Creating Margin in a Busy Life

The phrase “creating margin” can be a little bit of a divisive phrase—some people scoff at the notion of needing margin; others crave it but aren’t great at putting it into practice.

But leaders need to be able to intentionally create margin (breathing room) in their calendars and personal lives. It’s as necessary as breathing, and helps you avoid burnout, enabling you to become more effective, energized, creative, and focused.

Margin doesn’t come accidentally in a day—it’s built through intentional questions and courageous boundaries. I think we can ask ourselves a few questions to help build a calendar with planned margin.

1. HAVE I POPULATED MY CALENDAR WITH MY PRIORITIES?

Don’t let others fill your schedule before you do. If it’s important to you, it needs to go on your calendar. You are the #1 draft pick—claim your own time first. If you don’t plan it, no one else will! Plan out the time you need for your family, for exercise, for mentorship, for spiritual growth, and more.

2. HAVE I LEARNED THE YES/NO PARADOX?

Saying yes to one thing means saying no to something else. Andy Stanley calls it choosing to cheat. What or who are you choosing to cheat in order to say yes to something? Be clear on your priorities and set limits with grace and clarity.

3. AM I DOING WHAT ONLY I CAN DO?

Only you can be a husband or wife to your spouse, a parent to your child, the budget-setter if you’re the CFO. Focus on the unique value that only you can add, and let others handle the tasks they’re capable of handling, even if it means a little more effort on the front end.

4. HAVE I SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES FOR MY TIME?

Like you would fence a yard, you have to set limits to protect yourself from burnout. Boundaries help you clarify what’s in and out of scope. This also applies to building in buffering times between events and meetings. Keep meetings to 30-60 minutes, and allow some thinking and note-taking time in between to help with mental reset and to-dos.

5. HAVE I ESTABLISHED START AND STOP TIMES FOR MY DAY?

If you don’t define your own work hours, they will get defined for you and work will expand endlessly. When do you want to be officially “on” for the day, and when do you want to be “off?” Communicate those times to your peers and assistant, so they can help you hold the calls and emails as necessary.

6. HAVE I AUDITED MY ENERGY, NOT JUST MY TIME?

Time management is important—but energy management is transformative. Some tasks drain you while others fuel you. Pay attention to which meetings, people, or projects consistently leave you feeling depleted. Likewise, notice what gives you energy. Build your day to align with your energy rhythms—tackle mentally demanding tasks when your mind is sharp, and reserve afternoons for collaboration or routine work if that suits your natural flow. Creating margin isn’t just about time; it’s about protecting your best energy for your best work.

7. AM I LEVERAGING THE POWER OF DELEGATION?

Many leaders hold on to tasks that someone else could do 80% as well—or even better—with a bit of training and trust. Delegation isn’t abdication; it’s leadership. Freeing yourself from tasks that aren’t in your highest-use zone creates margin for what matters most. Equip others, empower them, and then step back. Every minute you spend mentoring someone else to take on a task is an investment in long-term breathing room.

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