Busy Single Moms? Get Your Time Back With These Smart Hacks

🎙️ Busy Mom? Get Your Time Back with These Smart Hacks

Mama, do you ever feel like you’re running on caffeine, chaos, and sheer willpower—juggling work, kids, laundry, and approximately 837 things on your to-do list? 😵‍💫 You’re not alone! But here’s the truth: you don’t need more hours in the day—you need to take back the ones slipping through your fingers.

In this episode of It’s A Single Mom Thing, we’re diving into practical, sassy, and sanity-saving time hacks so you can finally breathe again:

✅ Where Is Your Time Really Going? A time audit will expose the black holes of your schedule.
✅ Delegate Like a Boss—Because doing it all = burnout.
✅ Say No Without the Guilt—Your time is sacred, protect it!
✅ Time-Saving Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner—Tech tricks, auto-pay, and grocery pickup to the rescue!
✅ The Power of the Mom Reset—Yes, YOU need a break, too!

🔥 BONUS: Your kids are watching how you manage your time—let’s teach them the power of priorities and balance, not just busyness!

👀 Ready to reclaim your time and your sanity? Grab your coffee (in 👉 this  sassy mug, tune in, and let’s do this! 🎧

📌 Join the Conversation:
📍 Hop into our It’s A Single Mom Thing Facebook Group for extra encouragement!
📍 Need prayer? Call our 24-hour prayer line: 855-822-PRAY.
📍 Tag a mom who NEEDS these time-saving hacks!

🎾 Want a break AND a reason to have fun? Join us at the Westshore Services FL HVAC Raise & Rally Pickleball Tournament on March 29—a fun way to support single moms at Shepherd’s Village! Sign up today 👉 www.shepherdsvillage.com/pickleball 🏓💚

🔔 Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or iHeartRadio so you never miss an episode!

Chapters

• 0:26 Welcome to It's a Single Mom Thing
• 27:00 The Hard Truth: Reclaiming Your Time
• 39:30 Reality Check: Where Does Your Time Go?
• 1:24:00 Time Thieves: Busting Myths and Tracking Leakage
• 17:55:00 Self
• 19:05:00 Take Back Challenge: Implementing the Hacks

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for single moms by single moms. This is Sherri, your host, and I am happy you are here today. Remember it's a single mom thing and not the single thing that stops you.

Speaker 2: 0:17

If I had a dollar for every time a single mom said I don't have time, I'd be broadcasting this episode from a private island with unlimited ice coffee. But here's the hard truth you don't need more time, you need to take back the time you already have. As I like to say, it's your time and your dime. How do you want to spend it? And, as a side note, I do have that on a mug that you can get. You'll find that in the podcast description notes. So let's do a reality check. Every mom gets 24 hours right. So how do some manage to work, raise kids, stay sane and even squeeze in a moment for themselves, while others feel like they're constantly drowning, one flush away from going down the toilet bowl? Here's the spoiler alert it's not about doing more sisters, it's about doing what matters in less time. So in this episode, ladies, we are going to get busy busting the biggest myth, and that myth is being busy equals being productive. Today, we are reclaiming our time with smart, sassy and some sanity-saving hacks.

Speaker 2: 1:33

Welcome to another episode of it's a Single Mom Thing, the Too Busy Trap. Where Is your Time Really Going? All right, mamas? So it's time for a little wake up call. If I asked you right now where your time goes each day, could you tell me, like, actually tell me, or would you just say I don't know, it just disappears. Well, here's a newsflash Time doesn't vanish into thin air. It gets spent like a hundred dollar bill. The real question is are you the one spending it or is it being stolen from you? Ah, so here's where a little reality check might come in. Every single mom gets 24 hours right. The mom who's balancing work, kids and personal growth Same 24 hours. A single mom who somehow manages to finish school, start a business or carve out some self-care Same 24 hours. So what's the difference? It's not time, ladies, it's choices.

