Eating healthy foods, exercising, and managing your stress are three areas most people think of when it comes to life balance.  You may assume that someone who practices healthy behaviors in these areas is balanced, but this may not be the case.

Contrary to what you may think, “Life Balance” is not something you obtain once; it is an ongoing process that involves the choices you make each day.  If focusing your attention on your physical health (through diet and exercise) does not permit you to devote the energy needed to have quality relationships, be in control of your finances, and find meaning in your work (whether through employment or volunteering), you are missing more than half of the picture of what allows you to be balanced and fully engaged in life.

One way to look at life balance is by using some version of a Life Balance Wheel.  Each section of the wheel represents an area of your life and how satisfied you are with it.  Working towards maintaining life balance and ultimately managing your stress levels involves considering each of these areas.

How to Use This Tool:

The center of the wheel is 0, and the outer edge of the wheel is 10.  Rank your level of satisfaction with each area by drawing an arc at the number that represents your level of satisfaction.  A 0 means you are not satisfied at all with an area right now; a 10 means everything in that area is absolutely perfect for you right now.

Write the number that arc represents.  For example, if you are 75% satisfied with your career, draw an arc about ¾ of the way out from the center of the circle in the Career section of the Wheel, and label it 7.5.

The less balanced you are, the more lopsided your circle will be.  As you become more balanced and more mindful of your choices, your wheel will start to become bigger and more closely resemble a circle.  Click here for examples of how this tool has been put into practice with coaching sessions and our Lifestyle Makeover Program.