I Don’t Have Time….

Prajesh Chhanabhai

The CROSSROADS Coach I Change Maker I Speaker I Leadership Coach I Experienced Student Success and Engagement I I Podcaster I

April 22, 2025

It’s almost never about time. It’s about clarity, priorities, energy, and permission.

“I don’t have time.”

Five small words that carry a world of weight. We use them almost daily, often without thinking.

They sound reasonable. Harmless. Even responsible.

“I don’t have time” is the modern-day get-out-of-jail-free card, for skipping workouts, avoiding difficult conversations, pushing off the book you’ve always wanted to write, or not reaching out to the friend you’ve lost touch with.

When we use it reflexively, “I don’t have time” becomes more than an excuse, it becomes a story we tell ourselves. A story that keeps us stuck.

And most of the time, it’s not even true.

The normalised excuse

Let’s begin with some honesty. We’ve all used this phrase as a shield. It’s easier to say “I don’t have time” than:

• “I’m scared to try and fail.”

• “I don’t know where to begin.”

• “I don’t want to have that conversation.”

• “I’m overwhelmed and running on empty.”

Take a common example:

“I want to write more, but I just don’t have time.”

Dig a little deeper. Is the issue really a packed calendar or is it the discomfort of confronting your thoughts on a blank page? The vulnerability of sharing your words? The fear that what you write might not be good enough?

Saying “I don’t have time” gives us something to hide behind. It sounds better than admitting fear, uncertainty, or the guilt of putting ourselves last.

But what if we replaced it with the truth?

My own wake up call:

Last month, I caught myself telling a colleague I “didn’t have time” to work on a side project I’d been talking about for months. Later that evening, I spent two hours scrolling through social media. The truth wasn’t about time, it was about the comfort of procrastination versus the discomfort of creation. Recognising this pattern changed everything.

What you’re really saying

Every time you say “I don’t have time,” you’re communicating something, first to yourself, then to others.

Let’s unpack the hidden messages behind it:

“It’s not a priority.” This one stings. But it’s also clarifying. When we avoid something meaningful by blaming time, we mask the real issue: it’s not high enough on our priority list.

“I’m afraid of what happens if I fully commit.” Sometimes it’s easier to remain in potential than to risk real disappointment. You might be more afraid of succeeding and having your life change than failing altogether.

“I don’t feel like I deserve to invest in myself.” This is common in caregivers, high achievers, and those who’ve internalised the idea that their worth is tied to output or service. Taking time can feel selfish even though it’s the exact opposite.

“I’m not too busy, I’m emotionally exhausted.” There’s a difference between being busy and being spent. You might have hours free on your calendar but no capacity left to do something meaningful. And that’s not about poor planning, it’s about depleted energy.

Pause and reflect: If I had to make time for this today, what would I need to let go of? What belief, habit, or story would need to shift?

Time is a mirror, not a limit

What if time wasn’t the barrier but the mirror?

Look at your calendar. Look at how you spend your hours.

Your schedule reflects your identity, your values, and perhaps most importantly your beliefs about yourself.

If you believe:

• “I’m just not creative.” → You’ll never prioritise making art.

• “I’m too busy to work out.” → You’ll skip movement even when you have a window.

• “I have to keep everyone else happy.” → You’ll never make room for solitude or self-investment.

Instead of asking, “How do I find time for this?” Ask, “Who do I need to become so this naturally fits into my life?”

That’s not about forcing productivity, it’s about alignment.

When your values, energy, and self-concept line up, the time reveals itself.

Busy isn’t the same as purposeful

Modern life rewards busyness. We wear it like a badge of honour.

But busyness is a trap.

Between constant notifications, endless scrolls, back to back meetings, and the pressure to always be “on,” we’re caught in a cycle that leaves us tired but not fulfilled.

This is what researchers call time poverty the psychological condition of feeling like you never have enough time, even if you technically do.

Signs you’re caught in the time trap:

• Constantly rushing

• Feeling guilty when resting

• Saying yes too often

• Struggling to focus or follow through

It’s not just inconvenient, it’s destructive to your goals, your health, and your sense of self.

