Using a Wheel of Wellbeing to Create a Better Lifestyle

wheel of wellbeing for a better lifestyle

Have you ever heard of a wheel of wellbeing? It is a very simple device that is used to help you assess all the areas in your life which can impact your physical and mental health. The idea behind the wheel is to see which areas in your life are working well for you and which need some work.

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Wheel of Wellness

The wheel of wellness is a great device to help you to focus on parts of your life which need an upgrade or need to change. By filling out the wheel you can get a better handle on individual components that make up your wellbeing and impact your mental health.

We love the idea of the wheel of wellness because we are always telling our clients how important it is for them to have a holistic lifestyle in order to have good mental health. As an example you can’t resolve anxiety just by pills alone if you are not sleeping well, doing this which make you stressed. Change all the elements that are causing a problem and you are likely to see that everything changes for the better.

What are the 8 Components of Wellness?

If you are going to use a wheel of wellbeing then you need to understand the 8 main components that you need to consider in order to make some positive changes. We have outlined them below so you understand what you need to start thinking about in order to improve your lifestyle and create good mental health. The elements are:

Emotional – How you are feeling mentally is important in your overall health and happiness.

Intellectual – We all need to space to learn and grow. Are you doing this in your life?
Physical – Moving your body is important as is your physical health.
Social – As humans, we are social creatures. Are you interacting well with those around you?

Environmental – Where you live or spend most of your time will also impact how you feel.
Financial – Getting on top of your finances so that you have enough money is important for your happiness.
Spiritual – Spiritual doesn’t have to be about religion it is about your beliefs and values.

Vocational – Vocational wellbeing relates to you finding satisfaction from your work.

Let’s look at how you can address each of the areas in the wellness wheel so that you create the best possible alterations to your current lifestyle over the coming year.

Wellness Wheel Assessment

To do your own wheel of wellbeing assessment download our blank wellness wheel below and start filling in each of the sections. Think about the areas where you feel everything is running smoothly and write down what you believe needs to change in the others.

Once you have a list of items that you need to address then start to make a plan on how you are going to alter what is not working. Make sure you set yourself clear goals with times on them to help you make the desired changes rather than allowing yourself to procrastinate and not get things done.

Here are some ideas to get you started on making positive changes to improve your health and happiness in the coming months.

Emotional Health

Our clients come to see us primarily because their emotional and mental health is not where it needs to be. In our assessments, we look at their lifestyles and stressors to create an action plan to help. Here are some things you may need to look at.

Make sure you find the time for self-care. There is no point in running on empty as eventually, it will impact your productivity and ability to deal with what comes your way. Take a spa day and relax with this Spa Kit and allow your stresses to drift away whilst you take some well-earned downtime.

Practice Mindfulness and stop your mind from thinking about the worst that can happen. This Mindfulness Journal can help you to focus on the present and stop your mind from trying to focus on things that are in the past or haven’t even happened yet.

Make sure that you get regular quality sleep and keep a fixed bedtime routine. If you suffer from insomnia use our guided meditation for sleep to help.

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Social Wellbeing

Our health is also impacted by those that we interact with on a daily basis. We recommend that you stay away from energy vampires but instead choose to socialise and connect with people who love and care for you or who are offering you something positive.

Social media can be a blessing for many but for others, it can have a negative impact. If you are using social media try and connect with people who make you feel good rather than those that make you feel inadequate, jealous or upset.

Resolve to stay in touch with your friends and family and make regular visits or stay in touch online so you don’t lose those all-important connections.

Also, think about joining clubs or societies where people have similar values to yours. Mixing with likeminded people can help you to meet new people and broaden your social circle.

Physical Wellbeing

When we are looking at a wheel of wellbeing make sure that your physical wellbeing is well looked after. For starters have a look at the amount of physical exercise you are doing and if it isn’t enough then you need to find ways to increase it. If you find it difficult to get to a gym think about using something at home like the Yosuda Indoor Exercise Bike. This is a brilliant piece of kit that even has an iPad holder on it meaning you can exercise and listen to music or watch films as you go. You will hardly notice that you are working out!

