A trend that helped me reduce fatigue at the end of the workweek

My days fly by, seconds seem not to exist, and somehow I manage to catch weeks in that rush of obligations, scheduled meetups with friends, doctor’s appointments, and the occasional minute (read: hours) on TikTok. Someone once told me that everything would suddenly speed up in your twenty-eighth year and that it would never slow down again, and they truly were not wrong. I do not remember it being like this two years ago, but we have to keep in mind that nothing was the same two years ago. We live in a time when things change drastically within a matter of days, from political situations and climate and environmental events to our own moods. Such a roller coaster pace brings, alongside fun (sometimes), an incredible amount of exhaustion.

I could say many things about myself, but turning down an invitation for a drink or a party has never been something I was known for. On the contrary, I am always ready for action, and the chances that I will show up at the location within an hour of being invited are quite high. My already infamous, undiagnosed ADHD, which has made functioning difficult for me for years, is one of the reasons why an unimaginable fatigue caught up with me in recent months, something I never dreamed I would feel, at least not until my fifties. My eyes feel heavy, my muscles exhausted and capable only of typing on a laptop (barely), my focus nonexistent, and my desire to leave the house at zero. This is simply not me anymore. How did I allow this to happen? Am I sick or do I have a vitamin deficiency? These are all questions to which, after a few weeks and several medical tests, I received negative answers. When the fatigue neither disappeared nor lessened, I turned to my old comrade and eternal friend, TikTok. In a sea of advice, recommended routines, and wellness propaganda that I personally find very exhausting, I came across a trend with a rather cynical and entertaining name that immediately drew me in. The bare minimum trend is an internet concept that emerged as a response to the idea that learning, work, and self care must be maximally productive, organized, and aesthetically “perfect.”

What is the bare minimum wellness trend?

At its core, this trend starts from a simple and often overlooked fact: sometimes it truly is enough to do only the most basic things. Not everything you “should” do, not what looks good on the internet, not what someone asked you to do and you could not say no to, but only what is necessary so that the day does not become even harder than it already is. The focus is not on optimization, but on maintenance.

Unlike classic wellness narratives, bare minimum does not offer a plan, a challenge, or a promise of transformation. It does not demand discipline, consistency, or long term goals. It is about minimal, often invisible steps that allow you to function without additional pressure and to make it to the next moment without feeling like you failed, missed something, or are already behind. Music to my ears. I decided to try it immediately, and the rules are quite simple.

Here is what it looks like in practice:

Bare minimum in different areas

Self care
Instead of long morning routines:
• get up and brush your teeth
• drink water
• put on something comfortable
That is it.

Productivity
Instead of planning the day down to the smallest steps:
• complete just one important task during the day
• do not check email after working hours

Social life
Instead of outings and plans:
• a short coffee with a friend
• a message instead of an eight hour hangout
• if you do have to go somewhere and feel like going home earlier, do it without explanations or guilt

Wellness
No yoga classes, smoothies, or dawn meditation:
• a 10 minute walk
• lying down for 5, 10, or 15 minutes without a screen, every two hours

To start, it is enough to choose one or two days during the week when you will apply this kind of routine. At first, like me, you will probably find it illogical, unnatural, and uncomfortable, because you will feel like you are wasting time, like some kind of impostor trying to slack off. But do not let the illusion of productivity that destroys your peace win. It is completely normal to rest, completely natural to want solitude and silence, and also completely necessary to spend an entire day without checking social media or emails, or simply to have limited time during the day for such activities.

What did I notice after several weeks of practicing the bare minimum wellness trend?

In short, I noticed that I started thinking about myself much more. I also managed to go to bed 45 minutes earlier on the days when I stuck to the routine. It may not sound like a huge shift, but for me it brought a sense of control and at least a bit more sleep at night, as well as the feeling that my time is now devoted only to what I truly need. I will not schedule two drinks or nights out on consecutive days just because I feel uncomfortable canceling on someone, and I will not run to my phone every 10 minutes so as not to miss a notification. Some things will pass without me, some notifications will remain unchecked for hours, and emails unread, and that is okay, because when I return to them I will certainly have a clearer mind and a more rested head.