The Wheel of Life - Empowerment Coaching Krakow Blog

To start with, I agree with the statement that you can't manage time. You can only manage yourself over time. It is free and flows steadily. It is like a river. How we perceive it and how we use it depends on us.

There are various techniques for effectively scheduling your activities over time. However, I would like to write about a slightly different perspective on time management.

Implementing changes in the field I want to write about may bring incomparably better benefits than mastery of typical techniques.

It is the Wheel of Life tool. And for many people, doing the Life Wheel exercise becomes an "aha!" moment. It's a turning point. In the second part of this article, you will find more information about the Wheel of Life (aka Life Balance Wheel). We have also prepared downloadable templates in various formats.

It does not mean that I disagree with these techniques. On the contrary, I use them a lot!

However, I would like to show a broader context of our "being" and present a general compass without which we can effectively manage wrongly invested time.

Most effective techniques of time management

So, let's start with a brief description of popular techniques.

Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule)

Regarding time, it says that 20% of our efforts bring 80% results. So, the point is to think carefully about where to concentrate our efforts before the concept of action. For example, ask yourself: which of our actions will most help us achieve the intended results?

The Eisenhower Matrix

In other words, the technique of dividing cases according to the criteria: significant and urgent. In short, the idea is to be able to choose those matters that are significant but not necessarily urgent. Eisenhower himself said, "What is urgent is seldom important. And what is important is rarely urgent."

The technique of planning your calendar according to the proportion of 70/30

I believe this technique can be used by business leaders. It consists of the fact that we ALWAYS leave 30% of our calendar unplanned. It is a buffer for unforeseen events.

The principle of dealing with only one case at a time

In my opinion, this is a crucial detail. It is especially critical for all leaders and managers working in larger organizations. Peter Drucker, a world authority in the field of management theory, writes about it:

“An effective manager does not get involved in anything but this one, only task on which he focuses his strength. Later, he will review the topics and choose the next task that will be at the top of his list from now on.”

On the occasion of this principle, I would also like to mention the noteworthy skill enabling one to stick to one's course, keep one's concentration, and deal with time eaters.

If you have decided to take care of a selected matter (for example, creating a presentation or preparing an analysis), do not answer the phone (unless the family is calling on a hotline), and do not check your e-mail. If you have your room close the door if you work in an "open space" put on headphones or go to a free conference room.

If you plan to be a boss as part of your career (or you already are, but you want to be an even bigger boss), in my opinion, this skill will play an increasingly important role.

On this occasion, I would also like to mention that scientists busted the myth of multitasking. It turns out that it is simply impossible due to the way our brain is constructed. I also recommend the book "The Myth of Multitasking: How 'Doing It All' Gets Nothing Done" by Dave Crenshaw.

Life Wheel: a different perspective of time management

Time management techniques are presented mainly in the context of our work. Where are the rest of our lives?

So I would like to present a different model: WORTH STARTING INSTANTLY.

Let's divide our "world" into four areas:

1. I

My knowledge, skills, talents, experiences, passions, life goals, health, and personal and spiritual development. Regardless of where I work and who I love at the moment.

2. My job and professional career

I believe we don't need any explanations here.

3. My loved ones

My romantic relationships. My relationships with my relatives. Wife, husband, children, parents, siblings, fiance, fiancée, and close friends.

4. My social life

My neighbors, associations, clubs, housing community, church (understood as a community), charity, and volunteering. My overall contribution to my local community and the world.

Imagine a square that you divide into four equal quarters (similar to the Eisenhower Matrix). Now, draw a circle in each quadrant, and let each circle correspond to one of the four areas. And let the radius of each circle show the amount of time you are currently devoting to that area in your life.

"Pictures speak more than 1000 words". So, please have a look at your drawing. It's you! Are you satisfied with this picture? Is it in balance?

If not - please draw the proportion of areas that you would like to obtain in 6 months, in a year, in 3 years. And from tomorrow on, invest your time accordingly.

“Moments of freedom will never be given to you. You must take them.”

The Wheel of Life Coaching

A wise coach can help you through this process, particularly when your first discoveries turn out shocking. Especially when you first think that you can't change much anyway or don't have the strength (or worse, time!).

