As working moms, we're constantly juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. From managing household chores to meeting work deadlines, too many days it feels like there’s just not enough time to do everything we want to. The frustration of being "behind," feeling envious of others who seem to have more time, and wishing we had more time can lead to resentment toward the things we do have to do.

As a working mom, you're no stranger to the juggling act. Between managing your career, family responsibilities, and everyday life, it can feel like you’re on a constant treadmill, running but never quite getting ahead.

If I asked you how you like to celebrate your wins in life, would you have an answer? 🤷‍♀️ Or would you say, "I don't know. I've never thought about it before."? We're taught to celebrate the big milestones in life. The birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries. The firsts and the lasts. But the in-between, everyday wins, successes, and progress? Those aren't the celebrations we see very often.

And if we do, they can be seen as "too much" or "a little excessive".

But what if celebrating the smaller, in-between moments and experiences is actually the thing that makes life more enjoyable?

I feel very strongly that one of the ways I was able to create better work life balance for myself, was by reminding myself of this very thing. My 70% is someone else's 100%. That acknowledgement gave me permission to breathe. To slow down just a little. To stop hustling so hard.

"I need to figure it out"

It's a phrase I hear frequently and I want to talk about it because it's sneaky and often drains your mental energy.

How? Because it's not specific.

It creates open loops and unanswered questions that your brain desperately wants to close. And that constant scanning and thinking in the background takes extra energy that most of us don't have to spare.

Here's what you should say instead.

In a recent conversation with Allison Tolman on her podcast, New Little Life, we talked about prioritizing and making time for the important things as a busy, working mom, including how to fit pumping into your day-to-day life.

Coasting at work or quiet quitting is getting a lot of air time these days. But the truth is, working parents have gone in and out of phases of coasting for years as we navigate returning from parental leave, co-parenting with a partner's demanding work schedule, or just daycare illness season each fall/winter. It can be necessary at times and life/career-saving too. But what if you're stuck coasting because you think you don't have the time or energy that "leaning in" to your career will take? And what if the truth is, it doesn't take that much more?

So many ideas and expectations, so little time. Weekends can feel like an either/or decision: Do you plan the weekend out in advance? Or go with the flow, come what may? What if you didn't have to choose?

Are you taking "photos" of your life so that someday in the future you can celebrate how much has changed? How much you've changed and grown? And are you taking the time to dream about what it is you want to "plant" in your life? Take the photos. Set your intentions. Make progress. Celebrate.

If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a mom, it's that everything changes - kids, jobs, schedules, feelings. And I've also learned that I can figure most things out when they do change. So whether you decide to continue working, to change jobs, to stay home, or go part-time, you will figure it out if it's what you want.

Do you ever feel like you have to choose between giving your energy to work - throwing yourself into creating results, serving clients, or hitting billable hour quotas - but having nothing left for your family? Or giving your energy to your kids - thinking constantly about them and their needs, being really present and playing, or taking care of all the things for them - but having little left for the work your job requires? Break the cycle.

How many times a day do you think of something you need to do? It's no wonder our to-do lists grow faster than we can take action. But as much as you tell yourself that these things have to get done, that you have no choice but to do them, the reality is you'd rather do them than face the consequences.