How’s 2026 going so far?
By now, many of us aren’t executing our own plans, we’re struggling to keep up. So many meetings. So many agendas. And suddenly the year feels like it’s happening to you.
Before rushing into the next task, take five minutes to reset.
When we don’t pause to evaluate how we’re spending our time and energy, it’s easy to drift into other people’s goals and feel like victims of circumstance. Reflection restores agency.
One simple way to check in is the Wheel of Life, shared by Daniel Pink.
Divide a circle into three sections: Work, Health, Relationships.
Rate yourself from 0–10 in each:
Work
- Mission (Do you find purpose in your work?)
- Money (Are you financially secure?)
- Growth (Are you learning and improving?)
Health
- Body (How do you feel physically?)
- Mind (Are you mentally sharp and steady?)
- Heart (How’s your emotional wellbeing?)
Relationships
- Romantic (Are you satisfied with your love life?)
- Family (How are things at home?)
- Friends (Do you feel connected?)
Then add one more category: Joy.
Because joy isn’t a reward for finishing your to-do list.
It’s fuel for sustainable leadership.
When you look at your scores, don’t aim to overhaul your life. Just ask:
- Where is the lowest number?
- Where are my efforts paying off?
- Where could additional focus make a difference in my happiness?
That’s it.
Give yourself 5–10 minutes this week to do this exercise.
Then calendar a time in two months to revisit it.
I created a simple graphic to walk you through it. Feel free to download it if it’s useful (just right click to save the image). And if something stands out to you, I’d love to hear what you notice.
