How often do we say we do not have time?
We do not have time to exercise. We will read that book later. Or, we must arrange that health appointment, call a friend, take a proper break or return to the hobby we once loved.
The days fill up. Our own wellbeing is often the first thing pushed to the bottom of the list.
Yet many of us may have more available time than we realise. It is simply being spent elsewhere.
The latest global digital research suggests that when social networks and video-led platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are considered together, online adults spend well over two and a half hours using them each day.
That amounts to approximately 18 hours and 36 minutes every week.
Of course, not all of this time is wasted.
Social media helps us remain connected with friends and family, particularly when they live in another country. It allows us to discover ideas, follow the news, promote our businesses and participate in communities such as Costa Women.
For many women, online connections can lead to genuine friendships, professional opportunities and valuable support.
The problem is not necessarily social media itself. It is the difference between using it deliberately and scrolling automatically because the phone is already in our hand.
Most of us recognise the moment.
We pick up our phone to answer a message, check the weather or look something up. Twenty minutes later, we are still scrolling and may not even remember what we originally intended to do.
This is not about feeling guilty or giving up social media completely. It is about noticing our habits.
Which online activities add something useful to our lives? Which leave us feeling informed, connected or inspired?
And which simply consume time without giving very much back?
Becoming more conscious of that distinction can be a form of self-care in itself.
Reclaiming just 30 minutes each day could create three and a half extra hours every week.
That time could be used to:
The choice will be different for everyone.
For one person, self-care might mean going to the gym. For another, it could mean sitting alone in the shade for half an hour without being interrupted.
It does not need to be impressive enough to photograph or share online.
Self-care is sometimes presented as another item to add to an already overloaded schedule.
Book the massage. Attend the class. Begin the complicated morning routine. Buy the products. Follow the programme.
These things can be enjoyable and valuable, but self-care does not always require money, a free afternoon or a complete lifestyle overhaul.
Sometimes it begins with something much smaller: looking honestly at where our time is going.
It may mean turning off unnecessary notifications, leaving the phone in another room during dinner or deciding not to begin and end every day by scrolling.
It could also mean choosing one period of the day when social media is used intentionally rather than checking it continually.
International Self-Care Day is observed annually on 24 July. The date represents the idea that looking after ourselves should matter 24 hours a day, seven days a week—not only when we have reached the point of exhaustion.
That does not mean concentrating on ourselves constantly. Nor does it mean ignoring our families, responsibilities or communities.
It means recognising that our own physical, emotional and social wellbeing deserves regular attention too.
Small choices made consistently are often more realistic than dramatic changes that are impossible to maintain.
“Self-care does not always mean finding more time. Sometimes it means reclaiming the time we are already giving away.”
Perhaps the question is not:
“How can I fit one more thing into my day?”
Perhaps it is:
“What could I spend a little less time doing?”
Take a look at your screen-time report today—not to criticise yourself, but simply to become more aware.
Could you reclaim 15 or 30 minutes?
Then decide where you would like that time to go.
A walk. A conversation. A few pages of a book. An appointment. A hobby. A moment of complete rest.
Your time is valuable. Spending a little more of it on yourself could be one of the simplest forms of self-care.
What would you choose to do with 30 minutes reclaimed from your screen? Share your answer with the Costa Women community.
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