The Joy ModelSample

Margin is more than time management, but it’s even more than values and priorities. There’s something one level deeper than our values that compels us to work so hard and overcommit ourselves. It’s the False Self, which is rooted in fear, guilt, comfort, pride, and/or greed, and drives us to act in a way that we desperately hope will lead to the approval of others. Read that sentence again. It’s huge...

For most people, displaying constant busyness is something they do to convince themselves and others of their worth, their abilities, and their sense of responsibility.

So what’s really at the root of your busyness? Is it fun, energizing activity and work that is a natural outflow of who you are and what you really believe in?

* Or is it driven by fear?

* Or pride?

* Jealousy?

* Selfishness?

* Greed?

* Boredom?

* The desire to impress others?

* Low self-esteem?

Take a moment and really think about the eight things I just listed. What are the emotions that drive your decisions about how you spend your time? If they are any of those toxic emotions, you can be sure that your False Self is compelling you to hide the imperfect you from others and preventing the real—albeit flawed—you from emerging.

If you can come to grips that God loves you just as you are—and free yourself up from caring what others think of you—you’ll be able to identify emotionally draining things in your calendar that are only there for the benefit of impressing others. I strongly encourage you to identify the fearful sources of your frantic life and start responsibly stepping away from the things that are holding you back from being the real you God intended you to be.

Identifying and dealing with what’s going on in your heart will help you create more margin in your calendar than any time-management technique ever will. And the benefit of this introspection and honesty will go beyond a looser calendar: you’ll be on your way toward real liberation, real courage, real freedom—real joy.