From My Coaching Practice:

Recently, I worked with an executive client who complained she had “no time” for the deep work needed to advance her career goals. During our sessions, we conducted a time audit revealing she was spending nearly 15 hours weekly on administrative tasks she could delegate. By creating clear boundaries and transferring these responsibilities to her team, she reclaimed 10+ hours weekly for strategic projects that ultimately led to her promotion. The issue wasn’t time it was permission to prioritise her highest contributions.

Quick reset: Do a time audit. For one full day, track your activities in 30-minute blocks. Include everything email, Netflix, phone scrolls, distractions. What’s taking up real estate in your day that isn’t aligned with your values?

Permission and worth

At the heart of all this lies something even more important than time.

Permission.

You can’t schedule what you don’t believe you’re allowed to do.

This is the invisible barrier for so many people especially those in caring roles, leadership, or high-pressure environments. Somewhere along the way, they internalised a belief:

“Everyone else comes first. I’ll get to me… eventually.”

But eventually never comes unless you claim it.

The permission paradox

What makes this so challenging is that nobody else can grant this permission. It must come from within.

Many high achievers operate from a deeply embedded belief system:

• That their value lies in what they produce

• That self-care is self-indulgence

• That “free time” should be filled with something productive

• That putting themselves first is selfish

These aren’t just thoughts they’re identity structures. And they’re reinforced every time you say “I don’t have time” instead of “I don’t feel worthy enough to claim this time.”

When we consistently deny ourselves permission:

1. Our creativity withers — Innovation requires space and play, neither of which survive in a permission-starved environment

2. Resentment builds — We begin to resent the very people and projects we care most about

3. Decision fatigue accelerates — Without permission to rest, our choices become increasingly reactive rather than intentional

4. Our relationships suffer — We show up depleted, offering others our leftovers instead of our presence

Your health, creativity, joy, and rest aren’t luxuries. They’re necessities. And you don’t need to earn them.

Read that again:

You do not need to earn rest, creativity, growth, or stillness. You just need to believe you’re worthy of it and make room.

Permission starts with small declarations:

• “I deserve a lunch break away from my desk.”

• “My creative projects matter, even if they don’t generate income.”

• “My health is a priority, not a variable to be sacrificed.”

• “My boundaries are valid and necessary.”

Each time you honor these declarations, you strengthen your permission muscle. Each time you prioritise your wellbeing, you communicate to yourself: “I matter.”

You’re allowed. Right now. Not when the inbox is clear. Not when the kids are older. Not after the next job. Now.

Take your time power back

So how do you start shifting the narrative?

Here are three simple reframes to help you reclaim your time, energy, and focus:

“It’s not a priority right now.”

Try it with something you’ve been avoiding. Instead of “I don’t have time to call Mum,” say “Calling Mum isn’t a priority right now.”

It’s confronting but incredibly clarifying. This phrase shows you where your values and your actions don’t line up—and gives you a choice to change.

“If I had just 30 minutes, what would matter most?”

You don’t need hours. Sometimes 30 focused minutes can move the needle more than a whole day of scattered attention.

Ask: What’s one thing I could do today that would make me feel proud?

Start there. The rest builds from momentum.

Use “Tiny Time Blocks” to build trust with yourself

Don’t wait for the perfect time, carve out 15 minutes. Every day.

• 15 mins of journaling

• 15 mins of walking

• 15 mins of learning something new

It might seem insignificant, but it’s not. It builds self-trust. You start becoming the kind of person who shows up, even for a little bit.

The next time you hear yourself say, “I don’t have time,” stop.

Pause.

Breathe.

And ask:

• What am I actually avoiding?

• What story am I telling myself?

• Who would I need to become for this to matter more?

• What if I made just 15 minutes of space today?

Because time isn’t the enemy.

It’s the mirror.

And when you shift your mindset, your time starts reflecting not just what you have to do—but who you want to become.

Your future is waiting.

And it won’t wait forever.

Time to find the time for the things I know I need to prioritise for myself

Till next week

Stay awesome

Prajesh

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