Speaker 2: 2:41

So let's get real and reflective for a moment. Hope you got your Thriving 25 journal handy, or a little scrap of paper, whatever works for you. I just want you to take two minutes and write this down. Number one three things you do daily that are absolutely necessary, for example, getting the kids to school, working, cooking dinner, homework. Two then, I want you to write three things that steal your time without giving much back, for example, mindless scrolling, saying yes to things you don't want to do, running around without a plan. And then, finally three. One thing you wish you had time for but never do. Could it be like reading a book, exercising, having a moment of peace, sitting outside, soaking up some sunshine and silence? Say that really fast and then pause, look at your list and what do you notice? Here's the reality time taker, check. If you have time to scroll, you have time to take a breath. If you have time to binge watch, you have time to plan your day. If you have time to say yes to what drains you, you have time to say yes to what fuels you. It's not about doing more. It's about doing what matters more.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Now let's do a quick, powerful test to see where your time is leaking For the next 24 hours. I want you to track every single thing you do. Now, be reasonable here. We don't have to be ridiculous. It doesn't have to include potty breaks and all of that, but you know what I'm putting down. Then I want you to write that down in your journal or use your phone's notes app and be brutally honest with yourself. So how much time are you spending on, say, social media? How often are you running, say, last minute errands? How many times are you redoing things because you didn't plan ahead? Or how many times are you pouring into people who don't pour into you? These are time takers and time wasters. Mamas, you see the things and people that keep you stuck, stretched thin and one meltdown away from losing it over missing a sippy cup. Time takers and time wasters. So time saver, truth bomb here you don't have to keep over pouring into empty cups when your own is running dry. Ooh that was good.

Speaker 2: 5:21

If you wouldn't let someone drain your bank account, why would you let them drain your energy and your time too? You see, at the end of the day, I want you to highlight the things that actually moved your life forward. Be prepared now, mama. This might be a wake up call for you, but here's the good news If you can see where your time is going, then you can get it back. So, now that we've put some time thieves on blast, let's get into the hacks that will help you reclaim your time, reduce the chaos and finally feel in control of your day the smart hacks to get your time back. The smart hacks to get your time back. All right, mamas, now that we've put time thieves on blast and called out those sneaky time wasters, it's time to flip your script, because here's the thing you don't need more time. You need to manage the time you already have. And let me tell you, it starts with being intentional. Now, intentional meaning making choices on purpose, kind of like how your kid intentionally ignores you when you say it's bedtime, but miraculously hears you whisper ice cream from three rooms away. Or being intentional is like grocery shopping with the list first going in just for some milk and coming out with $100 worth of snacks, candles and a plant you didn't need. So now that we're clear, we can move on to some hack helpers.

Speaker 2: 6:54

Hack number one the top three rule, because not everything is urgent. Listen, your to-do list, like mine, might look like Santa's naughty or nice list, but not everything is urgent and not everything deserves your energy. Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, I want you to ask yourself what are the three most important things I need to do today. Not 20, not 10, three. If nothing else gets done, but those three things, the day is still a win. Okay, so get that journal back out. Do not put that away. We do have some deep work we are doing today. So in our Thriving 25 journal, I want you to do a little check in here and write down your top three priorities for the day. Now be specific. Instead of putting at the top get stuff done. I want you to write something like pay the electric bill, meal prep for tomorrow or even call the school about the field trip. Everything else is a bonus. This keeps you focused, less overwhelmed and out of the quote. Unquote. I ran around all day but got nothing done. Trap.

Speaker 2: 8:16

So hack number two time blocking like a boss. Ever feel like you're constantly multitasking but never finishing anything? That's because multitasking is a scam. Now time blocking? Well, that is where it is at and that is your new best friend.

Speaker 2: 8:33

And here's how that works One, pick a task. Two, set a timer. And three, do only that task until the timer goes off. And here are some examples of how that looks. Let's say, 30 minutes for housework. When the timer's up, you're done.

Speaker 2: 8:53

Or number two how about one hour for work? That means emails and texts. They can wait. Or 15 minutes, for I don't know something like you and no, you don't owe anyone an explanation for this one. This even works for pity parties or full-on cry sessions. Block out 30 minutes and then the party is over Time to deflate the balloons and send your guests packing. And here's why it works.

