Have you ever caught yourself thinking…
“I just wish I had more time for myself.”
Between business, family, home responsibilities, and everything else on your plate, it can feel like there’s never enough time in the day.
I understand that feeling completely.
As a mom of two adult children with special needs, I’ve spent years balancing therapies, appointments, family responsibilities, and building a business.
For a long time, I believed the problem was simple:
There just wasn’t enough time.
But eventually I had a realization that changed everything.
I may not have time to do all the things…
But I can create time for what matters most through prioritization, scheduling, and mindset.
That realization led me to create what I now call my Time Prioritization System — a framework that helps me prioritize the life zones that matter most while still honoring the real responsibilities of my life.
And yes… that includes creating time for myself.
Because the truth is:
We can’t pour from an empty cup.
Today I’m sharing three core principles from that system that can help you start finding more time for yourself — even when life already feels full.
Why Time Management Is Different for Special Needs Moms
If you’re a mom of a child with special needs — or an adult child with special needs — time management can feel even more challenging.
Your schedule may include therapies, appointments, unexpected needs, and responsibilities that many people outside this world don’t fully understand.
As a mom of two adult children with special needs, I know firsthand that life doesn’t always follow a predictable schedule.
And that’s exactly why prioritization and intentional scheduling matter so much.
When your life includes additional caregiving responsibilities, it becomes even more important to:
- Decide what matters most
• Protect your energy
• Create intentional time for yourself
Because your well-being matters too.
Creating time for yourself isn’t selfish.
It’s one of the best ways to make sure you have the energy and resilience needed to support your family and pursue the goals that matter to you.
Principle #1: Decide What Matters Most
This is the foundation of my Time Prioritization System.
When I work with clients on this system, we begin by identifying five core life zones to prioritize.
These often include areas such as:
- Home
• Business or career
• Health
• Family
• Finances
The truth is:
We don’t actually have time to do everything.
And when we believe we have to do everything, our brains start spinning in thoughts like:
- “There’s too much to do.”
• “I’m already behind.”
• “I’ll never get it all done.”
Before we know it, we feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.
This is where mindset becomes important.
One thing I often remind my clients is this:
Our thoughts create our feelings.
Our feelings drive our actions.
And our actions create our results.
One of my most common thoughts used to be:
“I don’t have time to do everything.”
Maybe you’ve had that thought too.
But over time, through self-coaching and mindset work, I learned to respond differently.
Instead of trying to do everything, I get clear on what matters most.
And I remind myself:
“I’ll create time for that when I do my scheduling.”
Which brings us to the next principle.
Principle #2: Reclaim Your Time
This principle required a mindset shift.
For many years, I believed I had to do everything myself.
And I know many moms can relate to this belief:
“If we want it done right, we have to do it ourselves.”
But when I really looked at where my time was going, I realized something important.
I was spending time doing things that:
- Drained my energy
• Were not in my zone of genius
• Could potentially be delegated
So I began asking myself three simple questions:
What can I eliminate?
What can I delegate?
Where can I ask for help?
For example, I don’t love grocery shopping.
But my husband enjoys it.
So I create the menu and grocery list, and he does the shopping with our daughter.
Another example is dishes.
For a long time I believed my son — who has high-functioning autism — wouldn’t want to help or wouldn’t do them correctly.
But that belief was actually a mindset block preventing me from asking.
When I thought about it more, I realized he was motivated by earning allowance money.
So I made him an offer.
Now he does the dinner dishes most nights — and that simple shift gives me about an hour back every evening.
That reclaimed time has become my evening reset time.
Often that means relaxing in a hot bath with Epsom salts while listening to an audiobook.
Imagine reclaiming an hour of your day.
What would you do with that time?
Principle #3: Schedule What Matters
Once you’ve decided what matters most and reclaimed some time, the next step is simple:
Schedule it.
If something matters to you, it needs a place on your calendar.
Yes, planning your week takes a little time.
But it saves far more time in the long run.
Because instead of wondering what you should be doing next, you already know.
Scheduling also makes it easier to say no to things that aren’t aligned with your priorities.
When your schedule reflects your priorities, it becomes much easier to protect your time and your energy.
Protecting Your Energy
Protecting your energy is just as important as managing your time.
And one of the biggest energy drains for many women is self-criticism.
If you constantly tell yourself:
“I should be doing more.”
That thought drains your energy.
One practice that has been incredibly powerful for me is celebrating three wins every day.
I keep track of them in my phone.
Sometimes they’re business wins.
Sometimes they’re family moments.
Sometimes they’re mindset breakthroughs.
Over time, this simple habit shifts your focus from what’s missing to what’s working.
And that creates energy instead of draining it.
You Can Create More Time — Even When Life Is Full
When you apply these three principles:
- Decide what matters most
• Reclaim your time
• Schedule what matters
You can begin creating more space in your life — even with real-life responsibilities.
Because the truth is:
We may not be able to do everything.
Ready to Create More Time and Balance?
If this resonated with you and you’re thinking:
“I know what I need to do — I just need help implementing it.”
I’d love to support you.
I offer a Complimentary Breakthrough Session where we take a deeper look at:
- Where you are right now
• What may be keeping you stuck
• And how to create a clear path forward so you can build more time, balance, and momentum in your life and business.
You can schedule your session here:
I look forward to connecting with you and helping you create more time for what matters most — including time for yourself.