Running a business can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with its challenges—burnout being a common one. At Business Link, we connect with entrepreneurs daily who share their struggles with balancing the demands of their business alongside personal responsibilities. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by life’s obstacles, but prioritizing your well-being is essential to success. Striking a balance between work and life is key, but how can we achieve this? One approach is by using the Medicine Wheel.
The wheel has always been in direct relationship with the Creator. It looks like a circle, and within the circle are the four quadrants or areas. Many people know them as the four directions. The number four has many significant meanings for the Indigenous people. Within the four directions, there are all the sacred teachings of four.
In the universe there are four directions: East, South, West, and North. There are four winds; four seasons—Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter; four types of creatures that breathe—those that fly (birds), those that are four-legged (the buffalo), those that are two-legged (humans), and those that crawl (insects). There are also four elements on earth—wind, fire, water, and air. The directions used in the Wheel are always read clockwise because that is the way the sun moves, rises, and sets. You may also use the Medicine Wheel to help balance your life and your business. Here is a picture of the Medicine Wheel that focuses on your health: your spiritual health, physical health, mental health, and emotional health.
The Four Quadrants of the Medicine Wheel
1. Spiritual Health
We understand that readers of this blog may hold diverse spiritual beliefs, and some may not identify as spiritual at all—and that’s perfectly okay. In this case, spirituality means the quality of being concerned with the human spirit, or soul, as opposed to material or physical things. This can include praying, meditation, ceremony, smudging, etc.
2. Physical Health
Physical health can include exercise, taking care of personal hygiene, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and so forth. While occasional indulgences are natural, overindulgence can affect not just your physical well-being but also your emotional and mental health. When one of the quadrants of the Medicine Wheel is off-balance, this impacts the rest of our body and lives as well. That is why it is important that we don’t overdo anything, while not depriving our body of nourishment. Plus: treating our bodies can be good for our other aspects of health, too.
3. Emotional Health
Emotional health includes laughing with friends and family (laughter is healing medicine), having a supportive person you trust to vent to, releasing emotions as needed to avoid emotional outbursts, asking for help, or even letting a loved one know that you are thinking of them. A helpful mantra to keep in mind is: “Don’t let your emotions distract you from your goals and what needs to be done; control your emotions, or they will control you.” Remember, while you can’t control the actions or opinions of others, you have full control over your own responses.
4. Mental Health
Mental health can be supported through activities like getting fresh air, speaking with a counsellor, connecting with friends and family, or journaling. A helpful journaling practice is to write down three things you’re grateful for, three things you’re worried about, and three things you can control. This exercise helps you stay grounded by focusing on what’s within your control and appreciating the positives in your life.
When running a business, it’s easy to neglect one or more of the four quadrants—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—which can lead to stress and burnout. To maintain balance, it’s crucial to care for all aspects of your well-being.
