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So when I went to the gym today for the first time in weeks I tried to do only the bare minimum required \u2013 also known as the (https://www.strongerbyscience.com/minimum-effective-dose-strength/) minimum effective dose . It may come as a surprise how little time we truly need at the gym to gain strength and muscle. I think it is all about sending our bodies the right signals. With the body it is almost always use it or lose it. So even though we are stressing our bodies for merely a short while, we are still sending a signal that our muscles are still needed. I find the concept of the minimum effective dose fascinating. It can be applied to many areas in life, especially when it comes to learning. There are many people who tend to believe that it is all or nothing when it comes to practising things. It is either we commit hours to something, or else it is better to not start at all. Nobody says we have to be good at everything we do. We can just seek a little improvement continuously moment by moment versus nothing at all. The Japanese call it kaizen . There was a time when I was very busy with work so I could only(https://winnielim.org/essays/build-up-habits-that-compound/) read 8 minutes a day , but 8 minutes a day adds up to 240 minutes a month which is enough to finish 1-2 books. That is 12-24 books a year, which is tremendously better than 0. These days even if I can only read 5 minutes before bed, I do it anyway. I am actually one of those all or nothing people, that is why I tend to burn out on every thing I try to do. I had to go through so many years of repeated burn outs and bad health to barely learn how to do things moderately. I am still bad at it. But I remind myself, kaizen . This year I bought a (https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/) hobonichi techo in an attempt to maintain a visual journal. I try to make an (https://winnielim.org/journal/daring-to-be-ugly/) ugly sketch every day. But some days I miss it, but I try to make up for it. So far I have been completed all 31 days of January: (left: antibiotics I had to take for my tooth infection \nright: my elevated heart rate in the mornings during my infection) left: antibiotics I had to take for my tooth infection right: my elevated heart rate in the mornings during my infection I am not actively trying to improve my drawing. I just thought it would be meaningful to have a visual record of my year. It takes just 5 minutes or less \u2013 the minimum effective dose for me to maintain a drawing practice. This is similar to (https://winnielim.org/journal/my-experience-on-starting-exercise-from-zero/) how I finally learnt to exercise after trying for decades without success. I kept trying to do something out of my own league \u2013 obviously I didn\u2019t know myself very well. I tried going to the gym, tried running before I even walked. It turns out all I needed was to do the minimum \u2013 walking for 15 minutes. Learning anything requires a positive feedback loop, and in order to create one, we have to know where is our threshold before it feels too exhausting. In a world like this, every day life can be exhausting. I have spent countless days languishing because everything just seems too difficult to start and do. But instead of trying to optimise or maximise everything, what if I do the minimum for all the things I wish to do instead? I think it can be powerful to remind ourselves how small amounts can really add up and compound over time, versus feeling the futility that comes with trying to do something really daunting. Not every blog post has to be a philosophical essay. I can write small things, draw small things, exercise in small doses. What are the minimum effective doses for me to lead a fulfilling enough life? tagged: (https://winnielim.org/tag/drawing/) drawing , (https://winnielim.org/tag/hobonichi/) hobonichi , (https://winnielim.org/tag/hobonichi2025/) hobonichi2025 , (https://winnielim.org/tag/minimum-effective-dose/) minimum effective dose , (https://winnielim.org/tag/photo-of-sketchbook/) photo of sketchbook , (https://winnielim.org/tag/strength/) strength , (https://winnielim.org/tag/strength-training/) strength-training 8 thoughts on \u201cminimum effective dose\u201d () Erik says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27223) February 2, 2025 at 2:12 am Interesting idea. I will think about how I can apply this in my own life! (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27223#respond) Reply () (http://nazhamid.com) Naz says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27227) February 2, 2025 at 11:18 am This is something I\u2019ve only come to realize with age. Due to less energy, more recovery time, and general life, uninterrupted hours and devoted focus to one singular thing for hours is difficult to find. I am able to rock climb and run for 1-3 hours, but because they are activities I enjoy and require discipline and impose focus, and feel more like play, I\u2019m much more enthused by them. That said: the small moments and minutes are where I\u2019ve been finding time to do a few strength exercises, or a short meditation, or as you mentioned, read a little bit. These bursts seem to align with my attention and energy now. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27227#respond) Reply () Michael says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27255) February 6, 2025 at 7:02 am I\u2019m also one of those all or nothing people, so thanks for writing this up. I\u2019m going to try to incorporate a minimum effective dose for myself as well. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27255#respond) Reply () L says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27256) February 6, 2025 at 7:10 am I am totally one of those all or nothing people myself. I have often wondered what it was that caused it but to this day I am not sure. Making an active effort to be more balanced is hard, it feels like trying to change a base principle so basic you don\u2019t even consider it, it just is. It\u2019s good to know others have this too and have acknowledged it and are actively trying to change to be more balanced. I wish you luck in your journey, may you improve a bit every day. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27256#respond) Reply () (https://strafe.ing/) ele says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27258) February 6, 2025 at 8:27 am related a lot to the languishment of optimization & burnout. so many hobbies have died from the curse of Too Much, exercise one of them. it only finally stuck this year because i forced an \u201cevery-other\u201d rest day, and then i realized that the concept of rest days need not exist only in the realm of exercise. thanks for articulating your thoughts on this beautifully \u2013 this was a really nice read and a great reminder. i hope your life continues in a wonderful fashion! (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27258#respond) Reply () VA says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27259) February 6, 2025 at 9:09 am Minimum effective dose has worked wonders for me when it comes to consistently going to the gym. I have found that my brain comes up with all kinds of excuses to not go if the conditions aren\u2019t perfect. However, if I\u2019m able to come to terms with the fact that my workout won\u2019t be perfect, and will still be an effective dose regardless of the circumstances, it makes it a lot easier for me to follow through on my intention. