Books for Working Moms

Handling work and raising a family isn’t always easy. Read these books for working moms to help you be more productive and reclaim your time.

Books for Working Moms“How do you do it?” everyone asks working moms. It seems almost impossible to juggle all that we do.

We’re expected to perform well in our careers and businesses, but also to nurture and spend plenty of time with the kids. We find ourselves in a dual shift, at work for several hours only to come home and tend to childcare duties for several more.

While the era of dads as a hands-off role has changed over the last several decades, as it is, moms continue to do more tasks. This is on top of more moms entering the workforce.

No wonder we struggle with balancing work and family.

That’s why I’m always fascinated with books about and for working moms. I collected a few of my favorites that talk about how we got to where we are or how to do well in the workforce. I also include books that aren’t specifically about working moms but can help our journey along the way.

Some books offer productivity hacks, while others question whether we’re truly as time-starved as we think we are.

Even though we’re already limited in time as it is, I also know parents love to read (one of the easier hobbies we can squeeze in during the day!). I hope you find your next inspiring read from this collection of books for working moms, just as others have:

“Wonderful list of resources! I’ve got a few new books to add to my ever growing reading list.” -Amy

Balancing Work and Family

Books for working moms

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Second Shift: Working Families and the Revolution at Home by Arlie Hochschild

The Second Shift by Arlie Hochschild

Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid Schulte

Overwhelmed by Brigid Schulte

Maxed Out by Katrina Alcorn

Maxed Out: American Moms on the Brink by Katrina Alcorn

I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam

I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time by Laura Vanderkam

Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction by Matthew Kelly

Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction  by Matthew Kelly

The Fifth Trimester by Lauren Smith Brody

The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, and Success After Baby by Lauren Smith Brody

Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington

Thrive by Arianna Huffington

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Secrets of Six-Figure Women by Barbara Stanny

Secrets of Six-Figure Women by Barbara Stanny

Playing Big by Tara Mohr

Playing Big by Tara Mohr

You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero

You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference by Crystal Paine

Money-Making Mom by Crystal Paine

Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One by Jenny Blake

Pivot by Jenny Blake

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Why Motherhood Matters: An Invitation to Purposeful Parenting by September McCarthy

Why Motherhood Matters: An Invitation to Purposeful Parenting by September McCarthy

The Blue Jay's Dance: A Memoir of Early Motherhood by Louise Erdrich

The Blue Jay’s Dance: A Memoir of Early Motherhood by Louise Erdrich

Tilt by Marci Fair

Tilt: 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom by Marci Fair

Balance Is a Crock, Sleep Is for the Weak by Amy Eschliman and Leigh Oshirak

Balance Is a Crock, Sleep Is for the Weak: An Indispensable Guide to Surviving Working Motherhood by Amy Eschliman and Leigh Oshirak

How to conquer working mom guilt

Like many moms, I fell for the stay-at-home myth.

When my eldest was born, I felt a pull that I should be home with him. That I might be a sub par parent because the baby would be spending more time with others than me (or so I assumed). All this despite the financial reality of needing both my and my husband’s incomes.

I’m not alone in feeling this way, either. We’re all exposed to negative stories of working moms unable to meet their children’s needs. We talk of work life balance that pits career and family against each other, with mom in the middle pulled in either direction.

Whether we choose to work or need to, we feel we’re doing something for ourselves at the expense of our children’s best interests. So, how can we conquer the guilt we feel for working?

1. Focus on the financial realities of your life

If you find yourself working because you have to, you’re not alone. Having a job is important to your household, no matter what you do with that money. Maybe you’re reaching for financial goals or paying for the basics—your financial reality may be the reason you work.

2. Do work that aligns with your values and lifestyle

Many moms feel guilty for working because of their duties or work environment. Does your work energize or deplete you? Justifying being away from our children is difficult when work is a source of stress. It doesn’t help when work trickles into our homes, keeping us working late at night or checking in at the office on weekends.

Make sure your work aligns with your values and lifestyles. It’s pretty hard to let go of the guilt when work isn’t a positive environment.

3. Find anecdotal evidence of success

We sometimes feel guilty of working because we worry how our kids will turn out. We wonder if they’ll grow up feeling disconnected from us or if we’re somehow messing them up by not being with them during the day.

When this feeling strikes, surround yourself with others whose parents work and you’ll see that we all turn out all right. Take a look at children of working moms and remind yourself that they’re doing just as fine as those whose moms are home.

4. Clock your hours

Do you feel like you hardly spend time with your family? Even with work in place, on average, we spend more time with our kids today than parents from generations past.

One way to find out exactly how much time you spend with your kids is to document those hours. Keep a daily log and record by the half hour how you spend your day. Count weekends, mornings and evenings as well, and you’ll find that you actually have more time than you think.

Get more tips on how to spend time with your family.

How to Spend Time with Your Family

5. Remember: Dads are parents, too

Do you feel guilty for leaving the kids with dad? Remember that dads are parents, too. Whether work, going to the gym, or meeting with friends, don’t feel guilty for having dad do solo parenting. Let dads be dads.

And give dads the autonomy he needs to parent the way he prefers. Don’t criticize how he runs the household—this will only lead to unequal dynamics at home and less of an incentive for him to participate.

Get more tips:

Free ebook: Want to better manage your time and feel less tired and overwhelmed? Join my newsletter and get Time Management Strategies for the Overwhelmed Mom! Grab it below—at no cost to you:

Time Management Strategies for the Overwhelmed Mom

2 Comments

  1. Wonderful list of resources! I’ve got a few new books to add to my ever growing reading list.

    1. Nina Garcia says:

      I have a never-ending list myself haha! If you ever see any you’d like to add, please let me know. I’m always on the lookout for new suggestions!

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