5 Life Hacks on How to Gain Me Time

By reading the about me section on my site you can imagine how busy I am. I have teacher tasks, student assignments, and mommy duties to complete daily. When I first decided to go back to school, I was drowning in the things that I had to do. I always felt like I never had time to just sit down and take a breath. That is the reason for these 5 life hacks on how to gain me time

After many days of feeling burned out, I had to create a system to help me maximize my time. Which in reality freed up some time for me to spend doing whatever I wanted. In the morning and at night after I have completed my homework is my alone time. Therefore, here are a few tips you can adapt to fit your life. Find the pockets in the day to grab you at least an hour to yourself.

Creating a routine

In order to control my anxiety and keep myself from becoming overwhelmed I had to create a routine for my family and me. I have a routine for pretty much everything. I have created an efficient routine that works for my house whole. For example, I try to make sure dinner is ready and the kids are eating by 6:00 pm. After dinner is bath time. I am not as time conscious when it comes to what time or how long the baths last. Typically, the kids have anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to play before it is bedtime. Bedtime is at 8:00 for the kids and they have a routine for that (LOL). By having routines the kids are a lot more responsive because they are aware of what is about to come next.

2. Creating a weekly menu

Growing up, I remember my mom asking me or my dad what we wanted for dinner, and 9 times out of 10 the answer was “It doesn’t matter”. I know some of you are thinking “I can’t believe she even gave an option” (haha). Anyways, that same cycle started to happen in my house and it began to drive me crazy. I would wait until the day of to decide on what to cook for dinner. Or I would either forget to take the food out to prepare. These small challenges would ultimately delay our schedule causing me to lose the opportunities to have some time to myself.

Now let’s get one thing clear, I am no chef and I cook for convenience. I am also a very picky eater. Let me say it plain and simple COOKING IS NOT MY FAVORITE THING TO DO! However, it is a lot cheaper to do when you have multiple mouths to feed. Therefore, typically on Friday or Saturday, I will see what foods I already have and start preparing my menu from there. I like to use the things I already have before buying other things. On my menu, I will literally write pizza if I know I am ordering pizza. I will also put a question mark for some days which means we would eat out or have something quick like chicken strips and fries.

Here is an example menu,

Sunday – Steak, baked potato, & broccoli

Monday– Chicken, rice, carrots

Tuesday – Tacos

Wednesday – Chicken alfredo

Thursday – Hamburgers

Friday – Pizza

Saturday – Take out

By having a menu, coming home and cooking will be an easier task. Which will help stick with the nightly routine.

3. Ordering and picking up groceries

This tip piggybacks off of the second tip. I believe the person who created grocery pickup did it for me. First off, who wants to take two toddlers grocery shopping? Secondly, who wants to go grocery shopping after you’ve done many other things? Finally, how many times have you gone into a store and placed items in your cart that were not on the list? By ordering groceries I save time and money because it allows me to stay within my budget.

Check out my post 5 Easy Ways to Save Money Without Getting a Second Income for more budget tips.

The menu that is created for the week is used to create the grocery list for the week’s meals. There is nothing worse than trying to cook and there are ingredients missing.

4. Packing lunches the night before

This is also a part of my daily routine. After cooking and making sure everyone has eaten. I will pack lunches for the next day. The majority of the time I have leftovers for lunch and the kids only have snacks and a cup they have to take to school. By doing this simple task you can free up time in the morning to either sleep a little longer or have a few extra minutes to yourself before waking the kids up.

5. Picking out your outfits for the week

I have so many friends and family members who have told me they decide on what they are going to wear in the morning before they go to work. Let me be the first to admit, I am too indecisive to wait until it is time to get dressed to choose an outfit. On Sunday nights I take out this expensive smartphone and go to my weather app and decide on outfits based on the weather and what I will have to do that day. I actually go get the things out and fold them so they are right there when I am ready to get dressed.

I don’t know about you but my clothes are not always where they should be. Therefore, I don’t have the time or energy to look for clothes, that could possibly not even be clean, the morning of. In addition to getting my clothes out, I get the kid’s clothes out as well. By doing this, more time is freed up throughout the week to get important stuff completed early.

Keep in mind that these are the tips that work in my life. Take these ideas and adjust them to what makes sense for you. The ultimate goal is for you to free up some time so you can have a mental break and relax. Be sure to check out some of my other tips and soul care ideas.

Using these 5 hacks will help you gain so much time. Check out 5 Daily Me Time Ideas that provide Relaxation and Peace for things to do during your me-tyme.

