The Essential Ingredient

If you’re aiming for the Double Win—winning at work and flourishing in life—margin is one of the most important strategies to get you there.

Simply put, margin is the extra space in your life. It’s the breathing room that allows you to be proactive instead of reactive, handle life’s surprises with ease, and invest in what matters most outside of work.

Without margin, achieving the Double Win feels impossible. But with it? Margin is the key that unlocks both professional success and personal fulfillment.

Before we dive into how to create more margin in your life, let me ask you: What could more margin make possible for you? I want to hear what matters to you—make your answer specific.

When we talk about the Double Win, what does that look like for you in real, practical terms? It’s easy to throw around generic phrases like “work-life balance,” but unless you have a clear vision of what more margin would allow you to experience, it’s hard to stay motivated to create it.

You might be wondering, “Megan, if the Double Win is the goal, just tell me how to get it! Why do I need to understand what it would mean for my life?”

Here’s why: If we start with the “how” before the “what,” we often stop before we even begin. Why? Because all we see are obstacles.

Right now, if you start thinking about how to free up time for your priorities outside of work, your brain might immediately list all the reasons it’s impossible. Maybe you have a new baby at home, or your boss expects you to work sixty-hour weeks. Perhaps financial constraints make it hard to outsource tasks or join a gym. Wherever you look, the challenges feel overwhelming.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Solutions follow commitment. Or, as my dad often says, “Resources follow vision.” The creative solutions, fresh ideas, and unexpected opportunities don’t show up until you decide they’re necessary.

That’s why I want you to first envision what margin would mean for you. Before jumping into how to create it, let’s start by going back to my question: What would more margin allow you to do that you can’t do right now?

If you’re struggling with an answer, here are four reasons you need more margin in your life—reasons that may help you catch a vision for what the Double Win could look like for you.

1. Time to Be Proactive about Your Health

When we’re running on empty, our health is often the first thing to suffer. Skipping workouts or grabbing fast food because we’re too exhausted becomes the norm. But when we don’t take care of ourselves proactively, we often end up reacting to bigger health issues down the road.

What if you had enough margin to care for your health before it became a problem?

In our book Win at Work and Succeed at Life, my dad and I discuss how investing in your physical well-being is crucial for long-term success in both work and life. With more margin, you’d have time to prioritize sleep, exercise regularly, and cook nourishing meals—things that may feel impossible when you’re running on fumes.

More margin means time to schedule that overdue doctor’s appointment, prioritize a morning workout, or simply get the rest you need. When you’re proactive about your health, you’re not just avoiding future crises—you’re giving yourself the energy and resilience to thrive.

2. Time to Invest in Your Relationships

When life gets busy, relationships often take a hit. It’s hard to be fully present with your spouse, kids, or friends when your mind is juggling work or your to-do list. And without enough margin, relationships suffer. We can’t nurture what we don’t have time for.

Relationships are the foundation of a meaningful life. As we highlight in Win at Work and Succeed at Life, success at work should never come at the expense of the people who matter most. But when time is tight, we end up skimming the surface with those we love instead of connecting deeply.

Imagine what more margin could make possible for your relationships. You’d have time for a long, unhurried dinner with your spouse, quality time with your kids, and moments to catch up with friends. Meaningful relationships thrive on intentionality, and margin gives you the space to make the people in your life feel truly seen, heard, and valued.

3. Time for Personal Growth

One of the greatest casualties of a packed schedule is personal growth. It’s hard to grow when you’re barely keeping your head above water. But here’s the thing: Without margin, you miss out on opportunities to invest in yourself.

More margin allows you to focus on activities that help you grow—learning new skills, reading, or reflecting on your goals. Tools like the Full Focus Planner can help track your progress, not just your tasks.

Clarity and intentionality lead to breakthroughs, but only if you have the margin to focus on them. With more margin, you could invest in personal passions, hobbies, or professional development that enrich your life as a whole.

4. Time to Handle the Unexpected

Life is full of surprises—both good and challenging. Without margin, even small disruptions can throw your entire day, week, or month into chaos. When every minute is spoken for, there’s no room to handle the unexpected.

But with margin, you have the flexibility to navigate life’s twists and turns without losing your balance. Whether it’s a family emergency or an unexpected opportunity, margin gives you the space to respond with grace instead of scrambling to catch up.

Success isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about having the capacity to handle them well. When you have margin, you can pivot when necessary without sacrificing your priorities.

So, have another look at that question: What could more margin make possible for you?

Before we dive into how to create more margin, spend some time reflecting on what more space in your life would allow. What would it open up for you? How could it help you win at work and succeed in life? Once you’ve decided that margin is necessary, you’ll find the solutions to create it.

OK, back to my question. Now it’s your turn: What’s one thing more margin would make possible in your life?

AI Disclosure: This newsletter was written by a human—me—for a human—you! I sometimes use AI for research, to critique my writing, or to proofread before I publish. But the words I choose, the sentences I write, and the ideas I share come from my brain and out through my fingertips onto the keyboard before they find their way to your inbox. If that ever changes, I'll tell you. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being a human.