Sometimes things are going well in one area of life, less well in another and vice versa. There's always a problem somewhere and we don't feel really happy, even though we've already achieved so much. How about we take a look at all areas of our lives and lay our cards on the table to see where things are still stuck? Including a master plan of what the next steps could be to finally achieve balance. In this article, we look at the wheel of life, which is thought-provoking and fun thanks to its visual representation.
What exactly is the wheel of life? - A definition
The Wheel of Life, also known as the "Wheel of Life" or "Life Balance Wheel", is a coaching tool that is used for self-evaluation and goal setting. It helps you to shed light on different areas of your life and assess your satisfaction in each of these areas. It involves visualising and evaluating your life balance in different areas. It is typically presented in the form of a circle divided into different segments, with each segment representing an area of life.
The Wheel of Life and its benefits: How the template can help you
The wheel of life offers various advantages. But only if you use the template for yourself and take the time to work on your wishes for the future. But more on that later. Let's start with the benefits:
- Clarifying what is important to you in life: The Wheel of Life helps you to visualise your most important areas of life and recognise their significance for your well-being.
- Identify imbalances: The Wheel of Life shows you in which areas of your life you feel particularly satisfied or dissatisfied.
- Setting goals: Analysing your Wheel of Life helps you to set specific and achievable goals for your personal development.
- Developing an action plan: The Wheel of Life methodology helps you create a plan to achieve your goals.
- Increase motivation: The whole process can increase your motivation to make positive changes in your life.
- Improve your life satisfaction: By working with the Wheel of Life, you can improve your overall life satisfaction.
Incidentally, the quote is also the title of a book -
The areas of life at a glance
In general, the Wheel of Life comprises six to ten areas of life that are important for a fulfilled and balanced life. However, the exact names and number of areas can vary from model to model. Ultimately, it also depends on which areas feel right for you in your life.
Frequent areas of life in the wheel of life are
- Career: Professional development, job satisfaction, finances
- Health: Physical well-being, nutrition, fitness
- Relationships: Family, friends, partnership
- Finances: Money, saving, financial freedom
- Leisure: hobbies, interests, relaxation
- Personal growth: learning, development, spirituality
"Relationships" as an area of the wheel of life is often divided into three areas, namely:
- Friends: acquaintances, trust, social exchange
- Love: Romantic relationships, intimacy
- Family: Partnership, children, tradition
Additional areas of life:
Depending on what is particularly important to you in life, you can add a few more areas, for example:
- Environment/living situation: Home, living environment, safety
- Self-love: self-esteem, self-acceptance
- Creativity: expression, idea generation, innovation
- Meaning: contribution to society, values, goals
- Sports: activity, performance, competitionAreas to be added, for example
You can find out what these areas are in detail and which goals can be defined at the end of this article. Firstly, let's take a look at how the wheel of life works. This will help you choose the areas that are important to you.
How does the wheel of life work? 6 steps to more happiness and satisfaction in your life
1. Define the areas of life in the wheel of life
Select the areas of life that are most important to you. You can use the examples above or add your own areas. In the Wheel of Life, the different areas of life are divided into segments of equal size.
2. evaluation of the current state
Rate your current level of satisfaction in each area of life on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 = very satisfied, 1 = not at all satisfied). The ratings are then combined to create a visual representation of life balance.
3. identify areas for improvement
Analyse the results and identify areas where you would like to improve your life satisfaction. The goal is to achieve an even, round circle, which indicates a balanced life situation. Imbalances can easily be recognised and used as a basis for personal development goals.
4. setting goals
Set specific and measurable goals for each area in which you want to improve.
5. develop an action plan
Develop an action plan that describes how you want to achieve your goals.
6. regular reflection with the wheel of life template
Evaluate your progress regularly and adjust your goals and action plan if necessary. To do this, take a pen again, this time in a different colour, and draw your assessment for each area of your life on the wheel of life as described in step 2.
Tip: It can be helpful to ask yourself the following questions when defining the individual areas of your life and formulating your goals:
- What is important to me in this area?
- How satisfied am I with this area at the moment?
- What do I want to achieve in this area?
- What steps can I take to achieve my goals?
By answering these questions for each area of your life, you can gain a clearer picture of your priorities and goals.
Wheel of life template as PDF for printing
In our CHANGE JOURNAL you will find a template for the wheel of life that you can easily download and print out. Simply register for the newsletter and off you go.
3 tips for successful use of the wheel of life:
- To improve your life satisfaction, it is important to find a certain balance in all areas of your life.
