Focus wheel

Use this technique, based on the classic coaching tool, the wheel of life, to identify time spent on tasks that don’t light you up, and create more space for things that energise you

We can end up focusing too much on our competencies – the things we’re good at but don’t love doing, as opposed to our strengths – the activities during which we’re happiest and most effective. Say you’re good at baking cakes or figuring out tech, so people always ask for your help in those areas. You might be great at them, but perhaps those tasks exhaust you. However, because you are praised for your ability, you’ve lost sight of what you truly enjoy doing.

A way to find a balance of strengths and competencies is to create a wheel of life. Draw a circle and divide it into eight segments. Traditionally, coaches use this exercise to mark out life categories – work, family, relationships, health and so on, so clients can find harmony in life. I use it to get people to choose eight areas that are really important to them – it might be the aforementioned list, but it may include fashion, art, reading, gardening and creativity. The idea is that you mark on the wheel from 0 (the centre) where you are in terms of time devoted to the activity (with 10 being the maximum).

By creating the wheel, you begin to focus on what’s really important to you, as opposed to what other people tell you is important. It’s a wake-up call.

Say you feel family is important to you, but time spent on family is only at a 2, whereas work is a 10… With a visual representation of what’s important to you and how much time you spend on it, you can work to change how you use your time and beat overwhelm.