I find myself with a constant need to be busy, always to be doing or accomplishing something.  I’m a classic over-scheduler, prescribing to the “see white and fill it” approach to my calendar.  I say “yes” to more opportunities than I probably should.  And I have a hard time sitting still.  For years I’ve justified it with the notion that I’ve got one life to live and I’m going to pack as much as possible into it!  While there is some validity to that argument, I may have reached a point where I’ve taken it too far.  This philosophy has indeed laid the groundwork for success and fulfillment in many areas of my life, however, I can feel the effects of diminishing returns that are starting to creep in.

While I feel I do a good job of being present wherever I am and focusing on the task at hand, I’ve realized the problem is that there is no space between all the things that I do.  I’m failing to put margin into my life and it’s starting to take a toll.  In business, margin is the difference between the price a product is sold for and the cost associated with making or selling it.  On paper, it’s the blank area between the main content and the edge of the page.  And when it comes to time, it’s the space allowed between our load (what we put on our plate) and our limit (our capacity). 

Mark Miller is a best-selling author and will be one of our keynote speakers at the MIBE Summit coming up in January 2024.  In his book, Smart Leadership, he talks about this very point as one of the key decisions that great leaders make.  He says; “Admittedly, carving out margin in our lives and leadership is not only countercultural but also counterintuitive.  To a leader swimming in quicksand, the mere suggestion he or she should have margin in their schedule sounds crazy.”  He goes on to explain:  “Margin is the gateway to freedom.  Only there will we find the time and space to clear our minds, step out of the fray, and think carefully about the role we have been asked to play and the world we are trying to create.  To embrace this practice requires leaders to jettison the notion that activity equals accomplishment and busyness is the same as effectiveness.”

We need margin in our lives for creativity, to reflect on what has happened, and to think strategically about what’s next.  It gets us out of the now and gives us opportunities to dream about where we are going.  Margin helps us be more thoughtful as we have space to think about how to better serve others.  Margin allows us to listen to our intuition and the answers to our problems that are usually buried deep inside of us.  Margin creates a chance to get excited about the things that are coming up and to celebrate the things we have accomplished.  And margin provides room for contingency when things in our life don’t go exactly according to plan.

While I think we all can agree that margin can have an incredible impact on our ability to lead effectively, having the discipline to add it to AND keep it in our schedule is not easy.  I know I personally have reached the point where I have to make it happen though.  Between now and the end of the year, I’m working on creating better habits to put more margin into my life.  By limiting the number of meetings I take in a day, sticking to my commitment inventory, and intentional time away from my phone, I’m hoping I can start something that will set the tone and leave me better prepared for 2024. 

Do you have any tips or suggestions for creating more margin in your life?  If so, I would love to hear from you!