It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life. Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that you need to.
Therefore, something has to give, or several things have to give. Many times, the first things to go are sleep, healthy food, physical activity, cleaning the house, and seeing friends. It can feel impossible to make sure you are taking care of every area of your life.
When we sacrifice something, such as sleep, we think it benefits us to get something else done. For example, maybe you have a deadline at school or work so you stay up later to finish it on time.
The work gets done, but now you feel more sluggish than usual, making you not want to do your laundry chore, cook a meal, or hang out with your friends later like you said you would.
This happens because the different areas of your life are all interconnected. This is best modeled in the wheel of wellness. This visual tool is helpful to use when considering your overall well-being.
What Can I Change in My Daily Life Now?
The wheel of wellness highlights seven areas of your life that ebb and flow with each other.
After looking at the wheel of wellness, you might notice that a few areas of your life are not as well as the others. Or maybe every area feels out of whack.
If that’s the case, try focusing on two or three areas that you need to prioritize the most for change. Are there any immediate changes you can make to your daily life to improve your overall well-being? Start with the easiest changes you can make.
If your house feels cluttered and unorganized, take some time to clean up the dishes, wash your sheets, and pick up the dirty clothes on the floor.
If you haven’t been taking much care of your physical body, make a goal to drink more water daily, and try making time for a 10-minute walk sometime during the day to get the blood flowing and some fresh air outside.
What Can I Change in My Daily Life That Takes Time?
You might feel that there are areas in your life that you can’t change immediately. Oftentimes, changes in your job, where you live, and seeking counseling don’t happen overnight.
These areas in the wheel of wellness have big effects on the other areas of your life. If you are unhappy with your job because it’s not what you want to do, then other areas in the wheel of wellness are also hindered. For example, with your job, you might feel emotionally stressed and not intellectually stimulated.
Therefore, you don’t have the motivation to take care of your body so you feel sluggish. And when you feel sluggish, you might not want to clean the house or hang out with friends.
This results in your house looking like chaos and you living in isolation away from your support system. With changes that take time, you might also have to talk to your spouse if you are looking to change jobs, move to a new city, or seek counseling for your mental health.
It’s important to identify the areas in your life that need change but might take time so you can take the proper steps to make that change in a way that isn’t detrimental to your wellbeing.
How Do I Follow Through With Change?
Now that you have identified the areas in your wheel of wellness that needs to change, it’s important to consider how you will follow through with those changes.
Having accountability from your support systems such as friends and family is a great way to keep the motivation to move forward with the change you want to make.
You can also set SMART goals that describe the change you want to make in detail and actually make it tangible. By being specific, you can clearly define the goal you are trying to reach. Another way to follow through is to have a set schedule.
If you are improving an area that can change immediately, then you can set a deadline for when you will have the laundry done or the floors mopped. If you have an area you want to change that may take more time, then setting a long-term schedule can help succeed.
For example, you might start putting away retirement savings every week. So every Friday, you put x amount of money in your retirement fund, and plan on doing that for as many years as you see fit.
Having accountability, clear goals, and a schedule can help you follow through with change to improve your overall well-being.
Your Well Being
Life can feel overwhelming, and so can make changes. There are many things to consider when it comes to your well-being.
The wheel of wellness is a model that can help you identify the areas in your life that may need a change in order to improve your overall wellness.
By finding a few things you can change immediately, and a few things that may need to change, in the long run, you can work towards taking care of yourself every single day.