Speaker 2: 9:24

Your brain's not a browser with 27 tabs open. Time blocking forces you to finish things faster instead of jumping around and getting nothing done like a buffering computer. So here's your thriving 25 journal check. I want you to write down three things you need to time block this week. For example, what's one thing you always push off and time block that first. Now hack. Number three the no you need to say because not everything deserves a yes. Here's a hard truth that's going to be incoming. Every time you say yes to something you don't want to do, you are saying no to something you actually need to, and this includes people. You need to give your permission to say no, granted. No, you don't have to join every PTA meeting. No, you don't have to be the first to volunteer for every school event. No, you don't have to answer every text immediately Saying no, it's not rude, it's self-respect and it protects your time and your peace. Our journal prompt I want you to write down one, just one, one thing that you are going to say no to this week, something that drains you, wastes your time or just doesn't fit in this season of your life.

Speaker 2: 10:50

Hack number four the set it and forget it system. Mamas, listen, how many things are you doing over and over again that you could automate, delegate or schedule ahead of time? Here are a few examples of set it and forget it. Number one grocery pickup or delivery. Stop running to the store five times a week. Two how about auto pay bills? No more. Oh, shoot, I forgot the fees. Or three pre-made lunch or snack bins for the kids, so they stop asking you 47 times a day for snacks. You see, here's the raw and real reality check. If you can automate it, why are you still doing it manually, girl, again, I know we got a lot of journal prompts that we are doing today and we're almost done with those, but these are important and I hope that you find them useful. So, journal prompt write down one thing you can automate, delegate or schedule a week ahead. So here's my closing thoughts on the help hack section Take control of your time.

Speaker 2: 12:01

Here's the deal. You don't need more time. You need to manage the time you do have. Not everything is urgent and prioritize what matters. No, well, it is a full sentence, so you need to use it. And three, if you can't set it and forget it, do it Now. Take what we just talked about and start making changes today, and you can text me or tag me telling me what hack you're going to try first. So up next, we're going to talk about the me time must have, because you can't pour from an empty cup. All right.

Speaker 2: 12:39

So now that we've talked about taking back your time from wasted tasks and time thieving people, now let's get into the part most single moms skip over. Can you take a guess what that is? It's you. Here's the hard truth alert. If you don't make time for yourself, burnout will schedule itself for you. Now I already know what you're thinking mamas, me time Girl, where, between work, kids and life, I barely have time to breathe. So take a deep breath before I hit you with this. Self-care is not selfish, it is survival.

Speaker 2: 13:20

So let's look at some hacks to help a sister out. Hack number one the 10-minute rule, because you deserve a timeout too. Yes, girl, yes Mama, you take timeouts away from your kids when they're losing it, so why don't you take one for yourself before you lose it? Ever thought about that? Enter the 10-minute rule, and here's how this goes.

Speaker 2: 13:46

Take 10 minutes a day just for you. Yeah you, no chores, no kids and no work. But what can you do in 10 minutes? Well, I don't know. Sip your coffee while it's still hot. There's a thought. Sit in your car before going inside, Just breathing. A single mom's version of a spa day. Maybe Read one page of a book, no pressure to finish a whole chapter here, dance it out in your kitchen or do nothing. Yep, I said nothing. 10 minutes a day, ladies. Well, that is 70 minutes a week. That's over an hour of you time you wouldn't have otherwise. And don't tell me you can't find 10 minutes. You just found five scrolling social media, mic drop, okay. So hope you got that journal still there and haven't packed it away. I want you to write down one thing you can do for yourself in just 10 minutes today. Go, you have 10 minutes, Okay. When you're back, come back.

Speaker 2: 14:56

We're going to go into hack number two, and that's the power of saying hold on, mama's busy. Let me tell you something wild. You don't have to be available 24-7. I know this is shocking, right? It's okay to tell your kids mama's busy. Not every snack request is urgent, not every email needs an immediate reply and not every call needs to be answered right now. You, mama, are allowed to set boundaries with your time. In fact, you should guard it like Fort Knox. So in your journal you guessed it. I want you to write down just one area where you need to set a boundary and protect your time. Then come back and we're going on to hack number three, and that's build in a mom recharge moment. You see, you plug in your phone every night so it doesn't die. So why are you running on 1% all the time?

