Reinventing Work-Life Balance for a Fulfilled Life or Saying Goodbye to Guilt

01 March, 2025

“Work-life balance is a myth…and that’s good news.”

How many times have you asked yourself, "How do I manage everything without breaking down?" Between work meetings, kids' homework, errands, and time for myself, the quest for balance often feels like a race against time... and especially against guilt.

I have long beaten myself up for not being as present as I wanted to be. I have often thought that my business would have exploded if I had not had so many family responsibilities. The truth is that I cannot live without one or the other. So I have a good news (or bad news depending on your point of view), after 15 years of juggling career, motherhood and personal life, I discovered a liberating truth: perfect balance does not exist . And it is by abandoning this illusion that I finally found serenity.

Balance is a decoy… long live integration!

Let’s stop compartmentalizing our lives into “work” vs. “family” boxes. These two worlds are not enemies, but complementary. The key? Integrate rather than separate .

  • Example 1 : Finishing a work file at home while the kids are in the bath.

  • Example 2 : Take advantage of a lunch break to take your teenager to their dentist appointment.

  • Example 3 : Use a shared online calendar (like Octave) so that the whole family can see the members' needs, both personal and professional.

The secret : Accept that boundaries are blurry… and that’s okay. It’s important for your family to be aware of your work life so they can understand the boundaries they impose on your personal life and vice versa.

The 3 Pillars to Freeing Guilt

If “balance” is a marketing concept, here’s what really matters :

  1. Controlling Guilt

    • “Am I a bad mother if I miss the school show?”

    • Answer: No. Children also learn through your choices. Explain to them that your work is part of your identity, not a rivalry.

  2. Organize without burning out

    • Automate repetitive tasks:

      • Meal planning : One Sunday = 7 menus for the coming weeks.

      • Family routines : Set times for homework, bedtime, activities.

      • Delegate to children : At 8 years old, you can fold laundry. At 12, prepare a simple dinner.

  3. Create breathing spaces

    • Block out “non-negotiable” times in your calendar:

      • 20 minutes of reading in the evening.

      • A coffee with friends every Friday.

      • A solo walk on Sunday morning.


5 tips for a less hectic life

  1. Forget perfectionism
     “The folded laundry will wait… but your well-being will not.”

  2. Hack your time

    • Listen to podcasts while cooking.

    • Prepare lunches the day before with the children for family time .

  3. Claim flexibility

    • Dare to ask your employer:

      • Partial teleworking.

      • Staggered hours.

      • Split days off.

  4. Share the mental load

    • Share responsibilities with your spouse:

      • "You take care of football and the dentist, I'll take care of dancing and birthdays."

      • Use collaborative tools (shared lists, family apps).

  5. Declutter your life

    • Remove 1 extracurricular activity per child.

    • Simplify meals: one dish is enough.

    • Say “no” to invitations that exhaust you.

What if true balance was assumed imperfection?

The truth : You'll never be a superhero...and that's okay.

  • Children don't need a perfect mother, but a mother who is present and fulfilled .

  • Work should not be a source of shame, but a source of pride.

🚀 Find this article and much more in the Octave app : shared calendar, collaborative task list, meal planner, centralization of family information and autonomy monitoring - your number 1 ally for an organized family life! 📱✨