TOOL: THE WHEEL OF LIFE

The Wheel of Life is a tool used to assess your life in key areas to; identify areas of balance and imbalance, set goals for each area, and define action(s) to improve your overall quality of life.

Here is a step-by-step guide for you to follow :

Below I will detail 7 areas that are key to life. See these as suggestions and adjust as you need. Is something important to you missing here? Then add it! There is no one-size-fits-all list for creating balance and achieving success, so it’s important to find what works best for you.

1. Physical health

2. Relationships

3. Work environment

4. Finances

5. Leisure activities

6. Personal growth

7. Spirituality

Step 1: Begin by thinking about each of your life areas and rate this on a scale from 1 to 10 in each area in terms of current satisfaction. A rating of 1 means you’re not satisfied with that aspect of your life and 10 means you’re very satisfied. Try to be as honest as possible here. You can also shred the pages once you are done if you are worried about your privacy. A private mini burn-ceremony of the page can always be a bonus catharsis (act responsibility!!).

Step 2: Once you have rated all the areas, draw a circle (/wheel😁) and divide this into equal segments to represent each of the areas in your life.

Step 3: Colour-in the segments to match your scores, a completely colored segment would represent a 10, no colour signifies a 0. You will be left with a visual representation of your current satisfaction with life.

Now it’s time to assess and reflect!

Step 4: Looking at the Wheel of Life do you see some areas that you are satisfied with and other areas that need some attention?  You may have some segments that are mostly filled in and others that are looking a bit empty. These gaps represent potential growth opportunities for you to explore. For example, if your career section is full but your health segment is empty, that could suggest a lack of balance in your lifestyle, and it might be time to focus on your well-being. Or if your finances are healthy but your relationships are suffering, you can focus on resolving any conflicts and nurturing your social connections.

It’s important to recognize that each area of life is interconnected and if one area is lacking, it will have an impact on the others. For example, if your finances are in disarray then this may have a negative effect on your relationships or mental health.

Step 5: For each area, take a few moments to ask yourself: “What would make me feel fulfilled and satisfied in this area?” Then, try to break this down to create one or two manageable goals for yourself to make a change. For example, if you see that your health needs some work, you could set a goal to exercise twice a week.

Some additional tips:

1. Getting an outside perspective can be really valuable in helping you create achievable goals and identify ways to help you achieve them.

2. If you feel comfortable keeping a record, the wheel can be a useful tool for tracking progress and seeing how different areas of life are developing over time.

Conclusion

When used honestly, the Wheel of Life can provide an easy-to-understand visual representation of how balanced you feel in your life right now and where you can readjust your attention.

Remember! The wheel of life isn't meant to measure success or failure. Rather, it helps you appreciate and identify areas of your life that could use a little love and attention. You may find that some sections need more focus than others, but the most important thing is to become more mindful of your day-to-day choices and cultivate a sense of balance in life.

So, what are you waiting for?

Start by plotting out your wheel of life and reflecting on what you want to adjust. From there, take action toward creating a more balanced and meaningful life.

You might be surprised at the positive changes that can come from taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture.