Minimum Viable System
If you implemented nothing else, these five protocols would deliver 80% of the results.
This is the Pareto-optimal life system.
The Essential Five
1. 🟢 Sleep 7-9 Hours
Protocol: Sleep Optimization
Sleep is the foundation. Without it, every other system degrades—cognition, willpower, mood, metabolism, immune function.
Minimum Implementation:
- Fixed wake time (even weekends)
- No screens 1 hour before bed
- Dark, cool room (65-68°F / 18-20°C)
Why First: You cannot out-optimize bad sleep. It’s the multiplier for everything else.
2. 🟢 Move Your Body Daily
Protocol: Resistance Training + Aerobic Exercise
Exercise is the closest thing to a universal health intervention. Resistance training preserves muscle and bone; cardio protects your heart and brain.
Minimum Implementation:
- 2× strength sessions per week (full body)
- 150 min moderate cardio per week (walking counts)
- Never sit for more than 1 hour straight
Why Second: Exercise improves sleep, mood, cognition, and longevity simultaneously.
3. 🟡 Automate Your Savings
Protocol: Automated Investing + Emergency Fund
Money stress destroys everything else. Automation removes willpower from the equation and leverages compound growth.
Minimum Implementation:
- Auto-transfer to savings on payday (pay yourself first)
- Build 3-month emergency fund before investing
- Index fund contributions on autopilot
Why Third: Financial security enables long-term thinking and reduces chronic stress.
4. ⚪ Plan Your Day (Every Day)
Protocol: Daily Planning
Without intentional planning, you’ll be reactive—responding to others’ priorities instead of executing your own.
Minimum Implementation:
- 5 minutes every morning
- Identify 1-3 Most Important Tasks (MITs)
- Time-block deep work sessions
Why Fourth: Execution compounds. Small daily progress beats sporadic heroic efforts.
5. 🔵 Invest in One Relationship
Concept: Nurture Close Relationships
Loneliness is as harmful as smoking. Relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness and longevity.
Minimum Implementation:
- Weekly 1:1 time with spouse/partner/close friend
- Be fully present (phone away)
- Initiate, don’t wait for invitations
Why Fifth: Meaning comes from connection. No amount of optimization replaces human bonds.
The Minimum Viable Day
| Time | Action |
|---|---|
| Wake | Fixed time, natural light |
| Morning | 5-min planning, identify MITs |
| Midday | Movement (even a walk) |
| Evening | Quality time with someone you care about |
| Night | Screens off 1hr before fixed bedtime |
This takes ~30 minutes of intentional effort and delivers transformative results over 12 months.
Common Objections
“I don’t have time.” These protocols create time by improving energy, focus, and reducing stress-related waste.
“Which one first?” Sleep. Always sleep. It’s the force multiplier.
“What about diet/meditation/reading/etc.?” Good additions—but not essential. Master these five first. Stack complexity later.
Progression Path
Once the Minimum Viable System is automatic (4-6 weeks each):
- Add depth: Optimize each protocol with advanced tactics
- Add breadth: Stack protocols from other domains
- Customize: Adjust based on your data and goals
See My Current Stack for what a mature system looks like.
Start here. Execute for 90 days. Measure results. Then expand.