How to Be Functional on a Shitty Day? Guess What…? You Don’t Have To!

Some days are just bad… not “a little off,” not “could use a nap.” I mean the kind where getting out of bed feels like lifting a truck, where every little thing—emails, dishes, putting on pants—feels like a battle, and here’s the truth no one likes to say out loud: you don’t have to push through it. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to be “functional” just because the world says you should.

We’ve been sold this toxic idea that if you’re not constantly producing, fixing, or hustling, you’re failing. But bodies aren’t machines. Minds aren’t factories. Some days, the only thing you accomplish is surviving—and that counts, we have been sold the lie of “Always-On” productivity.

Let´s give ourselves permission to do nothing.

Here’s your permission slip:

• Stay in bed, if your need to rest.

• Eat cereal for dinner, one day of not counting calories and allow your body ingest your favorite cereal will not kill your bikini body.

• Let the laundry pile wait another day, tomorrow you can start earlier while you listen to your favorite podacst.

• Put your phone on silent and disappear for a bit, sometimes it is good to disconect from being always connected.

Doing nothing isn’t laziness. It’s rest. And rest is what gets you back to functioning when you’re ready—not guilt or shame.

Take tiny wins, if you want them. We’re talking:

• Brush your teeth.

• Drink some water.

• Step outside for 5 minutes.

That’s it. Anything beyond that is extra credit, not a requirement.

The truth is, shitty day is just that—a day. Not your worth. Not your entire identity. Not a life sentence. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is accept the mess, let yourself be, and trust that tomorrow is another shot.

So, how to be functional on a shitty day? You don’t have to be. Being human is enough.