The 12 basic areas of life and how to balance them

Evidence Based

Under review

There are a dozen basic areas of life, although we usually focus on only a few. By doing this, we reduce our existence to a small plot. Why not evaluate all the dimensions that inhabit us and experience them fully? Let’s investigate the topic.

To cultivate a good relationship with yourself, it is important to keep in mind that, although you are a unit as a human being, in reality you project yourself in different directions. Currently, there are 12 basic areas of life. They would correspond to those dimensions that are in you, whether you notice it or not.

Each of these areas corresponds to a particular experience, either with oneself or with the environment. If you add them up, you get a full life experience as a result.

You can complete a good self-knowledge exercise giving a rating to each area: 1, 5 or 10. After doing this, review, in particular, those that have only scored 1. This will allow you to realize that there are aspects of yourself that you are not working on and will help you explore those dimensions to achieve greater balance. Let’s see what those 12 basic areas of life are.

«There are moments when a kind of lucidity attacks you and suddenly it is as if you could see through the walls and discover another dimension that you had forgotten about, or that you had decided to ignore in order to continue maintaining the various illusions. “that make life possible”.

-Nicole Krauss-

Emotional world and couple area

Although there is no strict order, generally, the emotional aspect is taken as the first of the basic areas of life. It has to do with understanding your own temperament and the identification of the emotions that are most active.

The emotional is associated with the primary response you offer to different stimuli. That specific type of interaction provides signals about the most distinctive features of your way of being. Taken together, this area answers the question: what do I feel and why?

Read Also: Egocentric people: 4 characteristics and how to treat them

The couple dimension refers to the quality of your relationship. Is it healthy and satisfying? Does it fulfill your expectations or does it leave you empty? Does it change your life positively or, on the contrary, does it impoverish it?

All of this allows us to analyze how you process an intimate bond with another human being, what this brings and the difficulties encountered in that area. Above all, look at the degree of well-being that this area of your life provides you.

The quality of the relationship with your partner constitutes one of the dimensions of life with a great impact on well-being.

Economic area and professional field

The economic area has to do with the capacity you have to satisfy your material needs.. It is one of the basic areas that must be carefully evaluated. You may feel that you need to have a luxury yacht to feel fully satisfied and it is okay to include it in your goals. However, if money does not limit you when it comes to covering your basic needs, and even allows you to treat yourself from time to time, this area will probably add to your well-being.

Professionally, understand your career and the way you have evolved in it. Also the degree of enjoyment you experience with the trade or profession you chose. Likewise, it has to do with the coherence between your abilities, skills and knowledge and how you apply it to a specific job.

The professional field is closely linked to satisfaction and self-efficacy. In this regard, evaluate if you are growing in what you do or, on the contrary, remain stagnant. Also, examine what you want to achieve in the future.

The family area refers to the quality and depth of the ties you have with your children and relatives.. This dimension invites you to think about the degree of closeness with them, the time you dedicate to them and the satisfaction that family relationships provide you.

Read Also: I love thoughtful people who do not divorce reason and emotion

Analyze how family relationships influence your life. Likewise, whether your feelings toward family are basically loving or tinged with conflicting emotions, such as anger or sadness. Do you think what you give and receive from them is appropriate?

The social area is related, first of all, to your closest social circle. Do you have a group of friends you can count on? If so, it means that this area is active in your life. If not, you may need to review why you are depriving yourself of the friendship. This area also includes activities and spaces in which you share with other people, casually or temporarily. Can you establish a good connection with others?

Health and sexual area

It is another of the basic areas that is of great importance. It is related to self-care of your body. This includes the ability to read the signals that the body sends, the daily habits and the practices you carry out to stay healthy. Do you give your body what it requires to be well?

The physical sphere leads to reflection on another area of life: the sexual area. Unlike other animals, in humans this is an area that involves emotions and thoughts; In addition, a whole set of cultural patterns.

Sexuality is present in people’s lives from the moment they are born until the end of their days. There are many ways to live it and everyone chooses which one is best for themselves. The important thing is that it is a dimension that does not generate conflict or discomfort, but rather includes experiences that provide you with satisfaction and well-being.

What you do to take care of your physical health is key to balancing the essential areas of life.

Knowledge area and ecological area

Knowledge is one of the basic areas of life and most people are very aware of it. It includes training in some field of knowledge, but also the decantation of that knowledge and experience. Do not confuse knowledge with instruction or learning.

Read Also: When is a relationship not for you?

Knowing implies understanding and being able to apply knowledge in specific situations. It doesn’t matter how many degrees you have, it’s what you do with what you know that counts. To evaluate this dimension it is necessary to ask yourself questions such as what are you learning right now? How are you expanding your knowledge? How do you apply what you know?

For its part, the ecological aspect is one of those basic areas of life that is often overlooked. Understand the relationship you establish with the natural environment that surrounds you. We all need to come into contact with nature, in a responsible way and taking advantage of the best of what it offers us. Do you take forest baths? You have a pet? Do you go out and enjoy the beauty that the natural environment offers you?

Area of transcendence and spiritual area

The area of transcendence answers the question of the legacy you want to leave. It is linked to the plans and projections that you have formulated for yourself in the long term.. It involves the visualization of what will “survive” your existence.

The spiritual area has to do with your beliefs and conviction regarding the values and meaning of life.. It corresponds to your religious experiences or the practices you carry out to expand your consciousness, such as yoga or meditation, for example. It is a dimension that gives great support to the others.

After reviewing all these areas of your life and giving them a score, focus on those that you have neglected.. Preferably, set a specific goal to activate those dimensions that you are not experiencing.