The wellness wheel is a type of visual tool that displays the wellness categories on the wheel. It enlightens people to concentrate on their wellness by identifying the area which they have neglected.
All the dimensions in a wellness wheel are interconnected. So if there is an imbalance in one area of the wellness wheel, it can restrict you from achieving total well-being.
The wellness wheel is important for overall well-being and not only for mental and physical health. If you work through all aspects of the wellness wheel, you can improve your quality of life and focus on reaching your full potential.
Categories of wellness wheel
The wellness wheel marks the six dimensions as markers that help an individual accomplish a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle with proper work-life balance. The wellness wheel also helps a person identify their meaning in life.
Initially, the wellness wheel was six dimensions; over time, it became seven categories. All the dimensions of the wellness wheel are interconnected, so if there is a disruption in one wheel, it can reflect in overall well-being.
The different types of wellness wheel and how to improve overall wellness are discussed in each category.
1. Physical Wellness
Physical wellness denotes the physical health of the body. It includes all physical aspects, including sleep, nutrition, diet, and strength.
Yearly checkups, regular physical activity and a balanced diet with nutritious food also include physical wellness.
Some tips to improve physical wellness.
Write down your goals
If you plan to change your eating habit or a particular brand of oil in the kitchen, write it down. This will help you to achieve your goal easily.
Find a workout buddy
Working out with a friend can be fun, and the other person may encourage you to work out.
Start small
Many people tend to have big goals, which can drain them easily. So always start small.
2. Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness talks about the feelings and emotions of a person. How do you express your feeling, and are your emotions in check? This wellness category will help you to adapt to life’s changes and cope with stress.
Adequate sleep, seeking a therapist when required and regular checkups of your stress levels also come under emotional wellness.
Tips to improve your emotional wellness
Acknowledge your feelings
We are all humans, and it is okay to cry at times. Life is equally hard for everyone. So do not be too hard on yourself.
Self-care routine
Meditation, yoga, stretching and breathing exercises can help calm your body and mind.
Reach out for help
If you need help, just ask for help. Do not try to restrict yourself.
3. Intellectual Wellness
Intellectual wellness aims for lifelong learning and helps broaden your knowledge and skills.
It encourages learning and helps you take part in creative activities. These activities will ensure that your mind stays healthy and active.
Intellectual wellness also includes staying updated on social and political issues, and mentoring individuals are some activities that fall under intellectual wellness.
Tips for prioritising intellectual wellness.
Join a club
Join a club like a book club, which can help you read for a while and also keeps your mind active.
Get involved
If you live in a community, there are many community activities available. Get involved in organising an educational or social event.
Problem-solving skill
Sharpen your problem solving skill with the help of logical games and puzzles.
4. Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness is all about your beliefs, ethics and values that guide you through your life. It also helps you find the meaning and purpose of life through the spiritual lens, which can lead to peace.
Spiritual wellness can help an individual to engage with a force greater than themself. Some of the tips to improve spiritual wellness.
Connect with others
Try to connect with a community that shares the same spiritual beliefs.
Vision board
Always have a vision which can help you keep track of your goals and encompass the journey in your spirituality.
5. Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness refers to your surroundings that reflect your overall wellness. It starts from the micro level, like your home, to a global scale, like the country or world.
Environmental wellness also determines how you interact with fellow beings in school, work and home.
Recycling trash, de-cluttering your home or your room and doing your laundry are small ways to promote environmental wellness. It will also keep your environment clean and organised. This will improve your productivity and will have a calm living environment. Some ways to improve your environmental wellness.
Clean environment
Try to keep your environment clean. Keep a cleaning routine, and remember to de-clutter once a week.
Natural light
Natural light can help you become calm. Natural light can reduce depression and stress and improve the quality of sleep.
6. Social Wellness
Social wellness denotes the quality of the relationship with others. The key to social wellness is keeping your network strong. It will also reduce your feeling of loneliness, isolation, stress and depression.
Try to participate in group activities, or if you live in a community, get to know others. Reconnect with your friends and try to make new connections.
Tips to improve social wellness.
Setting boundaries
Social pressure can make us do certain things that others expect us to do. Set boundaries from others expectations and create a trustworthy relationship with people.
Allow your feelings to flow freely
Let yourself be vulnerable to your feelings. It is okay to tell people that you like them.
Plan ahead
Try to schedule activities and execute them. For example, set specific days for shopping, cooking, chores, baking and connecting with your old friends.
7. Occupational Wellness
Financial wellness or occupational wellness refers to how happy you are in your work and your financial stability.
Your job satisfaction, career and finances will evaluate your occupational wellness. Tips to achieve occupational wellness.
Work-life balance
Make time for your professional and personal work. Make sure they do not overlap. If you are at home, spend time with your loved ones and complete all your official work within a specified time.
Mental health days
Check yourself and take off from your routine. This will avoid burnout and keep your productivity at its best.
How to Set Wellness Goals & Create a Plan
If you want to improve your overall wellness, consider all seven dimensions and work on all the dimensions. Identify the areas in which you struggle and improve them.
This will help you clarify aspects where you lack knowledge and where improvement is required. Take small steps and have realistic goals. This will not give you unwanted stress and will help you achieve your goals.
When to Seek Professional Guidance
The goal of the wellness wheel is to keep a check on yourself physically and mentally. It will help highlight the imbalance that can prevent you from living your life to the fullest.
When you consult your therapist or a counsellor, it will clarify where adjustments are required and help set realistic goals. The therapist will also help you process your emotions and patterns that can prevent you from reaching your goal.
Conclusion
A wellness wheel is a self-exploration tool. It will give you a visual representation of all the dimensions and will give you a report of how you are doing in all aspects.
The goal of the wellness wheel is to make adjustments in such a way that can improve your life.
FAQs
Why the Wellness Wheel?
The wellness wheel helps you evaluate yourself and your actions in all aspects of life. It will also highlight the imbalance in the aspects of your life.
What is the importance of the wellness wheel?
Wellness helps to practice healthy habits daily. This will help us attain physical and mental outcomes which will be positive. Understanding the wellness wheel is important to understand how it is linked to health.
Who created the wellness wheel?
Witmer, Myers, and Sweeney created the wellness wheel.