Finally, let's reveal the secret that the model proposed in this post is a version (or simplification) of an awareness-raising tool often used in the coaching process. Here is the Wheel of Life. You may find many versions of this stool. One of them is described on the positive psychology portal.

There are also many online places to conduct such a test and immediately get graphic results. But I believe that you can do this valuable exercise without the Internet 😎

There is something powerful about making hand drawings or writing and drawing by hand. Such activity makes our thoughts organize and flow from our minds to the outside world, emptying and purifying our minds at the same time. That is why, among other things, such a valuable personal development practice is keeping a diary or diary written by hand.

Who Invented the Wheel of Life?

The Life Wheel was invented in the early 1960s by Paul J. Meyer. Born in 1928, Paul J. Meyer is considered the creator of the then-innovative business sector focused on personal development.

He founded companies such as Success Motivation Institute (SMI) and Leadership Management Inc. His 24 comprehensive development programs have sold more than two billion dollars worldwide. It is more than any other author, living or dead, has achieved in this field.

At the link above, you will find an inspiring biography of Paul J. Meyer which shows how he struggled with difficulties and yet continued to consistently pursue his goals by his mission, which drove him to action.

You can also find many inspirational quotes from Paul J. Meyer. I will quote here three selected golden thoughts:

Goal setting is the most important aspect of all improvement and personal development plans. It is the key to all fulfillment and achievement.

Imagine something new, or you will only go where you have been.

Life is a painting, and you are the artist. You have on your palette all the colors in the spectrum - the same ones available to Michaelangelo and da Vinci.

What parts does a complete Wheel of Life consist of?

A lot of time has passed since the 60s of the last century. And like everything in this world, the Wheel of Life is also evolving. In addition, it is a "democratic" personal development tool. Everyone can add something to it. So, it is hard to find the only right standard.

What's more, the world is changing dynamically. Recently we faced global changes that affected our entire lifestyle, level of human awareness, and human needs. Because we are talking about personal development here, and the Wheel of Life is a valuable tool supporting this development - the tool also follows changes.

Therefore, in Empowerment Coaching, we have chosen the Life Wheel template that reflects the most current situation of the 21st-century man. This model consists of the following eight parts:

1. Job and professional development.

2. Finance.

3. Love, immediate family.

4. Friends, colleagues, and extended family.

5. Contribution to the community and the world.

6. Physical and mental health.

7. Leisure, passions, and hobbies.

8. Personal development, spirituality.

The free Wheel of Life template for download

In the header of this text, you can find a simplified version of the Wheel of Life consisting of four parts. We can also go further and draw a scale for the length of the radius. Usually, this is a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the maximum positive value.

A simplified template with a scale of 1-10

So, you can now do the Wheel of Life exercise using a simplified template, but this time mark in each of the four main sections how much time you spend on each main topic.

Then, by connecting individual points from all four parts, you will get a radar chart, which can often be found, for example, in the results of a 360-degree survey or other tests of selected competencies. Such a radar chart will show the life balance or imbalance in a simple graphical way.

Here is an example of such a simplified template to use in the Wheel of Life exercise.

Full template with 1-10 scale

Now, you can go one step further and do the Wheel of Life exercise more deeply. You will use the template consisting of eight parts, each with the same scale of 1-10.

As in the previous step, mark your level of involvement in the appropriate parts of the blank wheel, connect the marked points, and see what picture of YOUR life you get. How healthy (or unhealthy) is your life balance?

Here is the template with eight parts and a scale of 1-10:

The Wheel of Life Template - free pdf - 2

Free Wheel of Life Template - Download in PDF format

If you would like to receive an appropriate printable free Wheel of Life Template in PDF format, please find below the link to download various templates.

Invariably, I encourage you to practice manually, marking the appropriate points on the hard copy and then manually painting over the graphical area.

Finally, here are some examples of completed diagrams that present a life balance typical for the 21st century:

The Wheel of Life - Example of the filled in template - 1

The Wheel of Life - Example of the filled in template - 3

Coaching Tool - Deepening questions

If you do your exercises, it turns out that your picture looks poor, and you would like to do something about it - the following in-depth questions will help you with this: