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Welcome to The Wellness Rewind, your go-to weekly newsletter for practical tips and inspiration to create a balanced, mindful, and energized life. Forwarded this by a friend? Subscribe here to join the community and never miss out!
Let’s call it what it is: You’re not spiraling. You’re just tired of being available.
This week, we’re swapping hustle culture for something chicer: a 4-step sanity framework that keeps you grounded, glowing, and actually enjoying your days.
No 5 a.m. wake-ups. No 27-step morning routines or wellness protocols. Just four daily moves, for your mind, body, soul, and yes, even fun that fit into real life (and still make you feel like you’ve got it together).
Let’s get into it 👇
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The Four-a-Day Guide to Feeling Good Without Overdoing It
Let’s be honest, I didn’t “create” this framework. I saw it a while back, and have read about it in various books, land heard it in different podcasts. I found it interesting and because I was drowning in too many good intentions. My calendar was full, my workouts were inconsistent (or sometimes over committing), my mind was overstimulated, and even my “self-care” felt like another to-do list.
A few months ago, I decided to strip it all back. Instead of chasing the perfect routine, I gave myself one simple rule: every day, do one thing for my mind, one for my body, one for my soul, and one just for fun. That’s it.
And here’s the thing, it’s been the most freeing shift I’ve made in years. My productivity hasn’t tanked. My mental clarity is sharper. I actually look forward to my these elements of self-care again. And the fun part? I’ve stopped feeling guilty about “unproductive” moments or getting an extra rest day if i’m just not feeling it because I now see them as essential.
So, consider this your sanity-saving glow plan. Four touchpoints. No over complication. The kind of wellness routine that actually fits into a busy, beautiful life.
The TL;DR 4-Step Sanity Framework
1. 🧠 Mind: The 10-Minute Knowledge Hit
Ditch the endless self-help backlog. Instead, consume one piece of short-form content each day that makes you think — an article, podcast clip, or TED talk — and apply it in the next 24 hours. The retention rate? Sky-high. The smug satisfaction? Even higher.
2. 🏃 Body: The 20-Minute Movement Rule
Don’t have time for a full sweat session? Twenty minutes counts. Walk, stretch, or do a quick Pilates flow. It’s enough to shift your energy without derailing your schedule.
3. 💛 Soul: The Silent Coffee Ritual
Phone down. No emails. No music. Just you, your coffee, and the sound of life happening. Those 7–10 minutes of quiet are basically a nervous system reset — without the incense.
4. 🎯 Fun: The Unproductive Hour
Yes, you read that right. Pick something that brings you joy with zero ROI. Bake cookies. Scroll Pinterest. Watch reality TV. Fun is not a luxury; it’s fuel.
The 4-Step Sanity Framework
1. 🧠 Mind: The 10-Minute Knowledge Hit
Most people overestimate how much they need to “learn” and underestimate how much they can absorb in 10 minutes.
How to do it:
Pick one medium — article, short podcast, or TED Talk — and commit daily.
Set a timer so you don’t fall into a two-hour rabbit hole.
Before you move on, jot one sentence on how you’ll apply it today.
Examples:
Listen to a 10-minute Huberman Lab snippet on sleep and try the tip tonight.
Read one section of a NYT Well article during your coffee.
Watch a YouTube clip on a skill you’ve been putting off learning.
Pro Tip: Save these into a “10-Minute Mind Boost” folder on your phone so you’re not wasting time looking for content.
2. 🏃 Body: The 20-Minute Movement Rule
You don’t need a full workout window — you need consistency.
How to do it:
Choose movement that matches your energy level: brisk walk if tired, HIIT or Pilates if you’ve got pep.
Stack it onto something you already do daily (e.g., after coffee, before shower).
Track streaks in your phone for instant dopamine.
Examples:
20-minute mobility flow on YouTube before work.
Walking meetings instead of seated Zoom calls.
Two loops around your block between afternoon calls.
Pro Tip: Keep “friction” low — sneakers by the door, mat unrolled, or workout playlist queued up.
3. 💛 Soul: The Silent Coffee Ritual
Most of us check our phones before we’ve even processed that we’re awake. This ritual forces you to start your day with your own thoughts.
How to do it:
Make your drink of choice and sit somewhere comfortable (yes, the couch counts).
No background noise, no notifications, no reading.
Use all five senses to notice the experience, warmth of the mug, smell of beans, quiet of the room.
Examples:
Brew coffee and sit by a sunny window.
Make matcha and drink it on your balcony without headphones.
Pro Tip: If silence feels awkward, set a 5-minute timer. You’ll probably want to keep going.
4. 🎯 Fun: The Unproductive Hour
Burnout-proofing 101: Give yourself permission to “waste” time, guilt-free.
How to do it:
Block it in your calendar so it doesn’t get hijacked.
Pick something purely for pleasure: art, baking, aimless scrolling, FaceTiming a friend.
If an hour feels impossible, start with 20 minutes.
Examples:
Bake cookies and blast a throwback playlist.
Play with your dog in the park.
Do a mini home spa moment with a mask and candle.
Pro Tip: Keep a “fun list” ready so you don’t spend the whole time deciding what to do.
💡 Micro-Habit of the Week: The 4x4 Journal
Each night, jot down:
1 thing you learned (mind)
1 way you moved (body)
1 moment you savored (soul)
1 thing you enjoyed (fun)
It’s the quickest self-check you’ll ever do and in a week, you’ll see exactly where you’re thriving and where you’re running on autopilot.
✅ The Soft Check
Some days, you’ll nail all four. Other days, just getting two in is a win — and that’s the point. Wellness isn’t about perfection; it’s about coverage. Hitting even half means you’ve touched both your mental and physical bandwidth enough to keep burnout at arm’s length.
Here’s the cheat sheet:
Only got 10 minutes? Pick the category you’re weakest in right now (mind fried? body stiff? soul flat?) and start there.
Stack them: Combine categories to double up… a solo walk (body + soul), a podcast while stretching (mind + body).
Don’t bank them: Skipping three days and then cramming all the “soul work” into Sunday is like saving hydration for the weekend. Doesn’t work.
Bottom line: Two is maintenance. Four is momentum. Both count.
This week’s takeaway, from me to you: You don’t need a full reset to feel better. Just one thing for your mind, one for your body, one for your soul, and one for pure joy. That’s the whole game.
Do it today. Do it tomorrow. Let the rest breathe.
Valerie
@valeriealvarez
P.S. If this hit, send it to someone whose “self-care” has been feeling like homework lately.