Yes--you can skip a day every now and then

I've been burnt out.

It might be due to all my traveling.

It might be due to my new workout routine.

It might be due to the bad sleep I've been getting.

I don't know what it is--all I know is that I haven't had the same mental energy this week.

And, as I'm sure you've noticed, I've been writing less frequently.

Over the last 7 days, I've only written 4 articles.

The old me would have freaked out.

"Uh oh... is my writing habit disintegrating?"

But a paper I came across in 2009 changed my mind. It allowed me to relax a bit. It showed me that missing a day here and there doesn't matter all that much.

As the study states:

"These results suggest that missing a day resulted in a nonsignificantly lower SRHI score the following day, but there were no longer-term costs associated with a single omission."

In plain English: "Yes, missing a day has a *very small* impact on how automatic/habitual a behavior is... but it's so small that you shouldn't worry about it."

So if you're working hard maintain a diet, start a new exercise routine, etc., feel free to skip a day now and then. It won't be the end of the world. And if you're feeling burnt out, it might be exactly what you need.

Until tomorrow,


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Jason Hrehahabit, habit formation