- Focus on the areas that are most important to you without losing sight of the others and set yourself realistic goals.
- Celebrate your successes and be patient with yourself. The path to a fulfilled and balanced life is individual. There is no right or wrong way.
Important: The Wheel of Life is a tool for self-evaluation and goal setting. It does not replace professional counselling or therapy.
Brief descriptions of the areas of life: record important aspects and objectives
Career:
Your career path and professional development.
- Important aspects: professional fulfilment, meaningfulness of work, work-life balance, career opportunities, salary and benefits.
- Possible goals: find a new job, get a promotion, start your own business, improve your professional qualifications, expand your career opportunities.
Further content can be found here:
Or take a look directly at our start-up journal for exciting topics for you.
Health:
Your physical and mental well-being.
- Important aspects: Diet, exercise, stress management, sleep, check-ups.
- Possible goals: lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, reduce stress, sleep better, get your health problems under control.
Relationships:
Your relationships with other people, especially family, friends and partners.
- Important aspects: Love, trust, communication, respect, common interests, spending time together.
- Possible goals: Strengthen your relationship with your partner, make new friends, resolve conflicts, improve your communication skills, spend more time with your loved ones.
Further content can be found here:
Finances:
Your financial situation and financial planning.
- Important aspects: Income, expenses, debt, saving, investing, retirement planning.
- Possible goals: reduce your debts, increase your savings, improve your income, achieve financial security, build up a pension plan.
You can find further content here:
Free time:
The time you spend away from work and responsibilities.
- Important aspects: Fun, relaxation, hobbies, interests, trying new things.
- Possible goals: finding a new hobby, spending more time in nature, meeting new people, travelling, expressing your creativity.
Personal growth:
Your personal development and personal learning.
- Important aspects: Self-discovery, self-reflection, learning new skills, getting to know your strengths and weaknesses, achieving your goals.
- Possible goals: reading a new book, attending a course, learning a new language, improving your self-knowledge, achieving your goals.
Friends:
A network of people who are emotionally and socially close to you.
- Important aspects: mutual trust, support, shared interests, spending time together.
- Possible goals: making new friends, strengthening existing friendships, resolving conflicts, spending more time with friends.
Love:
Your romantic relationships and your emotional connection to other people.
- Important aspects: Intimacy, passion, trust, communication, mutual support.
- Possible goals: finding a new relationship, strengthening your relationship with your partner, improving your communication skills, resolving conflicts, experiencing more love and affection in your life.
Family:
A group of people related by blood, marriage or adoption.
- Important aspects: Love, support, togetherness, shared values and traditions.
- Possible goals: Strengthening relationships with family members, spending more time with family, resolving conflicts, maintaining family traditions.
Environment/living situation:
A place and environment where you feel comfortable, safe and secure.
- Important aspects: Living environment and neighbourhood, living atmosphere at home, social contacts, rest and relaxation
- Possible goals: Find a home that meets your needs, improve your living environment (e.g. through renovation, design), find places to relax in the local area, maintain social contact with neighbours.
You can find inspiring content here:
Self-love:
The positive appreciation and acceptance of one's own self.
- Important aspects: Self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-care, positive self-talk.
- Possible goals: accepting your strengths and weaknesses, setting your boundaries, learning to say no, loving yourself as you are, looking after your physical and mental health.
More articles on the topics:
Creativity:
The ability to come up with new ideas and create something new.
- Important aspects: Imagination, problem-solving ability, expressiveness, openness to new things, willingness to experiment.
- Possible goals: Finding a new hobby, learning a new art form, expressing your creativity in your everyday life, realising your ideas, creating something new.
Meaning:
A sense of meaning and purpose in life.
- Important aspects: Values, beliefs, goals, contribution to society, spiritual life.
- Possible goals: finding out what is important to you in life, living your values, achieving your goals, making a difference in the world, finding your purpose.
Sport:
Physical activity that contributes to maintaining health and fitness.
- Important aspects: Enjoying exercise, improving physical performance, reducing stress, promoting well-being.
- Possible goals: learning a specific sport, reaching a certain fitness level, taking part in a competition, exercising regularly.
Note: These brief descriptions are only examples. You can of course adapt them according to your own needs and priorities. The number and selection of areas of life can also vary from person to person.
Conclusion on the Wheel of Life
The Wheel of Life is a simple and effective tool for self-evaluation and goal setting. It helps you to shed light on your most important areas of life, record your current satisfaction in each area and set specific goals for a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Successful implementation is a dynamic process. It is important to update the Wheel of Life regularly to track your progress and adjust your goals.
