If your week falls apart the second your energy drops… you’re not imagining it.
You’re not “bad at routines.”
You’re not lazy.
You’re not failing.
You’re tired.
And when you’re running on fumes, even small things feel huge.
Like unloading the dishwasher. Like figuring out dinner.
Like getting yourself dressed and out the door without wanting to crawl back into bed.
So let’s talk about what to do when you don’t have enough energy for your “best self” week.
Because you don’t need a complicated plan. You need a baseline.
A simple structure that holds you up until you feel like yourself again.
That’s what I call a minimum viable week.
And it’s built with three anchors. Not ten. Not twenty. Just three.
Why “low energy” messes up everything
I send an email every Wednesday with a weekly poll.
I ask questions so I can understand what’s really going on with the moms in this community.
And one poll hit me right in the face.
I asked: What usually throws your week off first?
Almost 39% said: low energy. Running on fumes.
And honestly? That tracks.
Because when your energy is low, everything costs more.
Your patience costs more. Your focus costs more. Your motivation costs more.
Even your simplest tasks start feeling like a mountain.
So if your week has been wobbly lately, I want you to hold onto this truth:
“You are not failing. You’re overloaded.”
And the goal isn’t to turn into a brand new super productive person by Monday.
No ma’am. The goal is to create a week that doesn’t collapse.
What is a minimum viable week?
A minimum viable week is the version of your week that still works…
Even when you’re tired. Even when you don’t feel like doing much. Even when your capacity is low.
It’s like the “bare minimum” plan that keeps life moving without you burning out.
And the way you build it is with three anchors.
Think of anchors like pillars. They hold the week up.
When you can’t do everything, you do these.
That’s it.
Anchor #1: The Prep Anchor
Your prep anchor is one small thing you do before Monday that makes the week easier.
Not a whole Sunday overhaul. Not a deep clean. Not a three-hour reset.
Just one “future me will thank me” move.
Because when you’re tired, big plans fall apart fast.
Small plans stick.
Here are a few prep anchor ideas you can steal:
- Pick out clothes for one or two days
- Jot down what’s happening this week (work + kids + life)
- Make a simple meal list (even 3 dinners helps)
- Reset one spot that trips you up (kitchen counter, entryway, laundry pile area)
The key is to pick one.
Not the whole house. Not your whole life.
Just one thing that makes Monday less chaotic.
Anchor #2: The Hotspot Anchor
The hotspot anchor is for the day you already know will be a lot.
You know the day. The one with back-to-back meetings. The one with after-school activities.
The one where you always feel behind by noon.
That day isn’t the day to push harder. That day is the day to plan softer.
Your hotspot anchor is a tiny plan that protects you from crashing.
Examples:
- Dinner is leftovers
- Dinner is something easy (rotisserie chicken, freezer meal, breakfast for dinner)
- No extra tasks get scheduled that day
- You do the bare minimum and call it a win
Your hotspot day needs less pressure, not more.
Because when you plan like you’ll have high energy… and you don’t…
That’s when your week starts sliding.
So instead, you plan for real life.
Anchor #3: The Refill Anchor
Now this one is the non-negotiable.
Because this anchor is not for your kids. Not for your spouse. Not for your boss.
This one is for you.
When you keep trying to run a week with zero fuel, everything feels harder.
You snap faster. You shut down faster. You feel behind faster.
So your refill anchor is a small thing that genuinely refills you.
And yes, small counts.
Here are refill anchor ideas:
- 10 minutes alone in silence
- A short walk
- Reading a few pages of a book
- Stretching
- Sitting in your car for a minute before you go inside
- A quick shower with nobody knocking on the door (a true luxury, honestly)
Whatever it is, it needs to feel like it puts something back in you.
Because your life doesn’t just need your effort.
It needs your energy.
How to pick your three anchors (fast)
If your brain is already tired, here’s the easiest way to choose.
Ask yourself:
- What would make Monday feel less chaotic? (Prep anchor)
- What day will probably need extra gentleness? (Hotspot anchor)
- What small thing helps me feel like myself again? (Refill anchor)
Then write them down.
On a sticky note. In your phone. On the back of an envelope.
It doesn’t need to be cute. It needs to be clear.
A sample minimum viable week (so you can picture it)
Here’s what this could look like in real life:
Prep anchor: Pick outfits for Monday + Tuesday
Hotspot anchor: Wednesday = leftovers night + no extra errands
Refill anchor: 10-minute walk after work
That’s it. Not a perfect week. But a supported one.
A week that doesn’t collapse when your energy dips.
If you’ve been feeling behind, read this twice
Sometimes the hardest part of low-energy seasons is what you start believing about yourself.
So let me say it again:
You’re not behind. You’re tired.
And you are allowed to build a week that meets you where you are.
This ain’t that “push through” life. This is “protect your capacity” life.
And it still counts.
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