To make sure that you stay physically fit make sure that you also think about maintaining a healthy diet. We are not fans of faddy diet programs so why not look at our mindful eating resources to help you eat more intuitively and still lose weight.

We also recommend that you cut down on your alcohol intake. Alcohol is fine in moderation but increasingly it is being used by middle-class professionals as a way of managing their stress levels. Use our drink less worksheets to help you limit what you drink and manage your stress levels.

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Financial Wellbeing

When working with your wellness wheel you’ll see there is a section for your financial wellbeing. Being financially secure and being able to afford a good lifestyle is important. Trying to stay out of debt is hugely important as is planning for your future.

Get yourself a Clever Fox Budget Planner and start to take control of your finances. Note down what your spending and create a budget that allows you to save for your future. Track your income and expenditure and create goals. When you start really paying attention to what you spend it is a real eye-opener.

Don’t forget to plan for your retirement as well. You will need a good pension when you decide to stop working. Don’t try and bury your head in the sand about it just know that you’ll need a decent income to keep on buying the little luxuries in your retirement.

Intellectual Wellbeing

Continually learning is a great way to keep the mind active and to help stave off boredom or apathy. Too many people spend their lives slumped in front of the television doing nothing. Don’t allow yourself to fester instead start to do things to keep your interest up.

Start by reading books regularly. Buy yourself a Kindle and start using Kindle Unlimited to get access to a ton of books and magazine subscriptions. Just remember a Kindle reader is more suitable if you are planning to read books in bed. The blue light given off tablets can disrupt your sleep.

You can also sign yourself up for some courses to learn new things. Even if you can’t physically get to classes there are plenty of online courses you can do online.

Environmental Wellbeing

The environment that we live and work in plays a part in how we feel on a day to day basis. Your space is certainly something that needs to be looked at in the wheel of wellbeing.

Firstly look at the simple things that you can do to help your space work for you. An obvious one is to keep where you live or work organised and clear from clutter. When you are in a perpetual state of disorganisation it has an impact on your mental health. Clearly, if the space is also unhygienic or dirty it can also have an impact on your physical health.

Search out the Home Edit books to read how these professional organisers make everything easier for their clients through their organisation tips.

Environmental wellbeing isn’t just about your personal space but also the outside space that you have to walk or drive through. Think about the impact of what you do and how it impacts others. Recycle your rubbish, pick up trash, volunteer to improve your local community.

Spiritual Wellbeing

What are your beliefs and values and how do they impact what you choose to do? Where are your ethical boundaries and are there things that you feel are unacceptable? Learn more about what makes you tick and what you believe is important to you.

Meditation can help to give you the space you need to think of some of these bigger life questions. Create an area in your home that is a zone where you can allow your mind to think about what is important to you. Use a meditation cushion in the zone you create to sit in whilst you conduct your meditation rituals.

You could also try reading Sunaya Roman’s Book Spiritual Growth – Being Your Higher Self. When you give yourself the space to grow spiritually it can have a profoundly positive impact on your mental wellbeing.

Vocational Wellbeing

Finally, last but not least in the Wheel of Wellbeing is vocational. This relates to your time spent at work and how you feel about your chosen career.

We spend more time awake at work than we do in our own homes during the week so making sure that you enjoying the job you are in is essential. If you feel that you might be in the wrong job read What Color is Your Parachute to get an idea of the jobs market and what you might actually to be able to negotiate.

Remember that you should also consider your work/life balance when you are thinking about what you want to do and how much you want to earn. Is it worth earning a higher salary to spend most of your time working away from home and getting little downtime? Be aware of the tradeoffs and pick a career and job that can help you to find balance in your life.

Blank Wellness Wheel

Want a blank wheel of wellbeing to use for yourself. Just download our free wellness wheel below to get started on improving your mental and physical health.