IMBALANCE OF SPHERES OF LIFE

IMBALANCE OF SPHERES OF LIFE

Olga Egorova

coach, psychologist,

USA, New York

ABSTRACT

The article presents the main approaches to the definition and content of the concept of «life balance», describes the main indicators of the imbalance of spheres of life. The potentials of the «wheel of life balance» technique, methods of graphic scaling are considered, techniques and exercises that contribute to correcting the imbalance of spheres of life are named.

Keywords: balance, balance of life spheres, imbalance, work-life balance, wheel of life balance.

Individual development of a person represents their path to self-actualization, to the maximum realization of their own abilities, possibilities, and intentions. In the process of becoming, a person gradually enters into various spheres of life: physical, social, material, and spiritual. In the pursuit of finding "their place" in the world, a person begins to expand these areas, delve into them, and often it happens that one or several spheres of life remain underestimated, in deficit, which creates an imbalance of life spheres, harming the psychological health of the person, affecting their system of values, attitude towards life, and self-esteem. Moreover, the imbalance of life spheres can lead to social isolation, the development of undesirable emotional states, and the emergence of negative personal qualities and traits.

Etymological analysis of the term "balance" allows us to conclude that this concept has a French origin and literally means "scales", while "to balance" means "to balance", "to maintain balance", "to harmonize". Thus, balance refers to a state in which opposing forces, directions, spheres, or segments are in a state of harmony, equilibrium, that is, they have approximately equal influence on the functioning and development of a person, as well as equal value and personal significance for them [2].

In psychology, the term "work-life balance" appeared in the 1970s in studies dedicated to exploring the combination of a woman's domestic, work, and social responsibilities, and their impact on her individual development [7].

N.V. Tonkikh is the author of a study that presents various approaches to the content and definition of the concept of "life balance". N.R. Lockwood argues that balance is the absence of conflict between life spheres. E.A. Koltsova writes about the state of subjective happiness and well-being as a marker of life balance. I.A. Monakhova sees life balance in the combination of a person's obligations and resources, in which the person is satisfied with the quality of their life [6]. E.V. Filatova defines the balance of life spheres as the creation of conditions for a person to achieve a state of equilibrium between work, family, personal life, and other activities in a temporal perspective [7]. Z.V. Yakimova considers the balance of life spheres from the perspective of a person's motivational and need sphere. The author notes that a person's life can be called balanced and harmonious if the degree of their subjective satisfaction with life corresponds to their goals and values, and if they have enough internal resources to effectively accomplish their tasks. Moreover, the balance of life spheres is a cumulative characteristic that includes a person's satisfaction and realization of their multiple social roles simultaneously, rather than in each role separately [8].

A.N. Moshpan emphasizes the dynamic nature of life balance and distinguishes such components in its structure as time balance, inclusion balance, and satisfaction balance. This means that a person should strive to balance the time allocated to each sphere of life, distribute it properly, be emotionally involved in implementing various social roles, strive to expand the boundaries of their life, and at the same time experience a sense of fulfillment, subjective happiness, well-being, and joy from self-realization [5].

Currently, there are five models of life balance in the scientific literature: the segmentation model, which does not recognize interdependence between life spheres (a person engages in what they like to the extent they consider necessary); the spillover model, which analyzes the positive or negative influence of life spheres on each other (work priorities disrupt family relationships); the compensation model, which acknowledges that a deficit in one life sphere is compensated for by the breadth of realization in another (a person with an unsuccessful family life can compensate for loneliness and internal emptiness by devoting themselves to work); the instrumental model, which acknowledges that a proper combination of social roles helps to achieve success in these spheres (a person who feels support from their family achieves greater success in work); and the conflict model, which acknowledges the inevitability of conflict of interests while maintaining harmony between life spheres (a person who recognizes that both family and work are important and responsible roles tries to "sit on two chairs", choosing what is more important at the moment, and compensating for limitations in another sphere of life at another time, for example, work is a priority on weekdays, and family on weekends) [6].

