks naturally sort into the right domain
Weekly reviews check each area’s health

In Obsidian (knowledge management):

Each F has its own folder
Notes and resources organize by life area
Cross-linking shows how areas connect

In planning and goal-setting:

Annual goals map to specific Fs
Quarterly reviews assess each area
Life decisions consider impact across all seven

The framework is the mental model. The tools just implement it.

What Makes This Different

The key insight isn’t the seven areas themselves—it’s how they connect. When your FINANCE system improves, it creates options for FAMILY experiences. When FITNESS is working, FUNCTION improves. When FLOURISH is active, FREEDOM opportunities expand.

Most approaches treat life domains as separate silos. The 7 Fs Framework intentionally builds bridges between them—and that’s where the real value emerges.

Coming up in Part 2: I’ll break down each of the 7 Fs in detail—what they look like in practice, real examples from our family, and how I know when each area is working. This is where the framework becomes actionable.

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series on the 7 Fs Framework. Part 2 covers each life area in depth. Part 3 provides a complete implementation guide with tools, common challenges, and results from 18 months of real-world use.