Margin

Removing things might actually add to your work and life.

I've been thinking about the concept of Margin a lot lately, and I've come to the conclusion that we, as humans, need it.

Two separate - but related - trains of thought here:

One: on a physical- / digital-level, I build margin into things I do that benefit me and my thought process:

- When I open a new Excel workbook, my first data point or calculation goes in cell C3, not A1. I want some margin around my work.

- When I write these posts, I take liberties with the "Enter" key. I want some margin in my writing, even if not grammatically correct.

Two: on a time-level, I build margin into my schedule and activities (or try to):

- When I have an appointment 22 minutes away, I'll leave 30 minutes before the appointment. I want some margin in my travel.

- When I have an important meeting or 1-to-1 conversation with my team members, I block at least 15 minutes before to ensure I'm focused on the upcoming discussion. I want some margin in my schedule.

Two separate types of examples - but they ladder back to the same theme: we need margin.

We need it because:

Margin gives us time and space to think.

Margin gives us white space (some times literally) to process.

Margin gives us a break from the noise, so we can listen to what's really important.

So I'll end with a question: How's your margin?

Thanks for spending time with me in my workshop,

Eric