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 will 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! And the outline provided includes what to do, when, questions to ask and a timed agenda.

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If you haven't run a workshop before, using the Wheel of Life Template (get yours free here) 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.

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Finally, if you're just starting out, it can be hard to drum up interest in a workshop yourself. You could approach some local networking groups, companies, clubs or meet-up groups and see if they're interested in you coming in to do an inspirational workshop on how to have more life balance.

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When preparing to run a workshop using the Wheel of Life to talk about life balance, be sure to bring you - and your passion into it! Choose your key message about life balance, and then 3 sub points you want them to know. Then intersperse this information into the agenda below.

 

How to Run a Life Planner Workshop Using the Wheel of Life

(Agenda with Timings and Outline):

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INTRODUCTION:

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/business name.

   • 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! NOTE: 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:

1.  10 mins - Talk ABOUT Future Planning and Life Balance with your attendees.

   • Share your thoughts on why balance is so important - especially these days.

   • Ask attendees how they feel when they are not in balance.

   • Ask attendees what they think balance is, and how it might feel to be 'in balance'.

   • Next ask attendees what balance might look like for them? How would they know when they are 'in balance'? How does it feel?

   • 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?
     Tip: It's great if you have a whiteboard or flipchart where you can write down what people are saying. This helps with visual learners and makes people feel more involved.

2. 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.
     Tip: It's good to specifically show them how to draw the line and add each score to their wheel.
     Tip: Remind your attendees to follow their gut and write down the first number they think of (not to justify their score and increase it because they SHOULD feel better!)

3. 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?" (there are more questions you could ask included in the instructions on page 2 of our wheel of life coaching form).

4. 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

1. 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?"

2. 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 30-45 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 talk about what you offer, specifically how you could help them create more balance and fulfilment in life. (It's particularly good if you have a special offer for your attendees for one-on-one coaching, and/or ongoing group coaching offer around creating a balanced and more fulfilled life!

   • Optionally, (which I recommend) you can also ask for feedback and get permission to send them your email newsletter!

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

   • Mention the 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, a few branded coaching forms and exercises for attendees to take away - and your flyer listing your special offer (that can be given to friends etc)?

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!