Reclaiming Slivers of Time

“I don’t have time.” It might be the most spoken sentence in a woman’s life – and this episode begins by taking it seriously. Your time is squeezed. The mental load is real, the care work is real, and it’s not evenly shared. That’s not a mindset problem, it’s a structural one, and no breathing exercise will fix it.

But hiding underneath that true sentence, Narelle has noticed something else. When we say we don’t have time for self-care, we usually mean we don’t have time for the version of self-care we’ve been sold – the hour-long class, the morning routine, the weekend away. Fair enough. We probably don’t.

So this episode asks a gentler, sneakier question. Not “how do I find more time?” but “who owns the slivers I already have?” The thirty seconds at the microwave. The two minutes in the car before you go inside. The pause while a page loads. Narelle shares the five-minute walk she claimed back from her phone – and what it changed about the edges of her day.

In This Episode

•     Taking “I don’t have time” seriously – naming the mental load and unequal care work as structural realities, not personal failings

•     What the sentence usually means – not having time for the version of self-care we’ve been sold, rather than the ten-to-sixty-second version that actually fits

•     Time as something we notice rather than find – the slivers already scattered through an ordinary day, and where they currently go

•     The five-minute walk – the phone left on the desk, the trees Narelle had passed a thousand times without seeing, and arriving at things as a person rather than as an inbox with legs

•     A quiet act of reclamation – why sixty seconds claimed on purpose matters in a world that has monetised every gap in your attention

Your Micro Moment for Today

Once today, when you notice a sliver – a wait, a pause, a between – say silently, “This one’s mine.” Then spend it on purpose: a breath, a look out the window, a hand on your heart, or doing absolutely nothing, magnificently. One sliver, claimed. That’s it.

Quotable Moments

“The mental load is real, the care work is real, and it’s not evenly shared. That’s not a mindset problem, that’s a structural one.”

— Narelle

“I started arriving at things as a person rather than as an inbox with legs.”

— Narelle

“Sixty seconds claimed is a radical act in a world that’s monetised every gap in your attention.”

— Narelle

About This Series

She Snippets is a six-episode series of short listens exploring micro moments – small, free, repeatable acts of care that fit inside real lives. Everything shared in this series is free. Not free-trial free. Actually free.

Connect With Us

•     Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies

•     Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

Acknowledgement of Country

She Speaks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters across Western Australia on which we live, work and record, and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise the enduring strength and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their continuing connection to Country, culture and community.

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women’s voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences and practical ideas, this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you are struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner. Support is also available any time from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and the Department of Communities Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.