My Calendar Looks Busy, But I’m Not. Here’s Why.

Let me be honest.

My calendar is a performance.

There are back-to-back blocks, color-coded “strategy syncs,” and recurring “focus hours” that look important…

But mostly, I’m just vibing, answering two Slacks, eating grapes, and silently wondering why someone sent a calendar invite titled “Discussion.”

The Illusion of Busyness™

We’ve all done it:

• Accepted every meeting invite (because declining feels rude)

• Blocked “focus time” to do laundry

• Added 15-minute buffers so it looks like we’re in-demand

• Joined calls and said exactly 8 words just to appear alive

And then wondered at 6 PM:

“Why do I feel exhausted but didn’t finish anything?”

Why This Happens:

• Meetings = Lazy Productivity: If you’re in a call, no one questions what you're doing. It feels like work, even if nothing moves.

• Over-scheduling = Avoiding Real Work: Sometimes we’d rather talk about work than do the work. Scheduling is a great decoy.

• Visibility > Output: We’re trained to “show up” rather than ship meaningful outcomes. And a full calendar is the new attendance sheet.

What I Started Doing Differently (and Why I Now Finish Work Before Lunch Sometimes):

• I decline meetings where I’m not directly needed (with a polite note)

• I schedule real work blocks with task names, not vague “focus time”

• I limit my day to 2 calls max unless absolutely unavoidable

• I keep one day a week call-free (and defend it like it’s sacred)

And guess what?

Less meetings = less burnout = more thinking = actual work gets done.

Wild, right?

Final Thought:

• Your calendar isn’t a trophy.

• It’s a tool.

• If it’s full, but your brain is fried and your work is floating in a Google Doc abyss… maybe it’s time to clear the stage.

• Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do… is decline.