Do What You Can: Getting Off the Productivity Pressure Train

Life isn’t always full of high-energy days. Sometimes your drive is low — especially in times of stress, uncertainty, or change. The pressure to always be productive can make things worse. Instead, the key is honoring your limits while still moving, however slowly, toward what matters. Why We Pressure Ourselves to Do More • We compare ourselves with others who seem “more productive.” • We believe downtime is wasted time, so we force activity. • We set overly ambitious goals that don’t consider current energy. • We ignore our emotions and inner state, pushing through fatigue or stress. This constant pressure makes burnout more likely. It also causes guilt and shame when we can’t “keep up.” The Idea of a Minimum Viable Routine (MVR) Maeva introduces a powerful concept: the Minimum Viable Routine (MVR). This is a very simple set of actions you commit to each day — even when you have no energy. It’s your baseline. • Something you can do even on the worst days. • It gives you a “win” to build off, no matter how small. • It provides structure in chaos or uncertainty. • It protects your mental health by giving you something to hold onto. Her example of MVR (before phone/screens) includes: • Drink water with apple cider vinegar • Shower • Write one page in a journal (even if it’s “this sucks…”) • Read a few pages of a book • Do a forward bend stretch That’s it — minimal, but meaningful. How to Use MVR + Productivity Together • Start with your MVR — do these first before productivity goals. • Then, if energy allows, do focused tasks in small bursts. • Keep a list of bigger projects, but only choose what feels doable. • Break those projects into tiny tasks you can work on during motivated moments. • If motivation vanishes, return to your MVR without guilt. This way, you stay gentle with yourself yet still make forward movement. Why This Approach Helps • It prevents burnout by respecting your limits. • It builds momentum slowly, so you don’t collapse under big goals. • It separates your worth from productivity — doing nothing doesn’t mean you’ve failed. • It encourages consistency over intensity — steady actions are more sustainable. Even small effort matters when it’s consistent. Final Thought: Keep What You Can, Let the Rest Go Some days you’ll do much. Some days, you’ll do very little. That’s okay. Doing your MVR is still progress. From there, you give yourself permission to rest or to ride a small wave of action when you can. Over time, this balance protects your mental energy and helps you show up for what matters — without the pressure