Speaker 2: 16:01

Find one small daily habit that recharges you, like five minutes of prayer or gratitude, journaling, or how about a walk around the block Listening to a song that makes you feel like a boss, stealing your kids' fruit snacks and pretending you're on vacation. No judgment here, or plugging into a powerful podcast. Did I say thank you for being here? You see, recharging doesn't have to be big, it just has to happen. So write down or think about it. If your journal is full, think about one simple way that you can recharge daily.

Speaker 2: 16:40

Hack number four treat your time like a budget. You wouldn't let someone drain your bank account, would you? So why are you letting everything and everyone drain your energy without limits? You see your time. Think of it as currency and spend it wisely. If you wouldn't spend your last $20 on something pointless, don't spend your last bit of energy on things that don't matter. Think about things. One thing that you're going to stop wasting time on this week so you have more time for what actually matters.

Speaker 2: 17:16

And here's some closing thoughts that I have on this section. Give yourself permission to take time back, and here's what I want you to walk out with today. Me time, it's not extra, it's essential, girl, 10 minutes for yourself can change your whole day. Saying mama's busy is a boundary, not an excuse, and recharging it isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. So take one of these hacks and try it today. Don't forget to text me or tag me and hit me up with which one hit home for you today.

Speaker 2: 17:51

So up next, we're going to talk about the time take back challenge, because it's your time, mama. So we've called out the time thieves, set up smart hacks and made space for you in your own schedule. Now it's time for the final step, or the icing on the cake, and that means actually doing it, because knowing how to take your time back is one thing, and actually doing it, that is another. That's where the miracle happens. So the take back challenge For the next seven days. I challenge you, ladies, to put these time-saving, sanity-saving hacks into action. Pick one, pick one of the hacks we talked about and commit to it. Not five, not three, just one. And then do it daily. If you can do it once, you can do it again and pay attention to the shift. Once you can do it again and pay attention to the shift.

Speaker 2: 18:54

Notice how you feel when you start taking control of your time instead of letting it take control of you. How do you feel? You see what happens when you take your time back. Well, you stop running in circles and start actually moving forward. You also stop feeling guilty for saying no and you start feeling powerful for saying yes to what matters. And you also stop being busy for the sake of being busy and you start being intentional about what actually matters in your life.

Speaker 2: 19:24

So here are my final thoughts you deserve your own time. If you take nothing else from this episode, take this. Your time is yours. You don't have to give it away to every person, every task or every demand. You are worthy of time that serves you, not just everyone else. So go, take it back. One choice, one boundary, one intentional move at a time.

Speaker 2: 19:57

Ladies, it's time to take back your time and stop running on empty, because when you manage your minutes wisely, you don't just survive, you thrive. Isn't that what you've been writing down all morning in your journal with me? So text me, tag me and tell me which hack you're claiming as yours this week, so we could do this together. And hey, if you need a daily reminder that your time is your dime. Grab that coffee mug and find that in the episode notes.

Speaker 2: 20:29

Until next time, keep rocking that single mom life, but now, with more time for what actually matters, are you looking for a group to call your own? Join our it's a Single Mom Thing Facebook group, because you don't have to figure this out or go it alone. Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, spotify or iHeart Radio. Need prayer? Call our 24-hour prayer line at 855-822-PRAYER. Do you know a sister who needs to get her time back? Tag a single mom who needs these time-saving hacks and want to take a break and give back. Join us at the West Shore Services Florida HVAC Raise and Rally Pickleball Tournament on March 29th. Let's have fun while supporting single moms like you. More information at shepherdsvillagecom. Forward slash pickleball.

Speaker 1: 21:25

Have a wonderful week and remember it's a single mom thing and not the single thing that stops you. Thanks for listening to. It's a Single Mom Thing. I hope you enjoyed our time together. If you have more questions on how to have a relationship with Jesus or need prayer, visit us at wwwshepherdsvillagecom. Backslash prayer. For more information and resources, check out our show notes.