Hi friends,
After last week's exploration into what really matters, I want to discuss the concept of a level 10 life and how it can be a powerful tool for achieving work-life balance. The level 10 life is a framework introduced by Hal Elrod in his book "The Miracle Morning." It involves assessing and rating different areas of your life on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest level of satisfaction. By evaluating these areas, such as health, relationships, career, and personal development, you can identify areas that need improvement and create a plan to achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life. This tool not only helps with work-life balance management but also enhances productivity as it encourages you to prioritise and allocate time and energy to the areas that matter most to you.
Understand the method
At its core, "Level 10 Life" asks a simple question: If each area of your life had a score from 1 to 10, how do you make each one... well, level 10? In order to understand the method of "Level 10 Life", you need to start by assessing each area of your life and giving it a score. This score represents the current level of fulfilment you feel in that particular area. Once you have identified the areas that need improvement, you can create a plan to bring them up to level 10. This method encourages you to prioritise and allocate time and energy to the areas that matter most to you, ensuring a more balanced and fulfilling life overall.
Peeling Back the Layers
It's like life's very own grading system, breaking it down into ten key areas – think relationships, career, personal growth, health, and more. By evaluating each area and assigning a level of fulfillment, you can gain a clearer understanding of where your focus should be. For example, if you realize that your personal growth is at a level 3 while your career is at a level 8, you may decide to dedicate more time and energy towards personal development. This method allows you to prioritise your goals and create a roadmap for improvement, ultimately leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Why Should You Care?
Life isn’t just about acing one section. It’s about excelling across the board, balancing and nurturing every facet. When we focus solely on one aspect, such as our career, we may neglect other important areas like our relationships, health, or personal well-being. Neglecting these areas can lead to burnout, strained relationships, and a lack of overall fulfilment.By taking a holistic approach and striving for balance in all areas of our lives, we can cultivate a sense of harmony and satisfaction that will enhance our overall quality of life.
Broadening the View
Most productivity systems are task-driven. This? It’s more holistic. It’s about life, not just lists. It's about finding balance and fulfilment in everything we do.
From the Diaries
During my early career when I was working on my company, I ignored my health for a long time. My sole focus was my company and our employees. After nearly 10 years, this ended in burnout, and I had to re-evaluate everything. This is how I discovered coaching and tools like this. Now I focus on all the different aspects that are important to me and to leading a healthy and happy life.
Getting Started
First Steps
Grab a notebook. Plot a circle, split it into ten slices, representing ten life areas. Rank your current status out of ten for each. Once you have ranked your current status for each life area, take a moment to reflect on the results. Identify the areas where you scored the lowest and prioritise them for improvement. Set specific goals and create an action plan to address those areas. Remember to be realistic and give yourself time to make progress. Regularly reassess your rankings and adjust your goals as needed. Taking these first steps will help you lay the foundation for leading a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Elaborating Further
Don't sugarcoat. Be brutally honest. A 5 in friendships? That's okay! It's about growth, not guilt. Acknowledging and accepting your areas of weakness is an essential part of personal growth. By being brutally honest with yourself, you can identify the areas where you need to improve the most. Remember, scoring low in friendships doesn't mean you should feel guilty about it. Instead, view it as an opportunity for growth and focus on building stronger and more meaningful connections with others. With dedication and effort, you can make progress and lead a more fulfilling life overall.
Lean In
Once charted, brainstorm actions to elevate each score. Maybe it's weekly date nights or more mindful eating. For every area, draft tangible actions. Write your action items in the following form: Verb + time frame + specific action. Transform "I want to read more" to 'Read for 20 minutes before bed." Ultimately, the goal is to create a concrete plan for improving life overall. Ultimately, the goal is to create a concrete plan for improving life overall by implementing tangible actions that can be easily followed.
Maintenance & Growth
Charting Progress
Re-evaluate every quarter. The goal? Seeing those numbers rise, even if it’s just by half a point. The goal of re-evaluating every quarter is to see those numbers rise, even if it's just by half a point, as part of the maintenance and growth plan. This can be achieved by charting progress and implementing tangible actions that can be easily followed, such as reading for 20 minutes before bed. By consistently tracking and making small improvements, a concrete plan for improving life overall can be realized.
The Secret Sauce
Consistency. You won't jump from a 4 to a 10 overnight. But step by step? Absolutely. I do this exercise at least every half year and reassess not only if I'm still looking at the same areas, but also if the actions were helpful in improving them. I might want to change course and switch things up!
A Glimpse from My World
I started at a fitness level 3 a couple of years ago after suffering an injury after running for too much and too long without strength training. Working with a personal trainer helped me develop strength; these days, it is a fixed part of my routine. I built my own garage gym and strength train 3–4 times a week. My fitness level is not at a 6-7. When I reassessed this in July, I realised I needed to improve some of my aerobic capacity, so I have now included zone 2 workouts 3–4 times a week.
Reflection Time
Celebrate the rises. Analyze the drops. Maybe a dip in 'Fun & Recreation'? It could hint at needing more 'me-time' or hobbies. Or perhaps a decrease in 'Health & Wellness' could indicate the need for better self-care practices or a change in diet and exercise routine. Taking the time to reflect on these areas can provide valuable insights into areas of our lives that may need attention or improvement. It's important to remember that self-reflection is an ongoing process and that making adjustments and seeking growth is a natural part of life.
Real Talk
I worked with a lot of executives when I was coaching, and using this tool has profound effects. Not only did it help them identify areas of their lives that needed attention, but it also allowed them to prioritise self-care and make positive changes. Many executives were surprised to discover how neglecting their own well-being had been impacting their overall performance and happiness. Through self-reflection, they were able to create a healthier work-life balance and cultivate a greater sense of fulfilment in both their personal and professional lives.
Conclusion
Life's too short for mediocrity. "Level 10 Life" isn't just about reaching perfection; understanding our imbalances and priorities can lead to embarking on a journey towards holistic fulfilment.So, dare to ask: how do you level up?
Your Actionables:
- Sketch that pie, slice it, and score it.
- Create actionable steps for each life segment.
- Commit to regular check-ins and enjoy the growth.
Until next time,
Regina