Excerpts from the book DEVELOPING THE LEADER WITHIN YOU
In a world that constantly glorifies “the hustle,” many of us operate at maximum capacity, calendars packed, minds racing. We wear busyness as a badge of honour, often believing that constant activity equals accomplishment.
But what if the key to unlocking true potential—in both your career and your personal well-being—lies not in doing more, but in creating margin?
As Richard Swenson wisely puts it, “Margin is the space that exists between our load and our limits.”
It’s the white space in your calendar, the quiet moments for reflection, and the energy reserves you build by strategically stepping back. As a research analytics professional, I, like many leaders, have a strong bias for action. Living the “Law of Priorities”—understanding that activity is not necessarily accomplishment—has been a continuous challenge for me, too.
But the greater your responsibilities, the more crucial it becomes to create this essential margin.
Why is this so vital for 21st-century leaders and individuals aiming for their full potential?
1. Margin Improves Self-Awareness (Boost Your EQ)
Emotional intelligence (EQ)—your ability to recognise and understand emotions in yourself and others, then use that awareness to manage your behaviour and relationships—is paramount for effective leadership. Research shows that 90% of top performers rate high in EQ, and like leadership, it’s a skill you can develop.
A foundational element of EQ is self-awareness. This deep understanding of your own emotions flourishes during times of reflection, often when you’re alone. If you’re constantly overloaded, those crucial windows for self-reflection disappear. Margin provides that essential space, allowing you to grow your EQ and become a more perceptive, empathetic leader.
2. Margin Gives You Needed Think Time
Most leaders thrive on action, and I am no exception. But if we’re constantly doing without ever truly thinking about what we’re doing, our effectiveness wanes. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to see more and see before others. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A, famously said, “We need to be thought leaders before we can be market doers.” Margin allows us to do just that.
Your thoughts dictate your trajectory. If you want to become a truly effective thinker, you can’t rely on fleeting minutes between tasks. You need to schedule significant blocks of white space in your calendar dedicated solely to deep, reflective thinking. If you’re perpetually running from one to-do to the next, you’ll never become the strategic, innovative thinker you’re capable of being.
3. Margin Provides You with Energy Renewal
We live in a culture of relentless busyness, and leaders are often at its epicentre. Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project, highlights this perfectly: “More and more of us find ourselves unable to juggle overwhelming demands and maintain a seemingly unsustainable pace.” His paradoxical solution? “The best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less.”
A growing body of research confirms that strategic renewal—including daytime workouts, short naps, adequate sleep, more time away from the office, and longer, more frequent vacations—dramatically boosts productivity, job performance, and health.
All these crucial activities demand margin. Human beings aren’t designed for continuous high-energy output; we need to alternate between expending and recovering energy. To perform at your best, you need to consciously create space for relationships, exercise, recreation, travel, music, and whatever else recharges your batteries.
Want to learn more? Get the book Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell
How to Create Your Own Margin
Creating margin is a persistent challenge, but one worth fighting for. It helps you live out your priorities and become a more effective leader. Here are two actionable strategies:
- Evaluate and Eliminate Continually:
Constantly simplify your life. Delegate or eliminate anything that doesn’t fall within your “sweet spot” or core priorities. Apply the 80/20 principle:- What 20% of your possessions give you 80% of their value?
- What 20% of your clothes do you wear 80% of the time?
- What 20% of your leisure time activities give you 80% of your happiness?
- Who are the 20% of people you’re closest to who make you happiest?
Focus on the areas where you gain the most, and create margin by reducing complexity in the rest.
- Fight to Keep 20% of Your Calendar as White Space:
Stop automatically filling every slot. Intentionally schedule white space into your calendar. Aim for 20% of your waking hours to be unscheduled. This could mean:- Daily: Three hours and twelve minutes unscheduled.
- Weekly: About twenty-two and a half hours unscheduled.
- Monthly: Six open days.
- Yearly: Seventy-two unscheduled days.
This might sound impossible in our “always on” culture. Taking time off often feels counterintuitive, even like wasted time. But if you want to maintain your priorities and truly reach your potential, learning to embrace this essential downtime is non-negotiable.
Embrace the Power of Margin
If you’re a high-energy doer, pausing to reflect, prioritise, and reevaluate can be difficult. Yet, it’s a discipline you need to cultivate, not just once, but continually. Priorities shift, but if you master the principles of creating margin and apply them consistently, your personal and professional effectiveness will soar.
Ready to reclaim your time, sharpen your focus, and achieve more by doing less?
Start your journey to creating essential margin in your life. Get “Developing the Leader Within You” by John C. Maxwell and unlock more timeless wisdom!
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