This crazy year has taught me how important it is for us to build margins into our life. We need margin to help smooth out the rough patches of life. Margin is increased when we act as a good steward of the blessings and resources that God has given us, freeing us to shine our light brighter, focus on our passions and pursue God’s purpose for our life.
Margin has a few different definitions, so let’s look at what it means in this context.
One of Google’s definitions of margin is “an amount of something included so as to be sure of success or safety.” Author Richard A. Swenson describes it as the space that exists between ourselves and our limits.
I believe margin brings us:
- room to breathe,
- a lower level of added stress during difficult times,
- adaptability to change,
- space to hear from and obey God, and
- flexibility to make mistakes without breaking.
Alternatively, a lack of margin in our lives can cause extreme stress. I work as a CPA, and I remember one particularly stressful tax season that ended with me in tears after finishing up all of my deadline work with minutes to spare. My lack of margin with my time and health during that busy season resulted in a short emotional breakdown for me.
We were not meant to live on the edge, weighed down with stress in so many areas of our life. Generally, our bodies can deal with short-term stress, but over time, the continued lack of margin that leads to stress can cause more concerning and severe health issues.
Where do you need more margin?
What area of life is causing you stress right now? Where do you feel overwhelmed? In what area do you feel like you are living on the edge and barely holding on? This is likely an area where you would benefit from more margin.
Let’s consider what margin looks like in various areas of our life.
Finances
For you finance gurus, I’m not talking about margin as debt here (quite the opposite, in fact). The margin I’m thinking about in your personal finances equates to financial health and security. It includes having an emergency fund, spending less than you earn consistently, having no consumer debt and having a healthy retirement fund.
With financial margin, you may be able to take a leap to start the business you’ve always wanted to own. You may be able to give to charitable causes when you feel a nudge. You may be able to stay home with a sick parent or child without worrying about money. An early retirement or leaving your children an inheritance might be possible. Money isn’t a source of stress because you have prepared for the future, you are prepared for negative events and you have control over your spending habits.
When we have margin in our finances, we have peace of mind, opportunities to experience new things and ability to help others in need.
Time
Margin with time looks like having some blank space in your schedule. It doesn’t mean your schedule is empty, but it’s also not so full that you are always rushing from one event to the next. You are balancing the busy with some free, uncommitted time during your day or your week. It looks like time to think, listen to God, catch up on chores, play with your kids, be creative, or rest—you get to choose.
This kind of free time can be powerful and renewing. God even put it in his ten commandments—to honor the Sabbath. He created us to need time to rest and honor him.
When we have margin with our time, we are more free to dream, to listen to and obey God and to be present in the moment.
Health
Margin in our health means a level of good health that is right for you. It’s making wise choices for your mind and body as a general way of life. When you occasionally make a less healthy choice, it doesn’t wreak havoc on your body or spur shame.
Margin looks like taking care of your body and mind so that when stressful situations arise, you don’t break down. Your immunity may be stronger. You may recover more quickly from a fall or mishap. You may be able to manage an unexpected stressful situation well because you’ve reduced general stress and have the capacity to deal with it emotionally.
When we have margin in our health, we are more free to pursue our God-given dreams with fewer limitations due to health concerns.
Relationships
In his book The 5 Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman talks about an emotional “love tank.” As we act in ways to show others we love them, their “love tank” gets refilled, but it empties when we do nothing or have negative interactions. This concept is what I visualize when I think about relational margin.
It looks like taking an interest in other people, getting to know them or showing them kindness, and expecting nothing in return. Relationship margin is loving your family and neighbor, and “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It looks like giving more than receiving and shining your light. It is building a firmer foundation so that when a storm comes, the relationship doesn’t break. Perhaps it even looks like ending an unhealthy relationship so that your relationship with yourself, God and the positive influences in your life can flourish.
When we live with margin in our relationships, we are more likely to be forgiven when we make mistakes. We are less likely to have strained relationships on the verge of breaking. While we can’t control the way others behave or react, we can choose to create goodwill from our side.
When we have margin in our relationships, we are loving others the way God asks us to.
Home
With margin in your home, I’m referring to making your home a comfortable, welcome, safe and peaceful place for your family to come back to each day. Having this type of home takes a weight off our shoulders that we may not even realize is there. It is a safe place where we can release all the stress of the day.
As I write this, my front flower bed is full of grass and weeds. I cringe every time I see it and apologize to anyone outside my family who comes to our house. It causes me stress to see it that way. To weed that flower bed will bring me more margin within my home.
Having margin within our home looks like caring for our space by maintaining it and decluttering it. It looks like taking pride in our home and honoring it. It looks like caring for our family and guests by creating a haven they feel comfortable in. Our home may look different in different seasons, but it is a place we are grateful to have been blessed with and respect enough to care for.
When we have margin in our home, it allows for a peaceful space where we can relax and welcome others in.
Faith
Building margin in your faith looks like investing time in many different ways to get to know and love God more. It is strengthening our relationship with God so that we can trust him even in the most distressing moments.
The more we limit our time with God, the more we limit his influence in our life. When we spend more time with him, we recognize his calming presence and sense his guidance. Margin looks like eagerness to know him more, not push him away. It looks like more joy and less fear.
When we have margin in our faith, we are well connected to God and can draw on his strength and guidance as we navigate our lives with joy, peace, hope and love.
Creating margin typically takes hard work, persistence and self-control, but the long-term effects are worth the effort. You may have to change some habits or make wiser use of your time in order to find healthy balance. Having margin isn’t a destination, but a journey. Perfection is not achievable, but progress is always a step in the right direction.
Having margin isn’t a destination, but a journey.
Margins look different for everyone and we must determine what works best for our own life. Comparing our margins with someone else’s is never a good idea and will lead to discontent, pride or shame.
Different seasons of life will affect margin in various ways. When margin in one area has been compromised and we must focus on it, the other areas will suffer. For example, when someone has a health scare, they must focus their time and energy on regaining good health; in the meantime, their house may go uncleaned and their finances will suffer. In emergencies, we must focus on putting out the fire and deal with the rest when we can. It’s important in times when we have no emergencies to keep healthy margins in all of these areas to help us cope when a crisis does arise.
I have created a helpful resource outlining practical ideas we can use to create more margin in these six areas of life. It is not a prescription or formula, but includes options to consider practicing to create margin in these areas of your life. To receive access to my resource, Practical Ways to Create Margin (and subscribe to my weekly email newsletter), sign up here.
Lord, thank you for giving us wisdom when we ask for it from you. Please guide us as we pursue your purpose for our lives. We understand that our life won’t always be easy, so please help us to build healthy margins that will help us live in a better way that honors you. Amen.
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Cover photo by Angello Pro on Unsplash
