Finding Balance in a Busy World: My Thoughts on The 4 Pillar Plan
As I sit down to write this, my current book club pick — The 4 Pillar Plan by Dr Rangan Chatterjee — is resting beside me. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I opened it, but having followed Chatterjee’s podcast series for a while, my hopes were high. The premise is simple yet powerful: most of our health challenges can be traced back to four core pillars — relax, eat, move, and sleep. In a world that feels increasingly complicated, that kind of simplicity feels like a breath of fresh air.
🌿 Relax: Reclaiming “Me Time”
The first pillar, relax, challenged me more than I expected. Like most people, my days are full — work, family, responsibilities, the constant hum of life. Finding genuine “me time” can feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. But Chatterjee makes a compelling case that without intentional rest, imbalance and anxiety creep in quietly.
My biggest takeaway was the need to be deliberate with my time. For me, that might look like waking up fifteen minutes before my daughter to meditate, or practising breath work while the kettle boils. Small moments, but meaningful ones — and perhaps that’s the point.
🥗 Eat: Simplicity Over Perfection
The eat section breaks nutrition down into simple, digestible (pun fully intended) principles. My favourite idea was the call to de-normalise sugar — though I’ll admit, it’s also the hardest. We live in a society where high-sugar foods are cheap, accessible, and everywhere. But I found hope in the reminder that our taste buds can be retrained. By reducing the ultra-sweet foods we rely on, we make space to rediscover the natural flavours of real food.
It’s not about restriction; it’s about recalibration.
🏃 Move: Rethinking What Exercise Looks Like
Going into the move section, I assumed I wouldn’t learn much. Steps, strength training, the occasional HIIT workout — none of that was new. What was new, though, was the concept of exercise snacks. These are short bursts of movement you can do anywhere: the kitchen, the office, even while waiting for the microwave.
I loved the accessibility of this idea. It removes the pressure to carve out an hour for the gym and replaces it with something far more achievable. Movement becomes part of the day, not an addition to it.
😴 Sleep: Light, Rhythm, and Rest
The final pillar, sleep, offered a reminder I didn’t know I needed: light is one of the most powerful regulators of our circadian rhythm. It’s not just about sleeping in darkness — it’s about waking in light. Those first twenty minutes of the day matter more than we think.
It’s such a simple shift, yet it has the potential to transform how rested we feel.
Final Reflections
What I appreciate most about The 4 Pillar Plan is its practicality. None of the advice feels extreme or unattainable. Instead, it invites us to make small, intentional changes that add up to a healthier, more balanced life.
In a world that often glorifies busyness, Chatterjee’s message is a gentle reminder: health doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to be intentional.
