After welcoming my second little one into the world, I jumped back into the workforce. I was excited about my new position, eager to dive back into the hustle and bustle of a trading floor, and resolved not to let motherhood hold me back. But, as fate would have it, one day my caregiver called in sick, leaving me in a bit of a bind. As I contemplated telling my boss I had to leave work, I felt the familiar dread creep in: “How will I ever manage all of this?”
If you’ve ever found yourself pondering how to juggle work, family, and personal time, I highly recommend Laura Vanderkam’s insightful book, I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time. Vanderkam surveyed 143 accomplished mothers and had them document their activities over a week. She noted, “Everyone has opinions on having it all. I want to show, moment by moment, how it’s really done.”
While her study may be small, the implications are huge. These women successfully carve out time for everything—sleep, family, leisure, and demanding careers—by prioritizing what truly matters and strategically planning their weeks. Vanderkam emphasizes an essential truth: there are days (and sometimes weeks) when everything feels overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean we can’t create fulfilling lives filled with work, family, and fun. It simply means that the balance might not be perfect every day, but it evens out over time.
One of her key pieces of advice? Let go of the need for perfection. Your house doesn’t need to look like a magazine cover, and you don’t have to do it all alone. Seeking and accepting help can free up time for you to focus on what matters. And that nagging voice in your head telling you there’s never enough time? It’s time to silence it; it’s just getting in the way of your creativity.
One of Vanderkam’s most powerful messages is that it’s entirely feasible to have a thriving career and a loving family. If you’ve ever doubted your ability to do both, I’m here to tell you that you absolutely can!
I remember one June day when I realized that a book I thought was due on November 1 was actually due September 1. Talk about a time crunch! After returning from a family trip to England, I was so jet-lagged that I crashed at 8:30 p.m. and woke up at 3 a.m. In the stillness of the early morning, I discovered I was twice as productive as I had been during the day.
For the rest of the summer, I adopted this new routine. I woke up at 3 a.m., worked until 7 a.m., took my kids to their summer activities, and then wrote until it was time to pick them up again. After tucking my youngest in at 8:30 p.m., I would head to bed, leaving my husband to handle our older kids. I managed to submit my book on time and, as Vanderkam illustrates, time can be flexible and, when organized well, can yield unexpected hours.
Vanderkam empowers women to recognize that they can successfully intertwine family, work, and personal time. If you ever questioned whether it’s possible, she’ll show you not only how to do it but also that you have more time than you think.
And if you’re interested in the world of home insemination, check out this insightful resource: NICHD on Pregnancy. For those looking into practical tools, Cryobaby offers excellent options for home insemination kits. And for a deeper dive into this topic, our other blog post here will really help you get started.
In summary, learning to balance work and family is an ongoing journey. It requires flexibility, creativity, and the willingness to let go of perfection. By managing your time wisely and prioritizing what truly matters, it is possible to thrive in both your career and family life.