You know that saying: “Expect the unexpected”?
I like to take that a step further. We shouldn’t just expect it. We should plan for it. And it’s not just the unexpected… it’s actual chaos. Because that’s the reality of life.
Life doesn’t just through a wrench at you. It throws the whole darn toolbox. And yes, the best laid plans often go awry. But I’ve talked before about the value of planning even when you know you can’t possibly follow the plan. It’s not about perfectly executing; it’s about being intentional and deliberate, even when you also understand that there are limits to what you can predict.
When planning for the future, we’re not trying to eliminate chaos; we’re dancing with it. The goal is not to build perfect certainty into our day (which is impossible); rather, the goal is to create systems that can absorb the chaos.
The number one way to do that is with margin (sometimes referred to as “white space”).
If your schedule is so tight it can’t handle a delayed meeting or a last-minute task, you’re not ready to dance with chaos—you’re looking the other way and pretending it won’t happen. A lot of people think that more structure in their day means more productivity (I’ve fallen victim to this mindset myself!). But too much structure can backfire. It leaves no room to breathe, troubleshoot, or adapt. Instead of getting more done, you end up more stressed and reactive.
This is where margin becomes essential. Unscheduled time is a strategic buffer that allows you to absorb the unexpected without breaking stride. Whether it’s time between meetings or space between deadlines, these gaps act like shock absorbers. They help you maintain energy and stay responsive instead of reactive.
Your to do list needs margin too. Starting the day with 25 “priorities” is a setup for disappointment. With so much to do, where do you start? How do you distinguish signal from noise? And when more tasks get added, the overwhelm is debilitating.
Plan with the understanding that some things won’t go as planned. Build contingency into your calendar. Leave 15 minutes of margin after each meeting. Pad your deadlines. Give yourself 2 or 3 priorities for the day and that’s it. Think in terms of good, better, and best. What is absolutely critical to accomplish, what would be nice to get done, and what would be a total bonus if it happened? Your plan then acts as a foundation from which you can smoothly adapt. That way, when (not if) things get thrown off course, you don’t have to start over from scratch.
One of the most common complaints I hear is from people who tell me they “don’t have time to plan” because they’re too busy putting out fires.
I get it. Really, I do.
But planning is how you reduce the number of fires. It helps you get ahead of the truly flammable stuff and prevent the spark that could ignite it. And when fires do happen, you have the capacity to deal with them because you’ve built it in.
We’re not trying to predict every possible scenario. We just want to be ready to flex when things change—because we know they will! Planning with room to maneuver gives us clarity, control, and confidence, even when everything feels messy.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or like the calendar is your enemy, take a breath and start adding some margin. Planning for chaos doesn’t mean expecting disaster. It means respecting the reality that things will shift and giving yourself the grace and structure to handle it well.
