Time

It’s a go-go world of busy, busy, busy.

With days scheduled from start to finish, what time is left for random acts of conspicuous kindness, welcoming serendipity, or just saying yes to more adventure?

Thoughtful preparation is often required to coordinate whatever it may be. There’s value in staying organized, but over planning is a trap. The thirst for productivity has made busy look to be successful. How often do we hear pride disguised as disgust, as someone complains about the constrictions of their frantic calendar? Yes, prerequisites include boundless hard work, a healthy obsession, and endless sequencing to be remarkable, but unexpected opportunities emerge when we’re not captive to a calendar.

Extra Shot

Planning is based in fear.

Doing is based in success.

Renting time can be lucrative, but in our connected era, there are ways to efficiently get things done without falling victim to a stacked routine of back-to-back everything.

Meetings led by talking heads, fracturing lunch affairs, and youth sports are all common versions of this trap. Each activity is cool, but when combined, days are booked and every night has something. A few hacks for each include less scheduled meetings throughout the week, but an eagerness to meet anytime. Instead of lunch, meet folks for a brew on either side of the day and consider more adventurous ways to share time. Audibles include parlaying a first meeting with an event, going for a walk and talk, or adding nature into the interaction. This breaks routine and conversations can be more provocative as a shared encounter adds depth to any relationship. Lastly, appreciate limitless play, but organized sports will not define a child’s future. In fact, it more commonly limits the experiences a family enjoys together. The entire game resets at puberty and even at high levels, the idea that sports provide a lasting future is one of society’s biggest fallacies. Organized sports deliver camaraderie, fitness, teamwork, loyalty, problem solving, business opportunities, and a competitive rush, but camps provide these benefits with less time and cost required.

Comfort without a plan leaves space for the unexpected. Things will not always come together, but if the calendar is a tool to keep promises while staying quietly organized, complacency gets replaced with unplanned marvel. If you feel oversubscribed, try flying without a plan. May the voids filled with no agenda unravel a freedom to be your best.