💼 Working Full Time as a Mom: The Juggle No One Prepared Us For

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Before I became a parent, I imagined the whole “working mom” thing would look like a cute tote bag, a neatly packed lunch, and a planner full of organized to-dos. Now it looks more like sprinting between responsibilities while hoping no one needs me for five minutes.

Working full time while raising a kid is not a balancing act. It is survival. It is multitasking on Olympic levels. It is doing your job while also doing the invisible work parents carry. And somehow we are expected to look well rested and enthusiastic through it all.

So if you are in that season of life where your brain is juggling work deadlines, school notices, missing socks, permission slips, laundry, and what’s for dinner, here are a few things that have helped me stay afloat.

1. Optimize Your Workspace Wherever You Work

Whether you work in an office, hybrid, or completely remote, having a functional setup makes a huge difference. A better workspace does not make you a better employee. It makes you less frazzled before the day even starts.

What saved me most is having a portable monitor. It packs away easily, plugs into my laptop anywhere, and lets me multitask without feeling like a gremlin squinting at tabs.

👉 Idea: Sleek portable laptop monitor

2. Keep a “Brain Dump List”

When you work and parent, your brain does not shut off. There are thoughts firing constantly: snacks to pack, meetings to prep, birthdays coming up, dental forms, schedule changes, spirit week surprises, and everything in between.

A brain dump list is a dedicated space to write everything down the minute it pops into your head. Not organized. Not pretty. Just out of your brain. You can sort it later. Getting it written is the victory.

If you prefer to do this on your phone? The Notes app is great, but I like to organize everything on my Notion app, where I categorize into "Mom brain dump" and "Work brain dump"! But if you like to go about it the old fashioned way, a small, light notebook is the way to go.

👉 Idea: Cute notebooks (pack of 3)

3. Use “Micro Work Sessions”

We do not get long stretches of uninterrupted time, so use what you actually have. A micro session might be 10 focused minutes to send emails. Or 15 minutes to meal plan. Or 20 minutes to prep tomorrow’s work tasks.

Short bursts help you get things done without waiting for the mythical “free hour” that never arrives. It is not about perfection. It is about finishing what fits in your real life.

👉 Idea: Desk timer for focused work bursts I love the retro look of this one!

4. Adjust Your Hours if You Can

This one depends on your job, but if your workplace allows flexibility, ask for it. A slightly earlier start time, a later lunch break, or shifting meeting hours can make a big difference when juggling school schedules, daycare pickups, or the morning chaos.

When I began working again after becoming a mom, I adjusted my 9-6 schedule to a 7-4. Was it ideal that I was leaving home at 6? No, but bonus, it allowed me to cut down on the commute because I was avoiding traffic, and I was able to see my kid for dinner every night instead of barely seeing them for breakfast AND dinner.

5. Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Let’s be honest. Not everyone has the luxury of hired help, family nearby, or a partner with flexible hours. Asking for help looks different for every family.

Help might be a neighbor grabbing your kid from school once a month. It might be swapping playdates with another parent. It might be splitting chores more clearly with your partner. It is not weakness. It is sustainability.

You do not have to carry every single task alone. Even small help matters.

Final Thought

Working full time and parenting is not about doing everything. It is about prioritizing what matters, letting go of what does not, and refusing to feel guilty for being one human with limited hours and a very real life. Your best does not have to look effortless. It just has to be yours.

If your version of success includes coffee, imperfect routines, and asking for help, that counts.