One of my recent disciplines is to get back in the habit of scheduling reading time. It is a two hour block of reading books that will stimulate me as a leader, as a person, as a contributor to other people’s lives. I am not talking about reading newspapers or magazines but books that will shape my work and personal life.
The first book I have started this new discipline with is called Margin by Richard A Swenson. Richard is a GP and describes margin as the space that exists between ourselves and our limits. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations.
In my blog space I will be from time to time reviewing or commenting on aspects from the books I am reading. They aren’t complete reviews more a pile of thoughts for people like you to ponder.
I read Margin not from a situation where I had lost the margin in my life but having seen it disappear in those around me I wanted understand its importance to us as functioning human beings. Swenson is a GP in the USA, a Christian and has written this book out of his observations of patients across all spheres of life and vocations.
He exposes some of the common myths that life was easier back in the old days. If only we live today the way our grandparents did. Swenson argues that life wasn’t easier then just different. He says we just choose to remember the good bits.
The thing I found interesting that eating away the margin in our lives is growth or what he better describes at progress. Swenson says that growth in this world is now exponential not linear. So before people saw growth over a longer period of time which gave them time to adapt their lifestyle; now with exponential progress people are racing to keep up. This exponential progress erodes the margin in our lives without us realising it.
While we cant physically halt this exponential progress we can take steps to keep some margin in our lives and protect ourselves physically, emotionally, financially and importantly give ourselves some time to live not merely exist.
It is a great read for all sorts of people. Not just those who are struggling and need a prescription for change but for those who want to prevent it happening to themselves and those around them.
Margin by Richard A Swenson M.D. Published by NavPress.
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