Finding Work-Life Balance in 2025 with the Wheel of Life Exercise
As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what makes life truly fulfilling. The start of a new year brings an opportunity to focus on finding ways to bring more balance and joy into our lives. That’s where the Wheel of Life Exercise comes in. This powerful tool helps you assess your satisfaction across different areas of life, identify imbalances, and create an actionable plan to live more fully.
Step #1: Assess Your Satisfaction
Take the Circle of Life template provided and rate your satisfaction in each area on a scale from 1 (least satisfied) to 10 (most satisfied). Place a dot in the corresponding spot within each segment, starting closer to the center for lower scores and closer to the edge for higher scores.
Wheel of Life
Step#2 Connect the Areas
Once you’ve rated each area, link all areas together to create a shape like pictured below. Is your circle smooth and rounded? Or does it have sharp spikes and deep valleys?
If this were the tires of your car, how bumpy would the ride be?
A smooth and balanced circle represents a stable and fulfilling life. A jagged, uneven circle indicates areas that may need attention to bring greater harmony to your life.
Wheel of Life - Satisfaction ratings
Step#3: Analyse your Results
Take a moment to reflect on your Circle of Life.
· Which areas have the highest satisfaction?
Which areas have the lowest satisfaction?
What patterns do you notice? Are certain areas linked, such as career satisfaction impacting personal growth or finances influencing recreation?
Step #4 Taking action
Self-actualization, a key competency of emotional intelligence in the EQ-i 2.0 model, is about living a meaningful and purposeful life. This exercise directly ties to self-actualization by helping you identify what’s missing and guiding you to take steps toward greater fulfillment.
Ask yourself: What’s one thing I could do to bring my lowest score up by just 1 point?
If your health score is low, could you commit to a 10-minute walk each day?
If your fun and recreation score needs a boost, could you plan a simple outing with friends once a month?
The more you work on these areas, the more you’re investing in your self-actualization. Small, consistent actions will not only improve specific areas but also contribute to a more balanced and purposeful life.