The Midlife Audit: How to Decide What Stays and What Goes
Helena Herrero Lamuedra
The Reinvention Catalyst Coach * for executives: how to lead, live, and leave their mark.
Why This Matters
At a certain point in your career, you may realize that success has brought not just opportunities, but also obligations that weigh you down. The endless meetings, leadership roles, and personal commitments you once took on with enthusiasm now feel like a burden. You know something needs to change, but where do you start?
A midlife audit is a structured way to assess where your time and energy are going—and whether those commitments still serve your next chapter. Instead of making impulsive decisions, this process helps you thoughtfully decide what stays, what goes, and what needs to evolve.
Recognizing the Need for Change
Before you begin, it’s important to recognize the signs that your career or life may need a redesign:
? Burnout – You feel constantly exhausted, even after a "break."
? Lack of excitement – Work that once energized you now feels like a routine chore.
? Feeling stuck – You’re maintaining commitments out of obligation, not because they still fulfill you.
? Resentment – You catch yourself feeling frustrated about responsibilities you once took on willingly.
? No time for new opportunities – You want to explore new possibilities but feel maxed out with current commitments.
If any of these resonate, it’s time to take stock of your commitments with the Three-Column Framework.
The Three-Column Framework
Grab a notebook, open a document, or use a whiteboard. Divide your page into three columns:
1. Keep: What Still Energizes and Aligns with Your Goals?
Think about the commitments, relationships, and activities that genuinely bring you joy, purpose, or momentum. These are the things that light you up, help you grow, or contribute to your long-term vision. ?? What do you still enjoy doing? ?? What contributes to your personal or professional growth? ?? Which commitments align with where you want to go next?
Examples:
? A mentorship role that still excites you.
? A personal passion project that gives you energy.
? A leadership role where you feel valued and impactful.
2. Let Go: What Drains You or No Longer Serves Your Next Stage?
This column is for anything that feels like an obligation rather than a choice. It could be outdated roles, draining relationships, or responsibilities that no longer contribute to your well-being or future goals.
?? What feels heavy or depleting?
?? What are you maintaining out of habit, guilt, or fear?
?? What’s preventing you from creating space for new opportunities?
Examples:
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?? A committee role that feels more like a chore than a contribution.
?? A networking group that no longer aligns with your interests.
?? A project you took on years ago but no longer enjoy.
3. Reimagine: What Could Evolve into Something More Fulfilling?
Not everything needs to be kept or abandoned—some things just need a refresh. This column is for responsibilities that could be redesigned to better fit your current stage of life and career.
?? What aspects of this role could shift to make it more fulfilling? ?? Could you delegate, restructure, or set new boundaries? ?? Is there a way to adjust expectations so it aligns better with your goals?
Examples:
?? Turning a weekly time-consuming report into a quarterly summary.
?? Delegating part of a leadership role to an up-and-coming team member.
?? Redefining a networking commitment into a more meaningful one-on-one approach.
Decision-Making Questions
If you struggle with what to keep, let go, or reimagine, ask yourself:
? Does this role/project align with my long-term vision?
? If I weren’t already doing this, would I start now?
? What’s the cost (time, energy, well-being) of keeping this?
If something no longer aligns or feels like a burden, it may be time to release it.
How to Start Small
Instead of making drastic changes overnight, start with three small shifts in the next 90 days:
1?? Pick one commitment to release (resign from a committee, step back from an obligation).
2?? Pick one commitment to adjust (delegate, restructure, or set new boundaries).
3?? Pick one commitment to double down on (prioritize what energizes you).
Your Call to Action
This week, set aside 30 minutes to complete your own Keep, Let Go, Reimagine list. The clarity you gain will help you move forward with more purpose, energy, and intention.
What’s one thing you already know you need to release? Let’s start there. ??