If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at the word balance, welcome to the club.
Somewhere along the way, someone decided that “balance” was the ultimate goal for working moms.
The idea that we can evenly juggle work deadlines, home responsibilities, parenting, and maybe even self-care—without dropping anything—has been repeated so often it feels like gospel.
But here’s the truth: balance is a myth.
A well-branded, Pinterest-worthy myth that sounds nice in theory but doesn’t match how life works in reality.
This post is a deep breath and a reset. We’re calling out the “balance” myth and replacing it with something more honest—and helpful.
1. Where Did the Balance Myth Come From?
Let’s be honest—“balance” sounds terrific.
It implies peace, order, and everything in its place. But real life doesn’t look like a perfectly color-coded planner.
The balance myth likely took root when society started telling women we could “have it all.” Career success, involved parenting, a spotless house, a fulfilling marriage, a thriving social life, and an Instagram-worthy wardrobe.
But “having it all” often comes at the cost of burnout, exhaustion, and silently wondering if you’re the only one barely holding it together.
Balance became a buzzword companies use to market planners, productivity apps, yoga retreats, and skincare serums.
The message is often subtle: if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s because you haven’t achieved balance yet—and you need to buy or do something to get there.
But here’s the catch: life isn’t a scale. It’s a constant state of shifting priorities, surprise curveballs, and adjusting as you go. And that’s not failure—that’s life.
2. What Working Moms Need
So if balance isn’t the answer, what is?
Most working moms don’t need more to juggle. They need more support. More space to breathe. Fewer expectations stacked on top of each other. And permission to drop the act.
Here are a few things that help:
Support Over Perfection
Having people you can vent to, lean on, or ask for help is more valuable than trying to do everything flawlessly.
Whether it’s your partner, a group text of tired moms, or a co-worker who gets it, support keeps you going.
Boundaries, Not Balance
Instead of trying to do it all, boundaries help you decide what deserves your time and energy.
Boundaries protect your peace and prevent burnout. And they’re not selfish—they’re necessary.
Rest Without Guilt
You do not have to earn rest.
You don’t need to justify a nap, a slow morning, or skipping laundry in favor of a quiet moment alone.
Rest is not a reward—it’s part of being a functioning human.
3. What Real Life Looks Like for Working Moms
Let’s normalize the real stuff:
- Sometimes dinner is cereal, frozen waffles, or drive-thru.
- You might miss spirit day at school because you’re trying to remember 1,000 other things.
- The laundry might be clean, but still sitting in the basket for a week.
- Your kid might throw a tantrum while you’re on a Zoom call.
- Your inbox is full. Your dishes are full. Your brain is full.
This doesn’t make you a bad mom or a bad employee.
This makes you a real person trying to do your best in a world that demands too much.
Let’s stop pretending balance is about doing all the things. Most days, it’s about making peace with doing enough.
4. What Helps (Tried-and-True, Not Instagram-Fluffy)
Here are practical things that make life more manageable—even if balance is nowhere in sight.
Prioritize Over Perfect
Don’t aim to do everything. Aim to do the most important things.
Try this: pick your top three priorities each day—one for work, one for home, and one for yourself.
That’s it. Everything else is extra.
Outsource What You Can
If it lightens the load, it’s worth it.
Grocery delivery, carpool swaps, cleaning help, pre-cooked meals—whatever gives you more time or peace is worth considering.
Outsourcing isn’t a sign of laziness; it’s smart energy management.
Protect Micro-Moments
You don’t need a week-long retreat to recharge.
Sometimes a 10-minute walk, a quiet coffee, or five minutes of deep breathing behind a closed door can be enough to reset.
Say No Without Explaining Yourself
No is a full sentence.
You don’t have to attend every event, volunteer for every school project, or say yes to things that drain you.
You’re allowed to protect your time and energy.
5. You Don’t Have to “Do It All”
Here’s a radical idea: you can be a great mom, a competent professional, and still drop some balls.
You can show up late, forget the library book, or have dirty dishes in the sink—and still be doing a fantastic job.
Trying to “do it all” is a fast track to burnout.
What if instead, you focused on doing what matters most—and let the rest be good enough?
You are not less valuable when you rest.
You are not lazy when you ask for help.
And you are not failing just because everything isn’t perfectly balanced.
6. Redefining Success on Your Terms
Maybe success isn’t about achieving balance.
Perhaps it’s about surviving the day and laughing at the chaos. Maybe it’s about being present when you can be and forgiving yourself when you can’t.
Here’s what success might look like:
- Raising kind, safe, loved kids
- Keeping a job that supports your life (not consumes it)
- Feeling like you matter as a person—not just a caregiver or employee
- Honoring your needs without guilt
Your version of success doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. And it doesn’t have to be balanced.
Final Thoughts: You’re Doing Enough
You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You don’t need a better routine or a new planner to fix your life.
You’re living in the messy middle of it. And that’s more than enough.
So the next time you hear someone say you need to “find balance,” feel free to roll your eyes—then get back to building a life that works for you.
One that prioritizes peace over perfection. Presence over pressure. And grace over guilt.
You’ve got this. Really.
