THE WHEEL OF LIFE

FINDING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE

WHEN LIFE IS BUSY, OR ALL YOUR ENERGY IS FOCUSED ON A SPECIAL PROJECT, IT'S ALL TOO EASY TO FIND YOURSELF OFF BALANCE, NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO IMPORTANT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE.

Wheel of life is a scientific tool through which you identify great areas of your life and you can improve upon it.

The Wheel of Life is powerful because it gives you a vivid visual representation of the way your life is currently, compared with the way you'd ideally like it to be. It is called the "Wheel of Life" because each area of your life is mapped on a circle, like the spoke of a wheel.

HOW TO USE THE WHEEL OF LIFE

1. Important Life Areas

Start by brainstorming the six to eight dimensions of your life that are important for you. Different approaches to this are:

• The roles you play in life, for example: husband/wife, father/mother, manager, colleague, team member, sports player, community leader, or friend.

• Areas of life that are important to you, for example: artistic expression, positive attitude, career, education, family, friends, financial freedom.

2. Write These Down on the Wheel of Life

Write down these dimensions on the diagram, one on each spoke of the life wheel.

3. Assess Each Area of the Life Wheel

This approach assumes that you will be happy and fulfilled if you can find the right balance of attention for each of these dimensions. And different areas of your life will need different levels of attention at different

Consider each dimension in turn, and on a scale of 0 (low) – to 10 (high), write down the amount of attention you're devoting to that area of your life. Mark each score on the appropriate spoke of your Life Wheel.

4. Join up the Marks

Now join up the marks around the circle. Does your life wheel look and feel balanced?

5. Think About Your Ideal Level for Life Balance

Next it's time to consider your ideal level in each area of your life. A balanced life does not mean getting 5 in each life area: some areas need more attention and focus than others at any time. And inevitably you will need to make choices and compromises, as your time and energy are not in unlimited supply!

So the question is, what would the ideal level of attention be for you in each life area?

• Plot the "ideal" scores around your life wheel too.

6. Take Action

• Now you have a visual representation of your current life balance and your ideal life balance. Where are the gaps? These are the areas of your life that need attention.

• And Now it’s time to take action.