I don’t have a 'job'

but I do spend my time doing things that fill me up and pay my bills

If you spend most of your time doing work that makes you feel flat and very little of it doing the things that make you feel warm and fuzzy….

That’s not laziness. That’s misalignment. I’d like to help you fix it in the next 5 minutes.

So much of modern burnout isn’t caused by micromanagement or endless meetings that could have been emails. It’s caused by spending your energy on the wrong things. However, when you don’t know where your energy should go, it tends to get siphoned into the loudest obligations (read: that job you dislike).

That’s where the Flow Grid comes in.

I designed it for myself a few years ago when I left my corporate job and realized I didn’t want one career lane. I wanted a rhythm. A pulse. A way to structure my time that honored my creative seasons and made room for all the parts of me that didn’t fit into a single title.

In the absence of a neat calendar or a team Slack, the Flow Grid helps me define how to spend time in ways that 1) fill me up and 2) pay my bills.

It’s allowed me to:

• Help women in tech recover from burnout through breathwork, EFT, and nervous system work.

• Film UGC + social content for alcohol-free and wellness brands.

• Consult early-stage founders on product-market-fit and brand storytelling.

• Co-pilot business ideas with new entrepreneurs.

• Create webinars for 9–5ers looking for an exit plan.

• Coach pivoters to break into new industries without burning out.

• Facilitate a burnout recovery retreat… on horseback. (Yes, really.)

I fill it out every 6 months. It’s how I check in, re-center, and make sure I’m not outsourcing my time to things that don’t matter.

Key takeaway here: when you build your career like a grid not a ladder, you create space to grow in every direction.

the grid

The Flow Grid is not a fancy productivity system. It’s four basic columns, a pen, and approximately 30 minutes.

| Column 1. Things I can’t stop thinking about |
These are the topics I spiral on in the shower. The tabs open on my phone. Obsessions, curiosities, questions I keep circling. No filter.

| Column 2. How this thing currently features in my life |
Do I engage with this already and if so, how? Is it part of my work, something I share about, a habit, a side obsession, or just a passing thought?

| Column 3. How these things could become a bigger part of my life |
In this column, I play. Could this topic become a business? A digital product? A retreat? A conversation series? A paid experiment? Something I do purely for fun?

| Column 4. One step I can take|
Not a five-year plan. Just one thing to move it forward.

Here’s an editable version of the flow grid for you!

my flow grid - may 2025

Here’s where my mind is currently at:

1. Helping people find creative, feel-good career work

I already spend 60% of my time doing this through coaching, writing, and workshops.

→ Fun step: Share more behind-the-scenes of my client work.

→ This could become: A full ecosystem of digital tools, content, and live programs for career clarity.

2. How hiking & physical endurance minimises fear of big ideas

Sydney lacks big mountains; however, endurance sport (like my triathlon training) has been the BEST thing to help me come up with new ideas and build them.

→ Fun step: Design a hiking-based retreat for people who are scared of putting their ideas into motion. Write more about this topic.

→ This could become: Launch my ‘4 Peaks’ concept: 4 days, 4 peaks, 4 questions that help you design your next act. New Zealand, late 2025. Want to come? Message me.

3. Founder loneliness

Since arriving in Australia, I’ve felt it. But the moment I started talking about it, I met awesome people.

→ Fun step: Keep sharing publicly on Substack and LinkedIn.

→ This could become: A residency. A third space. A community for creative founders to feel less alone. Perhaps something already in the works…

4. Cottage cheese

I’m obsessed with it. Australia is experiencing a major shortage due to TikTok virality.

→ Next step: Learn to make it.

→ This could become: A one-off culinary moment since I can’t buy it in stores. I do not want to get into the refrigerated CPG space.

what does that mean for my ‘work’?

The thread that’s pulling hardest for me is founder loneliness.

Since arriving in Australia, I’ve noticed how many brilliant, creative people are building things alone with no real support, no structured place to land, and no shared rituals to hold them. The more I name it, the more people tell me, “Yes, I feel that too.”

I’m not totally sure what this idea wants to become yet. I’m super keen to build a space. Maybe a residency of some kind…but I know I want to give it more of my energy.

And that’s the beauty of the Flow Grid.

It doesn’t just help you organize your week, it helps you recognize what’s asking for your attention, and what’s quietly ready to grow.

try it yourself

The matrix doesn’t promise clarity overnight. But it does create direction. It helps you notice patterns. See what’s rising and make decisions from a place of integrity > panic.

It’s one of the most honest tools I’ve used to course-correct my energy and reimagine how I spend my time.

So, if you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or uninspired….I beg of you to please close LinkedIn and try the Flow Grid first.

I’ve dropped an editable version of the grid here.

I’d love to see what you come up with. Email me (gabriela@gabrielaflaxcoaching.com) or share a photo in your own post.