“I Don’t Have Time!”

How My Inner Saboteur Tried to Hijack My Morning—and What I Did About It

That was the first thought I woke up to.

It was already a “busy” day, in the middle of a “busy” week. I say “busy” in quotes because, let’s be real—much of that story was self-created. Still, I was telling myself that I didn’t have a mere fifteen minutes to pause.

Fifteen minutes to:

✅ Breathe

✅ Be still

✅ Empty my mind

✅ Step into some natural sunlight

Simple things. But powerful things. Things I know support me—especially when the day ahead "looks" intense.

But that persistent little inner saboteur voice was trying to convince me otherwise:

“You don’t have time!” “Why are you just sitting there doing nothing?” “You should be doing something more productive.” “You’ve got a to-do list, remember?”

Maybe your saboteur is gentler. (Hopefully not harsher.) But you get the idea. That voice can be loud, persuasive, even mean. And before you know it, you’ve skipped the very practices that help you move through the day with more ease and clarity.

Stress Is Real—But So Is Regulation

Here’s the thing: if my day is shaping up to be challenging, then those fifteen minutes are even more important—not less.

Stress—whether chronic or acute—can take a real physiological and psychological toll on the body.

Without going too deep into anatomy, let’s just say that terms like:

• the autonomic nervous system,
• the sympathetic and parasympathetic system/states,
• the vagus nerve,

…all come into play when we talk about stress and our ability to manage it.

The “fight or flight” response is necessary at times—but it’s not meant to be our default mode.

Stress Isn’t the Enemy—But Stagnation In It Might Be

Stress can actually be useful. It can sharpen us, motivate us, even grow us.

But here’s the key:

• How much stress are we carrying?
• How often are we in it?
• And how do we recover from it?

Our goal isn’t to erase all stress—it’s to self-regulate more quickly and return to calm when needed.

What I Chose Instead

I chose to overrule the inner saboteur. I carved out my fifteen minutes.

☀️ I stepped into the sunlight.

🧘🏽 I emptied my mind (yes, we can call it meditation).

🌬️ I practiced deep, slow, controlled breathing.

And guess what? I felt better. Clearer. Grounded.

Throughout the day, I will check-in with myself. Sometimes for ten seconds. Sometimes a minute. Sometimes five. Whatever I can give—I give it.

Because self-regulation isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a practice.

A Reminder for You (and for Me)

If your inner saboteur is trying to convince you that you don’t have time for yourself, here’s my gentle pushback:

📍 Start with one minute. Just one. You can build from there.

You deserve moments of stillness. You need sunlight, breath, and space. And no, you’re not “doing nothing.” You’re doing something incredibly valuable:

You’re regulating, restoring, and protecting your well-being.

That’s not a luxury. That’s foundational.

💬 I’d love to hear from you:

• Have you heard your own inner saboteur lately?
• What helps you self-regulate during the chaos?
• How do you carve out time when the day feels “too busy”?

Drop a comment. Let's support each other. 👇🏽

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