If you were to think of your life as a book from a bookstore shelf or coffee table that you might pick up, what might you see on the open pages?
You might see colorful, creative illustrations dominating the space, intermixed with only a few uncomplicated sentences telling a very straightforward story. The reader is left to smile while enjoying simplistic messages with happy endings.
The book might contain pages with enormous, elaborate photos or paintings, with little to no narrative needed. Flipping the pages in this book would awaken emotions and perspective, much like standing in an art gallery and staring into the soul of its framed inhabitants.
The page of still another book might be characterized by the absence of pictures, instead leaving the imaginative mind to create its own images. Beautiful prose would fill these pages, some set with the smallest of fonts and placed tightly together to maximize the word count per page, because this story is a very long and detailed one.
Yet another book might appear more spread out, with larger typefaces and lots of space, telling a engaging story, an exciting adventure, or a perilous mystery.
Some books would contain ordered sets of explanations and instructions, and their pages would consistently point you towards your goal, making sure to remind you along the way of your progress and encourage you towards the finish line.
Of all the various printed pages you might envision, there is a common element to each that determines a reader's overall ability to interact with and process the content of the page. It might be an element that you have never really noticed or considered. That element in the visual arts world is called white space.
The effective use of white space can dramatically alter your connection and experience, as well as the power and impact of the page.
In the typesetting world, margin refers to the space on either side of a printed page. When you read, having plenty of white space allows you to focus on what is important without being overwhelmed. Margins allow us to define how much we can absorb at any given time. As I think about books that are easier to read (aside from actual content), the result is those with significant amounts of white space both at the top, bottom and sides of a page. There is also breathing room between the lines on my ideal page. I enjoy getting through the pages quickly which means that the lines are spaced out, not too cramped together. There is time along the way to absorb, process and connect. There are central images that are crisp and clearly defined.
On pages with too much text or illustrations, the result is a jumbled, busy, muddled mess, blurring the individual words and phrases into a sea of letters that lose their meaning. It is tough to figure out what your eye should focus on when you encounter a page like this.
White space allows time for the eye to capture and the soul to digest.
As a society, we tend to busy ourselves with a variety of noteworthy and valuable endeavors. Creating margin enables you to avoid becoming a cluttered mess of incessant activity. It allows you to frame and focus so that you can see what really matters.
Perhaps you find yourself saying along with Job, "I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes." If so, you might consider adding in some white space.
But remember. Margins are not automatic; they must be created.
You must be intentional to create space around all the activity and busyness of your life. I find that margins for me occur best in the beginning and end of the day (like the top and bottom margins) and then spaced throughout (mid-morning and mid-afternoon serve as side margins). The time allowance for a margin can be as little as 10-15 minutes. Small amounts of time specifically set aside for rest and reflection can have a profound effect on your overall well being and productivity.
A wise friend of mine once told me that we can not operate at 100% capacity. Our maximum potential productivity falls somewhere below that, with the upper limit of about 80%. An attempt to operate at a higher level than our capability does not increase our productivity. It only increases our weariness. We can try to function at 100%, but it will only produce exhaustion.
Such is the idea of your printed page. Do not try to fill it to 100%. It will not be attractive, it will not be useful, and it will not be a work of art. Instead, fill a fraction of the page and leave the rest blank. Each page will be unique, with some containing more words and illustrations, and some with more white space. Remember, you are writing a life story, not just a single page.
Whatever you find when you look at the current page of your life, whether it is an extravagant work of art, a poetic verse, or a imaginative story, be sure that you frame it with plenty of white space and margin. With that margin, the true beauty of your originality can be showcased as the unique expression of your story unfolds, and you will enjoy the benefits of less becoming more.
