How to Run an Awesome Workshop Using the Wheel of Life (in Under an Hour)!

In this article I share a simple but powerful way to run a workshop using the Wheel of Life Template.

In this workshop outline, you’ll also get the chance to share who you are as a coach, how you can help your attendees, and any special offers you might have for attendees! The outline provided also includes what to do, when, questions to ask and a timed agenda.

If you haven’t run a workshop before, using the Wheel of Life Template is an easy way to get started. I would encourage you to start here and build your experience with managing groups and running events. You can learn about your audience, practice, see what works and begin to discover your style.

Get your Free Wheel of Life Template here:

Tips for Your Wheel of Life Workshop

When you’re just starting out, it can be hard to drum up interest in a workshop yourself. So, why not approach some local networking groups, companies, clubs or meet-up groups and ask if they’re interested in you coming in to do a free inspirational workshop on how to have more life balance.

And when preparing to run a workshop using the Wheel of Life to talk about life balance, be sure to bring you—and your passion to it! Choose your key message about life balance, and 3 sub points you’d like to share that are unique to you. Then intersperse this information into the agenda below.

For everything you need to know about the Wheel of Life, check out The Complete Guide to the Wheel of Life here >>

How to Run a Workshop Using the Wheel of Life

Agenda with Timings and Outline

INTRODUCTION (total 5 mins)

1. 5 mins – INTRODUCE yourself, your business, and why you think balance is so important.

   • Start by welcoming attendees and introducing yourself and your business.
   • Then share a personal “teaching story” about your own experience with life balance. Or, if you have a story of a client you helped to achieve more balance and the results, this is great too!
     IMPORTANT: Be sure to have permission to share a client’s story, or create a “blended” story from several client experiences which has no identifying information.

MAIN BODY (total 40 mins)

2.  10 mins – DISCUSS Balance with your attendees.

   • Share your thoughts on why balance is so important—especially these days.
   • Start by asking attendees how they feel when they are not in balance.
   • Then ask attendees what they think balance is.
     • OPTIONAL (add 10 mins): put people into groups of 2-4 to discuss what balance is and what it feels like.
     • Afterwards, ask one member of each group to share that back with the room.
   • Next ask attendees what balance might look like for them? How would they know when they are ‘in balance’? How would it feel to be ‘in balance’
   • It’s also fun/interesting to ask, “So, when was the last time you felt your life was in balance?”
   • Share that we don’t ‘achieve’ balance (or at least not for long). The key is to know whether you are moving towards or away from balance. Ask how this perspective could help them?
     Top Tip: Use a whiteboard, flipchart or an online version where you can write down what people are saying. This helps visual learners and makes people feel more involved.

3. 5 mins – COMPLETE the Wheel of Life Template.

   • Explain that the “Wheel of Life” Exercise is a great tool to check-in with how balanced their life is, and where it might be out of balance.
   • Explain the 8 segments on the wheel and ask attendees to consider what satisfaction would feel like for each area, then to score their current level of satisfaction out of 10 for each area.
     Top Tip: Show people exactly where/how to draw the line and add each score to their wheel.
     Top Tip: Remind your attendees to follow their gut and write down the first number they think of (not to increase their score because they think they should feel better!)

4. 15 mins – REVIEW the Wheel in small groups.
   

   • Start by asking your attendees to look at their completed wheels and say, “If this was your wheel of life, would it be a bumpy ride?”
   • Next ask your attendees to get into groups of 3-4 and review and discuss their results.
   • Give people 2-3 questions to consider, for example:
     • “What surprises were there for you?”
     • “How do you feel about your life as you look at your Wheel?” and
     • “How would you like to be spending time in these areas?”
   • Top Tip: Find more questions in the instructions on page 2 of our Wheel of Life Template coaching form.

5. 10 mins – DISCUSS and SHARE learnings from the Wheel of Life as a larger group.

   • Some great questions to ask the group include:
     • So, what did you learn and notice as you reviewed your wheels with each other?
     • Which categories do you most want to improve?
     • What needs to change to bring more balance into your life?
     • What are the common themes we’re noticing in the room today?
     • What help and support might you need from others to make the necessary changes and be more in balance?

WRAP-UP (10 mins total)

6. 5 mins – Each person identifies an ACTION to create more balance

   • Ask each person to come up with ONE action they could take to move closer to balance in their lives, and write it next to the relevant category on their wheel.
   • A great question to ask is, “If there was one key action you could take that would begin to bring everything into balance, what would it be?”
     Tip: If anyone struggles to identify an action try asking, “What is the smallest or easiest thing you could commit to, to move towards balance?”

7. 5 mins – SUMMARISE and wrap-up the session

   • Thank the attendees for being there and sharing!
   • Tip: If you have time, it’s nice to ask everyone to share their action with the room. Allow 30-60 seconds per person.
   • Share and summarise your main point and 3 sub-points about life balance. You could also share a powerful quote if you like. Some examples include:
     • “Looking back at the times where I allowed my work to create stress and frustration in my life, I now realize what I thought was important really was not. I am not saying you should not take your work seriously; what I am saying is that we need to realize that life is all about balance.” Catherine Pulsifer
     • “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.” Thomas Merton
     • “Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself.” Jessye Norman
   • Wrap-up the session by talking about what you offer, specifically how you could help them create more balance and fulfilment in life.
     Top Tip: I recommend you have a special offer for attendees for one-on-one coaching, and/or ongoing group coaching offer around creating a balanced and more fulfilled life!
   • OPTIONAL: I recommend you also ask for feedback and use this to get sample sessions and/or permission to send them your email newsletter!

8. FINALLY, make sure no-one leaves empty-handed!

   • Mention your handouts on offer at the back of the room (branded with your details on) for them to take home. Examples could include a special report on coaching, articles you have written on life balance, branded coaching tools and exercises for attendees to take away—and a flyer listing your special offer (that can also be given to friends!).

This workshop packs a powerful punch in a short space of time—helping people connect with how balanced their life is, how they feel about that, where the issues might be—and identifying one action to take away and improve things!