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From Burnout to Balance: Steps to Reclaim Your Energy

By Marissa Craft • February 4, 2025

From Burnout to Balance: Steps to Reclaim Your Energy After months of reflection and personal growth, I’m sharing my journey of moving from burnout to balance. Life threw some tough challenges my way—grief, overwhelming responsibility, and a high-pressure career—but I’m learning how to reclaim my energy, find harmony, and embrace the power of self-care. If you’re struggling with burnout or feeling overwhelmed, I hope my steps toward healing will offer you some inspiration and a reminder that balance is a journey, not a destination. Join me as I share the steps that are helping me reclaim my peace, one small step at a time.

Living or Existing

By Marissa Craft • June 11, 2023

Hey friends, I’m back!! I know, I know… it's been a minute since we’ve last talked. If I am being completely honest I’ve just been very inconsistent with my blog and other things that I once was very consistent at doing. But all in all I'm back and I have a question for you… Are you living or existing? For a little over a year now I have been a single mom and with that comes a lot of ups and downs. I found myself feeling sad, betrayed, and ashamed. Sticking to routines and trying to make sure that I was everything for my children while still trying to have time for myself. I found myself overcompensating for things that I felt they lacked because our family dynamic wasn’t the “traditional” family. Of course I carved out times throughout the day that I considered my me time and yes I still have those set times I realized it wasn't enough. As I reflected on how things were going and compared them to the life I wanted I realized I was only existing on this Earth and not living. I decided it was time to change that and start living. Let me be very clear, I made a conscious decision to start living in a way that benefited me and my kids! It was time for me to embrace the grace that God had given me and grasp the blessings he was providing me. So while I have been away there are a few things that have been accomplished along the way. For starters, I earned a promotion!!!! I have been at my with my current company for a little over a year and they have already given me a leadership position :) I’ve started working out at least 2 days a week, most weeks I get an extra day in. Since my kids were born I have continuously said I was going to workout and always found the excuse that I had no one to watch them. In addition to working out, I’ve been traveling. I never knew how I could financially travel and be a present parent at the same time.But like the old people say, where there is a will there's a way. I’ve been to Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Detroit. Now of course the girl’s trip was a blast, I am most proud of the trip with my kids. As many of you know, I’ve been fighting the anxiety bug when it comes to taking the kids places by myself. Well guess what… I did it! We took a weekend trip to the beach and BAAABY we had a time! We explored museums, playgrounds, dolphin tours, brunch, and more. So yes I have been a little inconsistent with my content and yes I have been MIA from the website but it was with all great intentions! I have been living! I want to encourage you to identify the life you want and find a way to live it! Do not spend a lot of time existing and following through with other people's plans that you forget about your own assignment! Follow me on IG @mommymetyme to keep up with me to see how the remainder of the year goes! Also check out 5 Ways to Save Money to see how I can afford to travel and still pay the bills.

To The Girl From 2022

By Marissa Craft • December 31, 2022

Hey Girl, You did it! You made it! Oh how I know that this year has not been the ideal year you planned for it to be. You endured some tough days and some even tougher nights. You’ve dealt with betrayal, dishonesty, and insecurities that could've and probably should've taken you out. You cried tears and screamed more than anyone could imagine. You’ve consoled yourself and pulled yourself out of some dark places. You’ve felt more alone than you would have liked to. Even though you feel like this year was terrible, girl it wasn't. Let me tell you why. YOU GOT YOU BACK! Through all the disappointments you’ve identified how much strength you have. You have identified the things that make you jump for joy and the things/people that you will no longer tolerate. You found your time with God and strengthened your relationship with him. You have gained your power back! You have been able to adapt to your new role as a single mom seamlessly. You have learned to put yourself first and realized that you can't take care of anyone until you take care of yourself! You have been featured on three different podcasts. You’ve elevated your career. Yes I know you lost some things but the things you gained have been far more beneficial. I guess the saying is true, you can’t take everybody with you. I strongly believe God has taken you on a journey to declutter your life and identify the people and tasks that you should be focused on. I’m not sure you realize this but, God ordained this year! He has prepared you for a greater 2023. So continue to love, provide positivity, and joy. And don’t you forget God is faithful and consistent. ——— Remember this—for yourself and anyone who is reading—what makes you a warrior is not how many battles you win, but how you carry the weight of good and evil. Even if there are times where you just have to put that baggage down for a moment to recollect yourself, you are STILL a mighty warrior. Your blessings and victory will come to you. I leave you with this bible verse. Psalms 46:10: He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Stay tuned to see what 2023 has for me! Follow me on instagram @mommymetyme