How To Do a Life Audit and Kickstart Your Next Chapter
As someone that is self-proclaimed Type A, I enjoy new years goals, to do lists, and life audits. An audit can sound scary, like your being investigated by the IRS, but they are quite the opposite. Life Audits are growing in popularity as a go-to way to check in on different areas of your life.
A life audit is a self-assessment process aimed at evaluating various aspects of your life to gain clarity, identify areas for improvement, and align actions with personal values and goals. They’re a nice practice to do annually, semi-annually or when you’re going into a new chapter in life.
It involves taking stock of different dimensions of life such as career, relationships, health, personal development, finances, and leisure activities.
During a life audit, you can reflect on questions like:
Career: Am I satisfied with my current job? Am I pursuing my passions and interests? Honesty is key.
Finances: Am I managing my money effectively? Are my financial goals aligned with my overall life goals?
Personal Growth: Am I growing and learning? Am I investing in developing new skills and knowledge?
Health: Am I taking care of my physical and mental well-being? Are there areas where I need to make improvements?
Friends: Do you have healthy and positive friendships?
Relationships: Are my relationships fulfilling? Do I invest enough time and effort into nurturing them?
Recreation: Am I dedicating time to activities that bring me joy and relaxation?
Spirituality: Do I have a healthy mindset and practice mindfulness?
A life audit wheel, also known as a life wheel or a balance wheel, is a visual tool used to assess various areas of your life and determine where you may need to focus your attention for improvement. Here's how to use a life audit wheel effectively:
Identify Categories: The life audit wheel typically consists of different categories or dimensions of life, such as career, relationships, health, personal development, finances, leisure, spirituality, and so on. These categories may vary depending on the specific wheel you're using or what's most relevant to you. If you’re focused more on personal finances, you may be reviewing your household budget.
Rate Each Category: Assign a rating to each category based on how satisfied you currently feel in that area of your life. Use a scale, often ranging from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least satisfied and 10 being the most satisfied. For example, if you feel very fulfilled in your career, you might rate the career category as a 9 or 10, while if you're struggling with your health, you might rate the health category as a 3 or 4.
Plot Ratings on the Wheel: Draw a line or mark a point on each category's segment of the wheel corresponding to your rating. Connect the points to create a visual representation of your life wheel.
Analyze the Wheel: Take a look at the completed life audit wheel. Notice which areas are larger or smaller, indicating where you feel more or less satisfied. Pay attention to any imbalances or discrepancies between different categories. Also ask yourself how it would feel or what would this area of your life look like at a level 10.
Set Goals: Based on your analysis, identify one or two categories where you'd like to focus on improvement. These could be areas with lower ratings or those that you feel are neglected but important for your overall well-being. I like to create vision boards to help achieve these areas of improvement by visualizing and feeling how it would feel where you want to be.
Create Action Plans: Once you've identified the areas for improvement, brainstorm specific actions you can take to enhance those aspects of your life. These actions could be short-term goals, habits to develop, or changes in behavior or mindset.
Monitor Progress: Regularly revisit your life audit wheel to track your progress over time. As you make changes and improvements in your life, update your ratings on the wheel accordingly. Celebrate your successes and adjust your goals as needed.
By using a life audit wheel, you can gain insight into different areas of your life, prioritize where to focus your efforts, and take proactive steps toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.
You can also create action plans to make necessary changes and improvements in your life. This process can lead to increased self-awareness, better decision-making, and a greater sense of fulfillment and purpose.
