Doing Nothing is Nearly Impossible

Plus: Get the Real "Out of Office" Feeling with One Trick and #SBOC26 Goes on Sale Tomorrow!

Pat Miller
May 12, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Is there anything weirder than having a bit of space on your calendar with nothing to do?

Last Wednesday, I had this beautiful little spot on my calendar from three until five. One meeting earlier in the afternoon, and otherwise the rest of the day was open. Instead of feeling free, I got anxious...what am I missing, what should I be working on, should I get ahead on tomorrow's stuff? My brain refused to let two hours of clear calendar just be clear calendar.

I caught myself out loud on the air. The honest answer wasn't "what new thing should I start," it was "are there tee times available?"

This is the trap I think a lot of us are stuck in, and it's the real reason Fridays Off still feels so far away for so many of us. We've turned what's really a permission issue into something we treat like a time issue. The truth is you could close the laptop at three this afternoon and nothing catastrophic would happen, but some part of your brain has decided that empty calendar space means you're falling behind, so you fill it. Then you wonder why you're tired.

So this week, see if you can let the white space stay white when it shows up. Sit on a patio with a friend, take an hour for whatever it was you used to do for fun, and please do whatever it takes to NOT FILL IT. It’s harder than it sounds.

And, for the record, I got out to have a beer with Steve Glynn and then hit some golf balls. It was GLORIOUS.

Tweet of the week

Today’s Sponsor

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Finally Get the “Out-of-Office Feeling” Even When You Work from Home

I was coaching a stressed out owner this week and I suggested they take their work email off their phone. They run a fast-growing company from home and when I this came out they stared at me like I'd just told them to sell a kidney.

I’ve done this and it was incredible. I deleted email and LinkedIn and I had the true out-of-office feeling for the first time in forever. That freedom that told me “I bet there’s some businessing stuff happening but I don’t need to care right now.” My brain felt free, and I had a real conversation with Abbie at dinner that didn't involve me scrolling through anything.

Your phone does not need to be an extension of your computer. If you work from home, the office is two rooms away and if something is genuinely burning, it'll still be there in the morning. Try it.

Today’s Sponsor

When something happens with your insurance, you don't want a chatbot. You want Tom Gaumond. He's the owner of G2 Insurance Services, a local agency in Brookfield that's been at it since 2004. “Taco Tom” and his team walk you through real quotes from carriers that actually fit you...and they stick with you through claims, billing, and renewals. Get a real quote from a real human at g2insuranceservices.com.

#SBOC26 Goes on Sale TOMORROW!

Tomorrow morning, tickets to the 6th annual SBOC Conference go on sale at event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/26conference, and once we hit 200, we're done. We're locked in for September 15-17 at the Brookfield Sheraton, and the room is already filling fast.

Mike Michalowicz is on stage with his new book The Money Habit, and eight more speakers are running working sessions on AI, lead generation, SEO, legal protection, and what it actually takes to own a room.

We've also got the AI Super Session, the Idea Slam Lunch, the 3rd Annual SBOC Awards, and the Steak and Champagne Celebration Dinner and so much more.

Stop building your small business by yourself. Don’t Grow it Alone®

Now, GO SELL SOMETHING!

Pat