Motherhood and work are two full-time jobsthat somehow have to fit into one life. In today’s conversation, we sat down with a working mom who opened her heart about what that juggle looks like behind the scenes.
No filters. No polished highlight reels. Just the realness of balancing meetings with school pickups, ambition with exhaustion, and endless love with human limits.

Here’s what Maria, a Mother of three beautiful girls living in Chicago, Illinois, shared about a working mother’s attractive, messy, complicated life.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in your life right now? What does the balance between work and motherhood look like in your world?
Honestly? It’s less of a balance and more of a juggle. My baby alarm starts at 6:30 am with a cry, not because I’m super disciplined, but because it’s the only quiet time before the house wakes up. I try to squeeze in a little prayer, read emails, or talk to the kid’s dad on the phone to catch up while sipping lukewarm tea and prepping the baby’s meal. By 7:30, it’s full chaos—packing lunches, brushing tiny teeth, and finding that one missing sock that somehow always disappears.

I drop the kids off, head straight to work (sometimes still mentally in mom-mode), then shift into meetings, deadlines, and trying to remember what I was saying before I got interrupted. After work, it’s dinner, homework help, and bath time—and maybe I get 30 minutes to myself. Balance feels like a myth some days. It’s more about adjusting constantly.

Q: What part of your working-mom journey has surprised you the most? Was there something you didn’t expect, either in how you handled it or how it made you feel?
I didn’t expect the guilt to feel this heavy sometimes. I knew I’d miss a few things, but I didn’t realize how much I’d second-guess myself. I also didn’t expect to grow stronger. Like, I’m tired—so tired—but I’m also proud. I get things done that I never thought I could. It’s wild how motherhood stretches your capacity to feel everything at once: love, frustration, gratitude, and “please don’t talk to me for five minutes”—all in the same hour.

Q: Have you ever felt pulled in two directions? How do you deal with the pressure of wanting to be fully present in both spaces?
Every. Single. Day. I’m at work thinking about whether my children’s cough sounds worse. I’m at home replying to work emails after bedtime. It’s a tug-of-war. I’ve started setting more precise boundaries—trying to log off when I say I will, being honest with my manager when I need flexibility. And I try to put the phone down with my kids. It’s not perfect, but even small changes help.

Q: What kind of support system have you leaned on, or wished you had? Let’s talk about the village—big or small—that helps you keep going.
My partner is incredible, and we’re learning to share the load more equally, though it took a few meltdowns to get there. My close friend lives nearby and is also a working mom. We text memes and vent voice notes daily. That kind of emotional check-in is gold. I’ve also learned to accept help, even when it feels weird. Letting go of the “I can do it all” mindset is freeing.

Q: How do you carve out time for yourself, if at all? Is self-care a priority, or more of a hopeful idea right now?
Some days, self-care involves brushing my hair and listening to a podcast while folding laundry. Other days, it consists of hiding in the bedroom and the car for ten minutes of silence before heading inside. I’m working on it. I’d love to get to the point where I’m taking a regular yoga class or booking massages, but right now, self-care involves mostly small moments of peace and learning not to feel guilty for needing them.

Q: Has being a mom changed how you show up at work, or how you see your career? What’s shifted, for better or worse?
Absolutely. I’ve become more patient, focused, and efficient. I don’t have the luxury of wasting time, so I get things done fast and become way more assertive about what matters. But it’s also made me more empathetic. I lead my team differently now. I think about work-life balance not just for me, but for the people I work with. That shift surprised me in a good way.

Q: What would you say to another working mom who feels she’s not doing enough? If you could whisper something kind to her, what would it be?
I’d say: “You’re doing better than you think.” The messy mornings, the forgotten water bottle, and the late email replies don’t cancel out the love and effort you put in every day. Your kids see you trying. That matters. Give yourself the same grace you’d give your best friend.

Q: What does “success” look like to you now, in motherhood and your work life? Has your definition changed since becoming a mom?
Changed. Success used to be about titles and to-do lists. Now, it’s about connection. It’s hearing my daughters say, “Today was fun,” or having a calm dinner where we all laughed. Success feels softer now, but more profound, more about peace than perfection.

As she spoke, it became clear that being a working mom isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about showing up, loving fiercely, and learning to be gentle with yourself along the way.
There’s no magic formula. No perfect balance. Just a thousand small choices every day to keep moving forward with heart.

To every working mom out there who wonders if she’s doing enough, this is your reminder:
You are doing an incredible job.
You are not alone.
And your love is already more than enough.