Why “No Time” Isn’t the Real Problem (And What to Do Instead) ⌛

I hear this all the time from my clients: “I just don’t have the time.” It’s the number one complaint women bring to me, and honestly, I’ve said it myself more times than I can count.

But here’s the thing: time isn’t usually the real problem. Yes, our schedules are packed. Yes, our responsibilities are endless. But beneath the words “I don’t have time” is something deeper, something systemic.

We live in a culture that places way too much pressure on mothers. We don’t have the village support our grandmothers or great-grandmothers had.

Affordable quality childcare is scarce. Family leave policies are a joke. Many of us are raising kids while working full-time jobs, managing households, cooking, cleaning, and trying to keep everyone afloat, and often with little or no help.

So when women tell me they don’t have time, I believe them. And I also know that what they’re really saying is:

• “I’m drowning in a broken system that doesn’t support me.”

• “I’ve been conditioned to put myself last.”

• “I don’t know how to care for myself without feeling guilty.”

  
  

The Truth About “No Time” ⌚

For me, realizing this was a big breakthrough. When I was constantly saying “I don’t have time”… to eat a proper meal, to stretch, to rest, to breathe!? It wasn’t about hours on the clock. It was about energy, clarity, and boundaries. It was about living inside a culture that expects mothers to give endlessly while ignoring their own needs.

We aren’t about squeezing more into your schedule. The work is about breaking old conditioning that tells us our needs don’t matter. It’s about re-centering ourselves in a system that won’t do it for us.

A Different Question to Ask ❓

Instead of “I don’t have time,” I started asking myself: “What do I want to make time for?” This small shift in language helped me see where I actually had choices even within a broken system.

For example, I wrote on a sticky note: Eat 3x a day. I also began prepping just a few nourishing staples each week: some protein, some veggies, a couple of snacks to eat for a few days at a time. That simple act gave me back my energy. It meant fewer frantic decisions, fewer skipped meals, and more calm in my day. Small changes matter. 

What You Can Do Instead of Saying “I Don’t Have Time”

If “no time” feels like your daily mantra, here are some gentle ways to reframe:

1. Acknowledge the reality. You’re not failing, you’re operating inside structures that weren’t built with mothers wellbeing in mind. Naming that truth matters.

   
   

2. Fuel yourself first. Even in the chaos, your body deserves nourishment. A quick protein shake or an apple with nut butter before coffee can change your energy for the day.

   
   

3. Simplify your care. You don’t need elaborate routines. Start small: water by your bed, a walk after dinner, prepped snacks you can grab without thought.

   
   

4. Notice your language. When you hear yourself say, “I don’t have time,” try: “This system doesn’t make space for me but I am making space anyway.”

   
   

5. Reclaim choice. Ask, “What do I want to make time for?” It puts you back in the driver’s seat, even in small ways.
   

   
   

A Loving Reminder 🎀

You are not broken. The system is. And while we can’t fix it overnight, we can choose, moment by moment, to reclaim pieces of ourselves and build the lives we desire. To feed ourselves, to rest, to breathe, to say no, to carve out slivers of time that belong only to us.

The next time you catch yourself saying, “I don’t have time,” pause. 

Remember: it’s not just you…it’s the weight of a culture that asks too much and gives too little. Then ask yourself, “What do I want to make time for?” That shift is where real change begins.