When pessimism comes in handy

📅 Today’s tip: Give everything on your schedule a back-up slot.

Sure, optimism is great, but it can also be a disastrous outlook when it comes to planning your day. You might plot out a space for everything on your calendar, but what happens when a work project takes a little longer than anticipated, or family demands cut into the hours you’d carefully carved out for yourself?

As the time-management expert Laura Vanderkam explains, a little pessimism can make a big difference when it comes your schedule. Assume something, somewhere, will go wrong, and give everything on your schedule a back-up slot. If you always have an alternate plan ready to go, you won’t have to extend the time you spend on work at the expense of fun.

📚 More from Forge on rethinking the workweek:

How to Pitch a 4-Day Week to Your Boss
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To Get More Done, Work Less
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7 Ways to Do a Workweek
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