You know I love me a perfectly planned day. Color-coded schedules, neatly time-blocked hours, the sheer satisfaction of knowing exactly what’s happening and when. What a dream.

But let’s be real—life doesn’t always give a damn about my neatly mapped-out plans.

Take last week, for example. My kids and I got completely taken out by the flu. They were sick for four days straight, and while I somehow bounced back after six hours (plus a much-needed ten-hour sleep), my carefully structured plans for the week? Gone. Everything I had mapped out so neatly was instantly replaced with survival mode—making tea, fetching blankets, and praying the thermometer readings would start going down. And you know what? That’s just life. This time of year, it feels like everyone is getting sick. It’s just another reminder that no matter how much we plan, we have to leave space for the unexpected.

Why We Need a Little Flex Time

Structure is great, but so is a little breathing room. If every single hour is accounted for, there’s no space for creativity, spontaneity, or life’s little curveballs (which, let’s be honest, will happen). That’s why I’m a big fan of building Flex Time into my schedule—intentional blocks of time with no rigid plan, just room for whatever needs to happen.

Because sometimes, what needs to happen is rest. Or slowing down. Or taking a detour from the to-do list to meet life where it is, instead of where we thought it would be.

How to Embrace a Little More Unstructured Time

✨ Block Out Free Space (Yes, On Purpose!)

Think of it as a “meeting” with whatever life throws at you. Whether it’s handling last-minute chaos, following an unexpected spark of inspiration, or just breathing between tasks, having open time built in makes everything feel less rushed.

✨ Let Go of the Productivity Guilt

Not every hour needs to be maximized, optimized, or filled with “getting things done.” Rest, fun, and creativity count, too. If you spend your flex time reading, journaling, or doing absolutely nothing—guess what? That’s productive in its own way.

✨ Follow the Fun Sometimes

Ever have one of those days where you ignore your to-do list and end up having the best time? Maybe you go on an unplanned coffee date, finally start that hobby you’ve been thinking about, or spend an hour lost in a creative project. That’s the beauty of unstructured time.

So, while I’ll never give up my perfectly planned days (I am me, after all), I’m also learning to leave a little room for the unexpected—because sometimes, the best moments (or the necessary ones, like a much-needed nap during flu season) happen when you don’t plan them.