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27259#respond) Reply () (https://jensrantil.github.io/posts/) Jens says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27263) February 6, 2025 at 4:35 pm This reminds me of the two minute rule from the Getting things done book. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27263#respond) Reply () Finny says: (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#comment-27268) February 6, 2025 at 7:11 pm \u201cIf something is worth doing, it\u2019s worth doing poorly\u201d.I like this philosophy. If it\u2019s a choice between giving up on something because you\u2019re not doing the best you could, or doing the \u2018minimum effective dose\u2019, go with the second. Doing something well is almost alway less important than doing it at all. (https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/?replytocom=27268#respond) Reply Leave a Reply (/journal/minimum-effective-dose/#respond) Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * () Email * () Website () (on) email me if there is a reply to my comment (Post Comment) (7440) (0) (1738865012) Current ye@r * (2025) (7.3.8) Leave this field empty () (2025) " ], "output": "htmltotext.txt", "pwd": "/data/archive/1738867035.125727", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2025-02-06T18:38:05.219715+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "media": [ { "cmd": [ "/usr/local/bin/yt-dlp", "--restrict-filenames", "--trim-filenames", "128", "--write-description", "--write-info-json", "--write-annotations", "--write-thumbnail", "--no-call-home", "--write-sub", "--write-auto-subs", "--convert-subs=srt", "--yes-playlist", "--continue", "--no-abort-on-error", "--ignore-errors", "--geo-bypass", "--add-metadata", "--format=(bv*+ba/b)[filesize<=750m][filesize_approx<=?750m]/(bv*+ba/b)", "--skip-download", "--cache-dir=/data/yt-dlp-cache/", "--cookies=/data/yt-dlp-cache/cookies.txt", "--proxy=socks5://tor-socks-proxy:9150", "--no-playlist", "https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/" ], "cmd_version": "2024.10.7", "end_ts": "2025-02-06T18:38:15.276380+00:00", "index_texts": [], "output": "media/", "pwd": "/data/archive/1738867035.125727", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2025-02-06T18:38:09.027982+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "mercury": [ { "cmd": [ "/home/archivebox/.npm/bin/postlight-parser", "https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/" ], "cmd_version": "2.2.3", "end_ts": "2025-02-06T18:38:05.028416+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "mercury/", "pwd": "/data/archive/1738867035.125727", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2025-02-06T18:37:59.329298+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "pdf": [], "readability": [ { "cmd": [ "/home/archivebox/.npm/bin/readability-extractor", "/tmp/tmp087gkrqy", "https://winnielim.org/journal/minimum-effective-dose/" ], "cmd_version": "0.0.11", "end_ts": "2025-02-06T18:37:42.977277+00:00", "index_texts": [ "February 1, 2025 \n\t\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tminimum effective dose\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\nI am still recovering from my failed root canal (and still have one visit to complete the procedure), so I have been hesitant in taking up my regular exercise again because I don\u2019t want to distract my immune system from my tooth\u2019s healing. So when I went to the gym today for the first time in weeks I tried to do only the bare minimum required \u2013 also known as the minimum effective dose. It may come as a surprise how little time we truly need at the gym to gain strength and muscle. I think it is all about sending our bodies the right signals. With the body it is almost always use it or lose it. So even though we are stressing our bodies for merely a short while, we are still sending a signal that our muscles are still needed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI find the concept of the minimum effective dose fascinating. It can be applied to many areas in life, especially when it comes to learning. There are many people who tend to believe that it is all or nothing when it comes to practising things. It is either we commit hours to something, or else it is better to not start at all.\n\n\n\nNobody says we have to be good at everything we do. We can just seek a little improvement continuously moment by moment versus nothing at all. The Japanese call it kaizen. There was a time when I was very busy with work so I could only read 8 minutes a day, but 8 minutes a day adds up to 240 minutes a month which is enough to finish 1-2 books. That is 12-24 books a year, which is tremendously better than 0. These days even if I can only read 5 minutes before bed, I do it anyway.\n\n\n\nI am actually one of those all or nothing people, that is why I tend to burn out on every thing I try to do. I had to go through so many years of repeated burn outs and bad health to barely learn how to do things moderately. I am still bad at it. But I remind myself, kaizen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis year I bought a hobonichi techo in an attempt to maintain a visual journal. I try to make an ugly sketch every day. But some days I miss it, but I try to make up for it. So far I have been completed all 31 days of January:\n\n\n\nleft: antibiotics I had to take for my tooth infection right: my elevated heart rate in the mornings during my infection\n\n\n\nI am not actively trying to improve my drawing. I just thought it would be meaningful to have a visual record of my year. It takes just 5 minutes or less \u2013 the minimum effective dose for me to maintain a drawing practice.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is similar to how I finally learnt to exercise after trying for decades without success. I kept trying to do something out of my own league \u2013 obviously I didn\u2019t know myself very well. I tried going to the gym, tried running before I even walked. It turns out all I needed was to do the minimum \u2013 walking for 15 minutes. Learning anything requires a positive feedback loop, and in order to create one, we have to know where is our threshold before it feels too exhausting. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a world like this, every day life can be exhausting. I have spent countless days languishing because everything just seems too difficult to start and do. But instead of trying to optimise or maximise everything, what if I do the minimum for all the things I wish to do instead? \n\n\n\nI think it can be powerful to remind ourselves how small amounts can really add up and compound over time, versus feeling the futility that comes with trying to do something really daunting. \n\n\n\nNot every blog post has to be a philosophical essay. I can write small things, draw small things, exercise in small doses. 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