Saint Louie is a strong believer in this older system. He has never once asked what his five-year plan is. He has never downloaded a habit-tracking application. He has never attended a networking breakfast. And, as far as we can tell, he is doing extremely well.

We have become suspicious of empty time. If there is nothing in the calendar, we feel we ought to put something there.

Coffee becomes a meeting. A walk becomes exercise. Reading becomes self-development. A holiday becomes an itinerary. Even relaxing has become something that requires instructions.

Saint Louie disagrees. His preferred afternoon contains three essential elements:

There is something quietly luxurious about having nowhere to be. Not because it costs anything. Quite the opposite. The luxury is in refusing to fill every available minute.

The clothes matter here, too. Not because an afternoon needs a dress code. But because there is something to be said for putting on something that makes you feel good when absolutely nothing important is happening.

A good T-shirt. A soft sweater. A cap for when the sun gets ambitious. Clothes that don't demand an occasion. Clothes that are simply ready for wherever the afternoon wanders.

This may be the most important rule in the Atelier. The best lunch is sometimes the one that lasts too long. The best walk is sometimes the one that goes nowhere. The best outfit is sometimes the one you put on without thinking about it.

And the best afternoon?
The one that doesn't need explaining.

Perhaps doing nothing isn't really doing nothing. Perhaps it is simply leaving enough room for something unexpected to happen.

The day doesn't always need improving. Sometimes it just needs to be lived.