One of the affirmations from the Workaholics Anonymous program is "My life is full and underscheduled." It means that though we are doing things in our life, we allow for some open time and flexibility. I think that this is a concept we could all benefit from embracing in our lives, regardless of whether we are scheduling work or other daily activities.
When I read or hear the term underscheduled, it conjures up ideas about time left over, time to spare, spaciousness, time to play. Underscheduling doesn't happen naturally for many of us; it requires intentional focus and action.
I'm not always very good at underscheduling, but I try. I purposefully try to leave open gaps in my daily schedule.
The gaps provide opportunities for me to rest or refocus throughout the day, to stop and stretch, hydrate, or take a walk. Those openings also allow me to attend to things that come up unexpectedly with more ease and less anxiety.
Creating broad margins in my daily plans means purposely saying no to things, which isn't easy for an overdoer like me. Like anything in recovery, it takes practice to underschedule.