Zero-energy days call for a 'minimum viable effort'

The minimum viable effort strategy means doing the smallest possible version of your resolution on days when you have no energy or time.

The idea is brutally simple: instead of skipping entirely, you do one ridiculously small thing that counts. One push-up instead of a workout. Read one sentence instead of a chapter. Write one sentence instead of a page. Meditate for ten seconds. The key is that it has to be so small that your brain can’t argue against it. No willpower required.

Why this works: you keep the streak alive. That matters more than the actual output on low days. The psychological cost of breaking a streak is huge — it often leads to giving up completely. By doing the minimum, you tell yourself “I’m still in this.” The next day, you’ll likely do a normal effort again. The tiny action also protects you from guilt spirals. Skipping entirely makes