The Gift of Margin: How to Reclaim Time and Use It Intentionally
If you had more time, would your life actually feel better
Or would you just fill it again
That question has been sitting with me lately.
Over the past year, I’ve gained margin in my schedule. Not because I worked less, but because I worked differently. I stepped out of roles that no longer served the season I’m in. I simplified where complexity had quietly crept in. And I made a few decisions that created space.
What surprised me most wasn’t how good the extra time felt. It was how revealing it was.
Margin doesn’t automatically improve your life. It simply exposes how intentional you really are.
This post is about how I’ve learned to reclaim margin and use it well, not just in business, but in my household, relationships, and personal rhythms. And more importantly, how busy business owners can do the same without burning everything down or pretending perfection is the goal.
I’ve never been perfect. I’m still not. But a few mindsets, systems, and tools have helped me create a life that feels more aligned, more grounded, and ultimately more effective.
None of it matters unless it’s transferable.
First, the mindset that makes everything else work
Before tools, before help, before systems, there’s a mindset shift that has changed everything for me.
I rise each day not needing everything.
That doesn’t mean I lack ambition. I still push myself. I still build. I still expect a lot from myself. But I’m no longer operating from a place of scarcity or constant grasping.
There’s a difference between growth and striving.
This mindset allows me to:
Focus on what’s enough today
Still build toward what’s next
Make decisions from clarity instead of pressure
If you don’t address this first, no system will save you. You’ll simply optimize chaos.
How to practice this mindset
Start the day naming one thing that is already enough
Separate self worth from output
Ask yourself what actually needs your energy today versus what you’re used to reacting to
Margin begins internally before it ever shows up on your calendar.
Why margin matters for business owners
Most business owners don’t have a time problem. They have a friction problem.
Too many decisions. Too many roles. Too many things that technically work but require constant mental effort.
Margin removes friction.
When you create margin, you:
Make better decisions faster
Show up more present for clients and family
Reduce emotional fatigue
Increase your actual effectiveness, not just activity
The goal isn’t to do less. It’s to do what matters with more clarity.
Reclaim time before you try to optimize it
One of the biggest mistakes I see high performers make is trying to optimize a calendar they should first simplify.
Before adding tools, ask this:
What am I doing out of habit rather than necessity
A practical exercise
Write down everything you do in a typical week
Circle what only you can do
Highlight what drains you the most
Replace or eliminate one thing at a time
This is how I’ve approached both my business and my household for years.
Accepting help without guilt
I added help at home as soon as I could responsibly replace myself in certain roles.
That decision wasn’t about luxury. It was about sustainability.
An au pair
Having an au pair allows my kids to be chauffeured to school and activities, have consistency in their routines, and eat fresh meals aligned with our family’s dietary framework.
More importantly, it allows me to be present where I’m most needed instead of constantly juggling logistics.
A house manager
I hired my first house manager over a decade ago. That role has evolved, but the purpose hasn’t.
She helps with:
Being present for vendors during the day
Laundry and household flow
Extra support during busy seasons and holidays
Replacing yourself doesn’t mean stepping away. It means stepping into your highest value role.
How to apply this if you’re not there yet
Start with one task you dislike or procrastinate
Replace time before you replace income
Let go of the belief that doing everything yourself builds character
It builds exhaustion.
The systems that keep our household running efficiently
Margin doesn’t stay if it’s not protected by systems.
Here are tools that help us run our household like a calm, functional operation instead of a daily scramble.
Hiring and staffing
Platforms like Care.com make it easier to find help as your needs evolve. The key is clarity. Know what role you’re hiring for and what success looks like.
Scheduling and time tracking
We use Homebase to track schedules and ensure everyone knows where they’re supposed to be and when. It removes guesswork and last-minute scrambling. I haven’t used their payroll by the way as I usually pay through another means.
Shared visibility
A Skylight calendar keeps the entire household aligned. When everyone can see what’s coming, fewer things fall through the cracks.
These tools don’t create discipline. They support it.
Groceries
One small but mighty example of reclaiming margin for me has been Instacart. I’ve been using it since 2016, long before it became as mainstream as it is today, and it’s been a total game changer. Outsourcing grocery shopping removed dozens of micro decisions each week, saved time I didn’t realize I was losing, and helped me stay aligned with our family’s dietary framework without the constant stop-and-start of running errands. It’s a simple tool, but those small efficiencies compound quickly, especially for busy business owners trying to protect focus and energy.
Drive without drama
I don’t need to be revved up to execute. I just start.
Over time, that compounds.
I’ve always moved efficiently, not because I rush, but because I’m decisive. I don’t wait to feel motivated. I don’t need a pep talk. I identify what matters most and I do it.
Years ago, an attorney named Bob Hendry once told me, after watching how I worked while my husband was his law partner, that my drive and attention to detail were unreal. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. Looking back, I realize it came down to how I approach work, not how much energy I expend talking about it.
One principle that has stuck with me is from Eat That Frog.
The idea is simple. Do the hardest, most important task first. Don’t delay it. Don’t negotiate with it. Once it’s done, everything else feels lighter.
That single habit eliminates procrastination, decision fatigue, and emotional drag.
Tools and practices that support this kind of drive
The Mel Robbins 5-4-3-2-1 rule to launch into action before overthinking kicks in
Starting the day by identifying and completing the “frog”
Keeping daily checklists short, realistic, and repeatable
Standardizing mornings to reduce unnecessary decisions
The result isn’t burnout. It’s momentum.
When you consistently do the thing you most want to avoid, you stop carrying it around mentally. That frees up energy, sharpens focus, and allows you to move through the rest of the day with clarity instead of friction.
Drive doesn’t have to be loud. It just has to be consistent.
Empathy as a leadership advantage
Empathy has always helped me arrive at better solutions.
When you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you stop forcing answers and start solving real problems.
Empathy isn’t soft. It’s effective.
Ways to strengthen it
Practice daily gratitude
Ask better questions before offering solutions
Assume context before judgment
Perform small, unrecognized acts of kindness
This improves relationships, negotiations, and leadership.
A giving spirit rooted in perspective
There were seasons in my life when I had very little.
Giving has never been about excess for me. It’s been about believing I can make a difference, even in small ways.
This mindset keeps me grounded and prevents success from becoming self-centered.
How to build this
Give time before money
Stay close to causes that keep you connected to humanity
Look for ways to help without needing recognition
Protecting margin so it doesn’t disappear
Margin is easy to lose if you don’t defend it.
That’s why I’ve scaled back where it makes sense, including moving my podcast to a biweekly cadence. That wasn’t about doing less. It was about doing what’s right for me in this season so I can serve better.
When you honor what serves you, your business improves. Your family benefits. And you show up more fully.
Ways to protect margin
Leave white space on your calendar
Say no faster and yes slower
Treat margin as a strategic asset, not free time
Reflection questions for the week
Ask yourself:
Where am I overextended out of habit
What would I do with two extra hours each week if I didn’t fill them with work
What deserves more of my presence right now
The takeaway
Margin isn’t laziness. It isn’t stepping back.
It’s stepping into a more intentional way of living and working.
When you reclaim time and use it with purpose, you don’t lose momentum. You gain direction.
That’s the real gift.