On Days When Everything Feels Off

Every now and then, it happens.

Physically tired. Brain fog. No clear reason why.

Even worse when it happens on a day with a flexible schedule where you could have been super productive.

Instead, you just feel flat.

It still bothers me when this happens, but I’ve learned to prepare for these “off” days when they come.

I started defining default minimums for myself.

If I planned a hard workout and don’t have the energy, I’ll switch to something lighter. I’ll use less weight, switch up the exercises or just do some cardio instead.

If I planned a deep work session and my brain isn’t there, I’ll either shorten it or knock out tasks that don’t require much mental effort.

The key is to not quit the day entirely and not beat yourself up for not being at 100%.

Consistency is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you train regularly, missing one workout won’t erase your progress.

If you show up week after week, one low-output day won’t define you.

When you’ve been consistent over time, you’ve actually bought some slack for yourself.

It allows you to deal with bad days without turning them into downward spirals.

So now, when a day feels off, I ask myself a simple question:

“What can I still do today that keeps me moving forward?”

Sometimes the answer is small.

And that’s fine.

Because tomorrow, we’re back at it.

• Johnny