Claudia Romero believes time is like a jar filled with rocks, pebbles, and sand. Fill it with sand first – the trivial, least important things, and there’s no room left for what truly matters. It’s the simple philosophy that has helped her navigate the unimaginable: moving countries, raising three children, caring for a youngest child with special needs, running a business, surviving cancer, and facing the deepest grief of all – losing that youngest child.
She recalls that she first became aware of this idea from Stephen Covey’s book “First Things First.”
Yet beyond her mastery of time management lies an even greater mission: teaching society to value the work of women, especially when no paycheck is attached. Because she knows – a woman’s worth is not defined by the money she brings in, but by the life, love, and wisdom she sustains for everyone around her.
Claudia’s story began in Chile, where she worked as a financial analyst. She loved the structured clarity of numbers, the balance sheets that always added up. But life is rarely as neat as finance. When she moved to Scotland with her husband and started having children, she found that childcare was so expensive that it made more sense for her to stay home, especially as her youngest child was born with a rare health condition needing constant attention.
The shift from professional life to full-time motherhood was stark. Her days became an endless rotation of cooking, cleaning, and caregiving. She often reflects on how society assumes mothers should automatically shoulder all parenting responsibilities. “As long as the father is paying the bills, he’s done his job,” she says. But she believes this norm robs fathers of the profound joys of parenting.
Her husband realised this deeply during the pandemic. And again, when Claudia travelled back to Chile with her 2 older sons, leaving him to care for their youngest child. It was then that he saw what her days really looked like – being ever alert, meeting every need without delay, only breathing freely when the child slept. “I had not realised how much you were doing for our child, Claudia,” he told her, with heartfelt gratitude.
The experience changed him. He began to share the parenting load more, and with it came unexpected joy – the joy of watching his children grow not as an observer, but as an active participant.
But life’s tests for Claudia were not over. Her youngest child, whom she had cared for with unwavering love and resilience, passed away. The grief of losing a child is beyond words. Yet even in this darkness, she chose not to let pain define her. She continued to live, grounded in her purpose.
She believes women must care for themselves just as deeply as they care for their families. When they don’t, exhaustion seeps in, and resentment grows. She can and she must take care of her needs, for a happy woman makes for a happy family, and happy families make for a happy nation, and a happy nation makes for a happy world.
When people ask her how she manages life’s countless responsibilities, she shares her two secret weapons: delegation and prioritisation.
“Beyoncé and Richard Branson have the same 24 hours as we do,” she says with a knowing smile. “The difference is, they focus on what only they can do, and delegate the rest. If a single man tried to play all the instruments, there would be no orchestra.”
Claudia embodies this principle. Tasks only she can do – she does. The rest, she delegates. And for those time-wasting trivialities, like mindlessly binge-watching shows, she simply asks herself, “Does this sand have space in my jar today?” If not, it doesn’t belong in her life.
This does not mean she doesn’t binge watch TV. But she does so consciously. She says, we all need a break from our schedules, so not only does she find time to be productive, but also finds time to relax.
She also pointed out that people often think delegation is difficult and can only be done if you can afford it, however, according to her, delegation means being able to ask others around you for help. Which means, she’d delegate tasks to her children, her husband, and other people who can do some of the things faster, better, and even cheaper if it comes to that.
In a world constantly pushing us to do more, try more, and be more, her advice is refreshingly radical: Forget it all. Keep it simple. Focus only on your rocks.
Her life illustrates this simplicity.
Couldn’t work a job due to childcare? Started her own business.
Faced stiff competition? Wrapped up the business responsibly, paid her team, and closed it with grace.
Diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic? She showed up for treatments courageously.
Lost her youngest child? She grieved deeply, and then chose to keep smiling and helping others.
Today, Claudia runs her coaching business, manages her household, supports her family, and shows up for her clients worldwide. People often ask how she isn’t burnt out, given everything she has faced. She smiles and says softly, “According to the standards, I should be exhausted, overwhelmed, burnt out, and an alcoholic by 10 o’clock in the morning, but I’m not.”
Luckily for her the cancer wasn’t fatal, and she is now clear of it. Yet, even when she first became aware of it, she didn’t let it affect her life too much. She did what she had to do, got the treatment, and moved on. “I’ve got no time for weakness,” she says. “No place in my jar. I’m too busy living my best life.”
Through her own trials, Claudia has realised a profound truth: Your life is your responsibility. No one else can live it for you; only you can.
Pause. Reassess your life. Reassess your priorities. And if you don’t know where to begin, Claudia is here.
As a Time Management and Productivity Coach, she doesn’t just teach hacks – she embodies what she teaches. Her story is proof that no matter how heavy life feels, you can learn to live life grounded in what truly matters.
If having more time for yourself to live a more fulfilling life has been on your mind, don’t waste another minute. Book a free session with Claudia today. She may just change your life.
Email: claudia@claudia-romero.com
Website: claudia-romero.com
LinkedIn: Claudia Romero Coaching
Sumit is the founder of Bamboo Tree Branding. His focus is to create websites that bring in leads, everything else is irrelevant.
When he is not working, he enjoys sitting in silence, and spending time with his family.