Living a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge in today’s fast-paced and often stressful world. With career pressures, juggling family life, and more, it can be hard to stay focused on maintaining your own well-being. Even when we do make time for ourselves, many of us are only focused on physical health—eating right, exercising, and taking vitamins. But, for true holistic health, it’s important to take a wider perspective, considering all aspects of the individual—including physical, mental, and spiritual—giving attention to all of these spheres achieves 360 degrees of health.
What is 360 Degree Health?
360 degree health refers to the concept of an integrated, holistic approach to one’s own wellbeing. Rather than solely focusing on physical health, a 360 approach views our wellbeing as a whole, with both physical and psychological health needing to be tended to in order to achieve a balanced, stress-free lifestyle.
By emphasizing 360 degree health, one can come to view wellbeing as a circle, with the individual at the center. Each area of life that impacts health is represented as a segment, and considered equally important when prioritizing personal wellness.
The Different Areas of the 360 Degree Health Framework
When it comes to the 360 degree health approach, there are usually 7 to 8 specific segments that can be viewed as spokes on the wheel.
Physical Health
The physical health spoke of the wheel refers to our body. To achieve overall physical health, it’s important to get regular exercise, eat healthy, hydrate regularly, and get enough sleep.
Mental Health
Mental health is about knowledge, personal growth, and understanding our core purpose. It involves paying attention to the internal dialogue we have with ourselves, and understanding our thoughts and emotions.
Emotion Health
Where mental health is about understanding, emotion health is about expressing. This spoke centers around energy, and involves recognizing our emotions and expressing them in healthy ways.
Spiritual Health
Spiritual health is often seen as an area of personal growth or reflection. It revolves around understanding one’s place in the world, and having a set of meaningful beliefs.
Occupational Health
Occupational health involves finding a healthy balance between our work and home lives, and staying focused on what matters to us.
Intellectual Health
Intellectual Health revolves around staying curious and being comfortable with things that might not make sense right away. It involves challenging ourselves to explore unfamiliar topics and think outside of the box.
Relationship Health
The relationship health spoke of the wheel centers on our interactions—not just with others, but also within ourselves. It involves understanding how relationships form, and fostering a positive sense of self-love and self-worth.
Social Health
The social health spoke of the wheel involves staying connected with the outside world. This means going out and participating in activities you enjoy, and expanding the circle of people you associate with.
Applying the 360 Degree Health Model to Everyday Life
When it comes to incorporating the 360 degree health model into our daily lives, we should be mindful of each area of wellness as we go about our day. This means asking ourselves questions about each spoke of the wheel:
Physical Health: Do I have a balanced diet and get regular exercise?
Mental Health: Am I challenging my beliefs and growing as a person?
Emotional Health: Am I recognizing and expressing my emotions in healthy ways?
Spiritual Health: Do I have a positive outlook and understanding of my place in the world?
Occupational Health: Am I prioritizing my career goals, and finding balance between work and leisure?
Intellectual Health: Am I being curious and pushing myself to try new things?
Relationship Health: Am I treating myself and others with respect and kindness?
Social Health: Am I making time for meaningful relationships?
When each of these areas are given proper attention, and we strive to stay aware of how they all interact, then we can often come to a better understanding of our overall wellbeing. This wide perspective can equip us with new habits and strategies for living a healthy life, and helping us to achieve a balanced, holistic focus on health. With a 360 degree view of health, we can strive to optimize both our physical and psychological well-being—ensuring that we can live our healthiest, happiest lives.