A concept synonymous with the term "work-life balance" is "imbalance of life spheres", in which one of the areas is in excess, and a person spends significantly more time, energy, and effort on it. Usually, the predominant sphere is the area of a person's explicit abilities, their personal "comfort zone", the area in which they have achieved certain successes and feel confident. By choosing one sphere of life and realizing oneself only in it, a person leaves other spheres of life in a deficit state, thus limiting themselves in personal growth and development.

Indicators of an imbalance of life spheres include:

1. inconsistency in performing social roles, which leads to the emergence of conflicts of interest and, as a result, to a feeling of dissatisfaction with life. A person who lacks effective time management skills dedicates all their free time to work and loses emotional closeness with their family, which, in turn, can lead to the breakdown of marital and parent-child relationships;
2. the emergence of the syndrome of emotional and professional burnout, leading to loss of interest in activities, decreased productivity, and the appearance of a range of negative emotional states such as depression, anxiety, and fear;
3. the emergence of psychosomatic diseases;
4. the development of mental distortions: "workaholism", "douthshifting", a tendency to internal conflicts;
5. disruption of social ties, an increase in the number of interpersonal and intergroup conflicts [6].

It should be noted that the problem of a person's life balance is considered a subjective, individual, and emotional issue of the individual. However, E.V. Filatova emphasizes its objective nature. Considering the sociality of modern humans and the number of roles they perform, they can be seen as part of a system - a family or a profession - where each element is significant and affects the functioning of the entire system as a whole. A collective consisting of people with an imbalanced internal state is also disharmonious and cannot effectively solve the tasks set before them [7].

Currently, several techniques have been developed to help individuals analyze their own lives in terms of their harmony, determine the reasons for dissatisfaction with life, and identify deficient areas of life that require attention. The most effective and widely used technique for working with an imbalance of life spheres is the "Wheel of Life Balance" technique, developed in the late 20th century in the United States. Using this technique helps individuals determine life goals, resources necessary for their implementation, prioritize, and assess their level of self-development. Additionally, the Wheel of Life Balance helps identify personality strengths that can serve as a support for developing other spheres [1]. For example, the "health" sphere may be connected with the "interests and hobbies" and "free time" spheres.

The Wheel of Life Balance is graphically represented by concentric circles, divided into sectors according to the main spheres of self-realization: family, work, hobbies, education, material well-being, and friends. Typically, the balance wheel has eight segments, but the respondent can add additional spheres or break down each segment into components. For example, the "professional activity" sphere may include education, material components, relationships with colleagues, career growth, and other areas. The individual is asked to rate each sphere of their life on a 10-point scale, thus allowing them to rank their level of satisfaction, identify problems, and determine prospects for development [3].

A similar technique is the graphic scaling method developed by A.A. Kozyak and V.A. Stroo. It allows determining the ratio of ideal and real representations of respondents regarding their own realization in life spheres: work and family. The authors classify people into four types based on this criterion: respondents who prioritize work and strive for career growth; respondents who prioritize work, but also have a need for personal growth and development; respondents who devote themselves entirely to their family and raising children; and respondents who prefer family but also strive for career development and building a career [8].

In addition, there are practical techniques and exercises aimed at correcting the imbalance of life spheres. These include the "Action" exercise, the "Path to Goal" technique, the "Four Spheres" exercise, the technique for restoring the integrity of the subjective picture of the life path, the psychotechnical instrument of life choice "Persoplan" developed by A.G. Shmelev, and other techniques [4].

Thus, it can be concluded that the imbalance of life spheres is a phenomenon that negatively affects the process of individual socialization because it limits a person's opportunities in one or several related spheres, preventing them from discovering their hidden potential, reserves, and abilities and maximizing their self-realization. In order for a person to be competitive, effectively solve tasks, and choose constructive behavior strategies in various life situations, there are special exercises and techniques aimed at restoring balance and harmony.

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