Identify minimum viable versions of your priorities

For each priority, define the smallest version that still counts so busy weeks don't erase it.

Why it works

All-or-nothing thinking around important activities ("I can only work out if I have a full hour") means that constrained weeks result in zero rather than a degraded but present version. A minimum viable version preserves the habit, the identity, and some of the value even when full execution is impossible — consistent with the "never miss twice" logic.

How to do it

1. For each high-priority activity, write the minimum version: "If I only have 15 minutes, I will ___."
2. When a week is compressed, execute the minimum version rather than skipping entirely.
3. Treat the minimum as a complete success, not a failed attempt at the full version.

Evidence

Consistent with habit-maintenance research showing that maintaining a behavior at reduced frequency or duration preserves automaticity better than full cessation. Aligns with the "never miss twice" principle from habit-formation literature. (mechanistic)

The "minimum viable version" framing is Vanderkam's practitioner synthesis; the underlying habit-maintenance mechanism is supported by Lally et al. but applied here by analogy.

Common mistake

Setting a minimum that is so low it no longer produces the benefit — "5 minutes of exercise" may preserve identity but is unlikely to produce meaningful physical benefit. The minimum must be real, not token.