Devotions for a Busy Business Person, no. 293 – Margin

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I was running, slipping through the snow, late again for another appointment. A section of the sidewalk had been closed so snow could be cleared and I had to detour the long way around, making me later still. As I was muttering at my ill fortune, it dawned on me that the problem was not the workers. It was me.

Once again, I had not given myself enough margin.

“And he said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” — Mark 6:31

Many of you know I am a recovering workaholic and subscribe to Workaholics Anonymous. A lack of margin is indeed one of the marks of a workaholic; it certainly is for me.

“Better is a handful with quiet than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” –Ecclesiastes 4:6

So what do we do? I am the ‘least of these’ to offer advice since I struggle deeply with making margin myself. But here are a few practices I am learning—slowly.

• Pray before and after the workday.
  Yes, I have said this before. But beginning the day with a settled heart and ending it the same way brings clarity, grounding, and perspective.
• Block off half an hour before and after meetings.
  Give yourself time to breathe, prepare your spirit, gather your thoughts, and then afterwards to capture action items and let the conversation land.
• Create intentional “white space.”
  Business strategist Juliet Funt encourages leaders to build regular unstructured time into their days to reduce burnout and increase creativity. I am not very good at this yet, but it is wise counsel.

I would love to hear your ideas, please reply via info@regen.global. I need all the advice I can get.

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You invite us to come away and rest for a while. Teach us to build holy margin into our days so we may work from Your strength rather than our striving. Slow our pace, settle our hearts, and guide us into the quiet places where Your voice is clear. 

Amen