Slack

A car workshop running at 110% capacity can’t take on an urgent repair. There’s no room for surprises.

The best ones run at 70–80%. That bit of space lets them say yes to a loyal customer who needs help. They can take a last‑minute job or fix an unexpected issue without derailing everything else.

It’s the same in a doctor’s practice. Pack every appointment back‑to‑back and the smallest delay throws the whole day off. A little slack keeps things running smoothly.

I’ve seen this in my own work. When I ran a digital marketing agency, a loyal client might show up with a sudden request: help with a campaign going live tomorrow, or a bug that needed fixing immediately. Because I intentionally built slack into my schedule, I could say “yes.” The client was relieved. I wasn’t overwhelmed. And more often than not, that quick turnaround deepened the relationship. People remember when you help them in a pinch.

Later, as a Product Manager, I built the same buffer into sprints and project plans. Sometimes I even snuck it in quietly - knowing some higher-ups saw “empty” time as wasted time.

Slack isn’t wasted time. It’s what lets you respond, adapt, and build trust. Running at 100% might look efficient, but it leaves no room for the work that matters most: opportunities, ideas, and the occasional urgent ask that turns into a grateful “thank you.”