There’s No Balancing The Calendar
Just because there's an opening on your calendar doesn’t mean you should fill it. This idea is very low on the spectrum of profound thoughts, I know. And maybe I’m a slow learner, but I consistently have to beat back my urge to fill every hourly slot.
However, THE best thing I can do for my productivity is to create margin on my calendar.
Connections happen in margins.
Relationships happen in margins.
Creativity happens in margins.
Rest happens in margins.
When the schedule has no breathing room, neither do you.
There’s no short-cut for doing the tough job of saying “no” or “not now” when people or events crowd the space. I love seeing Harvard Business Review locking into this truth. The Atlantic also hits on this topic and advocated "Leaning OUT" to collectively beat back the calendar. (You know how I feel about the Lean In topic, right?)
We have the opportunity daily to choose to do less in order to be more.
Where do you need to create space?