A day in the life : Day 430

This week, I ran into a small scheduling mess that pushed me to try another trend I’d been hearing about — calendar decluttering. The idea is simple: remove anything from your calendar that doesn’t truly need to be there. My problem was that I kept double-booking myself without realizing it. Nothing serious, but enough to create awkward last-minute changes and unnecessary stress.

I opened my calendar and saw reminders stacked on top of each other, blocks that no longer made sense, and repeating events I had stopped following months ago. No wonder the days felt cramped. I spent one evening cleaning it up — deleting outdated reminders, shortening long blocks, and leaving some empty space on purpose. That last part felt risky, like I was forgetting something important.

The next day went smoother than expected. I wasn’t rushing from one thing to another, and when something unexpected came up, it didn’t throw the whole day off. I did miss one optional task because it wasn’t scheduled anymore, but honestly, nothing broke because of it. That was a useful realization.

The weather’s been shifting toward rainy afternoons lately, which usually makes me sluggish. I’ve also been leaning toward warmer, comfort-style meals again. Heavy food plus a packed schedule usually drains me, so leaving gaps in the day helped balance that out. I didn’t feel as wiped out by evening.

What stood out most was how much pressure comes from seeing a crowded calendar. Even before you start working, your mind feels behind. Clearing it didn’t reduce responsibilities, but it reduced noise.

This trend isn’t about becoming less productive. It’s about being more realistic. A calendar should guide the day, not intimidate it. I’ll keep it simpler now — fewer blocks, more breathing room. Some structure is good, but space matters just as much.