I’m an advocate for considering the 8 dimensions of wellbeing.
Occupational. Emotional. Social. Intellectual. Physical. Environmental. Spiritual. Financial.
We can look at these 8 areas of our life through many different filters.
Here are just a few examples:
Five Year Plan – We can consider where we want to be in each of these areas.
Retirement – We consider our finances for retirement, but often not the other 8 dimensions of our life.
Transition – When considering a move or new job, we can consider how that might impact all categories.
Goals – Thinking through all 8 areas of wellbeing can help discover goals we might have missed.
Fasting – This term is often connected to food/drink. We could consider fasting ideas in other aspects of wellbeing.
Joy – Thinking about each of these areas we could discover the little things that bring us joy.
My Story
I started working with the 8 areas of wellbeing about 5 years ago.
What I’ve discovered is that my life has more dimension and fullness than I previously noticed.
Historically, I would focus on goals in the occupational lane, but not the others.
Now, I use them to reflect on the year past and set goals for the year ahead.
Sometimes I focus on just one dimension and really consider where I’m at and how it’s going.
Other times I look at the connections across areas.
I consider how a decision in one area can impact another in either a positive or a negative way.
Your Turn
Do you consider all the areas of wellbeing when thinking about your life?
Which area do you give the most and least attention?
Would using these 8 areas with the filters described above be helpful for you?