5 myths that make work-life balance feel impossible

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In this week’s episode, we’re tackling the 5 biggest myths about work-life balance that are keeping you stuck in stress and overwhelm. You might think you need more time, that you should be able to handle everything on your own, or that your situation is just different—but these beliefs are exactly what’s holding you back. I’ll walk you through these myths, why they feel so real, and how to break free from them to create a life that actually feels balanced. You ready? Let’s get to it! 

Topics in this episode:

  • The #1 myth keeping you stuck in burnout (hint: it’s about time!) 

  • Why believing you should do it all on your own is setting you up to fail 

  • The lie that your circumstances are "too different" to find balance 

  • How waiting for a "better season" is actually making things worse 

  • The sneaky way "I don’t know" keeps you from real change

Show Notes & References:

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Transcript

Intro

You're doing everything. Managing work, home, kids. And somehow you're still feeling like there's never enough and you're not doing enough, or you're not even good enough. But what if the real reason you're feeling this way isn't because balance is impossible and you're not actually doing enough? It's because you're believing a set of myths about work life balance that are keeping you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and stressed out. In today's episode, I'm breaking down the five biggest myths about work life balance that so many working moms believe that are causing them to feel stuck. The ones that make you feel like there just isn't enough time, that you should be able to figure this out, that if you just wait a little longer, you know, magically work life balence will come. These myths feel real. I know. But they're the real reason why you're overwhelmed, exhausted, and feeling like change is never gonna happen. If you feel stuck in a cycle of overwhelm and stress and burnout, this episode is for you. You ready? Let's get to it.

Welcome to the Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms podcast, your go to resource for integrating your career ambitions with life as a mom, I'm distilling down thousands of coaching conversations I've had with working moms just like you, along with my own personal experience as a mom of two and sharing the most effective tools and strategies to help you quickly feel calm, confident, and in control of your ambitious working mom life. You ready? Let's get to it.

Why Women Resist Getting Help

Hello. Hello, working moms. I want to jump right into today's topic.

For this episode, we're going to be talking about the five myths that you're likely believing as a working mom right now that are preventing you from experiencing work-life balance—keeping you in a stress loop or an overwhelm loop.

This conversation came from one I had last week with one of my clients. After her session was over, she mentioned off the cuff that she'd been talking to a couple of her friends about reaching out to me and starting to coach with me.

Her experience of coaching with me one-on-one was so transformational that she really wanted her friends to have the same experience—but her friends were resistant to reaching out.

Why Women Resist Help

We started to talk about this resistance. I asked her, “Why do you think they were resistant? What excuses do they have to not reach out? To not even go down this path of talking to me about coaching?”

It got us talking about the excuses we, as women, tend to have that hold us back. The myths or stories we believe that keep us from living in full confidence, full power, and truly experiencing happiness and success in all areas of life.

These myths feel so true. So real. You might not even realize you’re using them as an excuse to hold yourself back.

My Role as a Coach

My coaching is a cross between life coaching and executive coaching, where I help women who are parents learn how to advance their careers and feel successful in life with kids.

But I can’t do the work for you. I set up my coaching containers to give you the absolute best possible chance of being successful—there’s built-in accountability, flexibility, and I tailor my coaching specifically to you.

But at the end of the day, you are the one who has to make the change. You cannot rely on your spouse, your boss, your job, or even me to create the regret-free life you want.

Why You Stay Stuck

If you feel like you’re failing at everything—if you’re not achieving the success or satisfaction in your job at the level you want, and you’re not giving your kids the time and attention you want—then you are likely believing one of these five myths.

When you can identify which myth you’re believing, it gives you insight into how to get yourself unstuck. In coaching, it literally points us to what we need to focus on to make sure you create the most success.

Myth #1: “I Need More Time”

This is the number one story I help my clients unlearn. Time is not what creates success as a working mom. It doesn’t magically create balance—just like money doesn’t magically create happiness.

This myth is tied to what you tell yourself about time and your ability to control it:

  • “There’s not enough time.”

  • “If only I had more time.”

  • “If I could just get one more thing done, then I can shut down… then I can rest… then I can work out.”

But it’s not about the quantity of time. It’s about how you choose to spend it—aligning your schedule and decisions with your priorities, values, and goals.

Why Clarity is the First Step to Balance

That’s why the clarity process in coaching is essential—it’s the first step of the Ambitious and Balanced process I use: Clarity, Confidence, and Control.

Your brain needs direction. Without changing your relationship to time and your calendar—so you feel in control and can say no to the right things—work-life balance will always feel out of reach.

If you believe “I don’t have time,” you will remain in a cycle of burnout and overwhelm.

Myth #2: “I Should Be Able to Do It On My Own”

This is the belief that asking for help, delegating, or not doing everything yourself is a sign of weakness or failure.

During the feminist movement of the 1960s and ’70s, women gained career opportunities but the cultural story that women should be the primary caretaker at home didn’t change. That created the “double shift”—working two full-time jobs.

Letting Go of the “Do It All” Lie

I had a client in my last Ambitious and Balanced cohort who believed having it all meant doing it all. If she asked for help, she felt like she was failing.

Joining the program was a big step for her—admitting she needed help. And in the end, the program accelerated her into not just feeling balanced but actually feeling happy.

Hiring me as your coach is not a sign you failed—it’s a sign you’re smart. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to figure out how to manage your career and home life.

Myth #3: “My Circumstances Are Different”

This sounds like:

  • “I don’t have family nearby.”

  • “My job is extra demanding.”

  • “My husband doesn’t help out.”

  • “My kids are high needs.”

While you are unique and special, your circumstances are not. I’ve coached CEOs, solopreneurs, teachers, and more—and the foundational principles for creating balance are the same for everyone.

Believing you need a completely unique solution will hold you back.

Myth #4: “This is Just a Season”

Women who believe this think balance will come later:

  • When kids are older

  • After the holidays

  • When a big project ends

Yes, life has busy seasons—but balance is possible now.

I had a client who worked in tax preparation and joined coaching during her busiest season. She said, “If I can figure it out now, I can do it anytime.” And she did.

Myth #5: “I Don’t Know”

“I don’t know” keeps you stuck in confusion. It stops confident decision-making and leads to procrastination.

A client once said, “I don’t know if I want to be on the promotion track.” I helped her see it wasn’t about not knowing—it was about asking and answering the right question.

By the end of our call, she had 7–8 out of 10 clarity.

You Were Made for More

The five myths:

  1. I don’t have time.

  2. I should be able to do this on my own.

  3. My circumstances are different.

  4. I have to wait this season out.

  5. I don’t know.

Working moms—you were made for more joy, more time for yourself, more connection with your family, and more feelings of success.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. This is exactly what my coaching is designed for. It starts with a free breakthrough call where we dive into your challenges and create a plan forward.

You can book that call at www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/book.

Rebecca Olson