Make Room for Chaos

Time-Blocking for the Unexpected

I used to schedule my days like I was trying to win an award for efficiency.

Every block of time had a task. Every task had a deadline. Every hour was spoken for.

And then reality would show up, uninvited.
A client would reschedule.
A family thing would pop up.
Something would break.
An unexpected opportunity would knock.

And suddenly, the day I planned so perfectly would feel like a total failure.

Sound familiar?

I was measuring my productivity by how perfectly I could stick to a schedule—until I realized the most productive people I knew weren’t trying to control chaos… they were making room for it.

Time-Block for Chaos Time

Instead of trying to dodge every curveball, I started building Chaos Time directly into my schedule.

Here’s the idea:

You block time in your calendar that’s totally open.
Not for rest.
Not for planned work.
Not for deep focus.

Just open. Ready. Flexible.

I recommend starting with 30-60 min each day.

So when life throws something unexpected your way—because it will—you’ve already made space to deal with it without blowing up your entire day.

It’s like a shock absorber for your schedule.

You might use Chaos Time to follow up with that lead who finally emailed back. Or to pivot when your afternoon meeting gets bumped. Or to chase that spark of inspiration you didn’t see coming.

Whatever shows up, you’ve got room for it.

A Client of Mine…

One of my coaching clients was constantly overwhelmed. Every day ended with a list of things that didn’t get done. We started small—just one 30-minute block of Chaos Time in the afternoon.

Within a week, she realized she wasn’t actually behind on her work… she just wasn’t giving herself space to adapt.

Now, she’s expanded that Chaos block to 90 minutes twice a week—and it’s where her best, most creative work happens. It’s also where she closes sales, solves problems, and handles life stuff without guilt.

It’s her margin.
It’s her secret weapon.
And it can be yours, too.

Your Move:

Go to your calendar right now and add 30 minutes of Chaos Time this week.
Start small.
Let it flex.
Then see what comes up.

And next week? I’ll show you how to track what actually fills that time—so we can start building your Chaos Time system from the ground up.

You in?