If you were to remove every commitment from your calendar and every todo item from your list, every anticipated event and necessary task, what would your day look like? Assume that all of those concerns were taken care of and that the entire day is up to you. What would you choose to do?

Consider the most important question first: With whom would you spend such a free day? Certain loved ones? Certain friends? No one but yourself for company, if even that? Ask yourself which matters more: the specific activity or who joins you for it? What’s stopping you from spending more time with them now?

You can prepare for such a de-scheduled day right now. What could you drop from your schedule to accommodate? How well prepared are you for the day when you will have to drop everything for an unexpected opportunity? For an unexpected crisis? If you could skip that meeting today, why attend it in the first place? What’s worth not having on your calendar? Answer these and you’re that much closer to your ideal day.