2 Quotes by Eldar Shafir

Many systems require slack in order to work well. Old reel-to-reel tape recorders needed an extra bit of tape fed into the mechanism to ensure that the tape wouldn’t rip. Your coffee grinder won’t grind if you overstuff it. Roadways operate best below 70 percent capacity; traffic jams are caused by lack of slack.

A standard impulse when there is a lot to do is to pack tightly – as tightly as possible, to fit everything in. And when you are not tightly packed, there’s a feeling that perhaps you are not doing enough... You have undervalued slack. The slightest glitch imposes an obligation you can no longer afford, and borrowing from tomorrow’s budget comes at high interest.