This episode describes the critical importance of building adequate margin into academic schedules. After a week that went "off the rails" due to unexpected emergencies including children's health issues, emergency dental work, and even a mouse invasion, Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach at Defend, Publish & Lead, discovered that while she thought she had built sufficient 30-minute buffers into her daily schedule, she hadn't accounted for how tightly stacked her days were against each other. When one day explodes due to emergencies, there's insufficient margin in subsequent days to absorb the ripple effects. The episode offers practical strategies for creating true margin in overpacked academic lives, including asking for help, moving non-urgent tasks, shortening meetings, saying no when possible, and building in extra travel time to prevent the stress and errors that come from rushing.

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Related Episodes:

• Episode 244 – Make a Weekly Template and Adjust

Resources Mentioned:

• Tuesday Toolbox series - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information
• Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation.
• Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com
• Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: https://www.taaonline.net
• New to TAA? Join for just $30 using discount code TAA70 for 70% off!!! Returning TAA members can use the coupon code TAADP10 for $10 off an annual membership. You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.