Feeling like balance is just another unreachable ideal? You’re not the only one. This episode is a warm, honest unpacking of what work/life balance really looks like when you're raising little humans and running a business from home.

If you’ve ever wondered why the "productivity" advice doesn't work for you or felt guilt for choosing your kids over batching content, this one’s for you. I get real about why traditional ideas of work/life balance fail mums in business, and how I've found a new way to thrive - through rhythms, seasons, and real-life strategies that support both your business and your family. It's raw, it's practical, and it's permission-giving in all the right ways.

Inside this episode:

• Why the 50/50 balance myth doesn’t serve mums building businesses

• The crushing weight of the mental load, and what “context switching” really means

• The difference between planning your ideal week vs. your realistic week

• Tools and practices that actually help you manage business and life (without burnout)

• How to separate “growth” work from “maintenance” work in your biz

• Why energy-based scheduling beats productivity hacks every time

Episode Highlights:

• Real talk: You're not overwhelmed because you're bad at balance - you're overwhelmed because you’re doing more than one person’s share

• Powerful mindset shift: From perfection to progress, and from comparison to curiosity

• Game-changing planning tools: Weekly planning sessions, time audits, and energy mapping

• Practical boundaries that work (even when you’ve got kids hanging off you)

• The "Good Enough Mindset" and how it helps you get more done with less stress

• Permission slips for building a business that reflects your real life, not your Instagram life

✨ Come say hi!

Was this episode the hug and truth bomb you didn’t know you needed? Tag me @‌balancedbizmama in your stories or DM me what landed.

💬 Want deeper support and conversations that go way beyond highlight reels? Come join the Balanced Biz Mama Circle - our monthly space for strategy, connection, and real-life biz building for mums raising kids. This month, we’re diving deeper into Work/Life Integration with tools, check-ins, and a pep talk (or two). Link to join is below!

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Biz Mama Circle
→ Episode Mention: Naptime Chats with Vanessa Layton
→ Want to outsource? Here’s the VA connection service I love: Find A VA

Rate & Review the Show

Loving the show? Subscribe + leave a review - it helps other mums find these real, needed conversations.

And until next time, remember: Don’t strive for perfect. Build what’s possible. You're doing better than you think. 🤍

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That “I can’t keep up” feeling? It’s not because you’re failing - it’s because you’re carrying too much.

In this short but impactful episode of Coffee, Clients & Naptime, we’re talking about the real root of overwhelm for mums in business.
And it’s not your planner or calendar. And it’s definitely not your fault.

We’ll unpack:

• Why your to-do list feels impossible (even when you technically “have time”)

• The mental load we carry as business-owning mums

• And three shifts you can make right now to feel more in control, even in the chaos

Inside the episode, I share:
- The real reasons you feel overwhelmed (hint: it’s not laziness or poor time management)
- My Rule of 3 to simplify your day
- A fresh take on time blocking - built for your reality, not your Pinterest board
- What to do when you’re too tired to tackle the “big stuff”

Episode Highlights

Why overwhelm is often about clarity, energy, and expectations
What an “energy audit” looks like and how to do one this week
Why you only need to do 3 things a day — and how to choose them
The power of “Plan B” productivity (because nap time isn’t always a thing)

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You don’t have to do it all. And you definitely don’t have to burn out to build a successful business.

In this episode of Nap Time Chats, I’m joined by the amazing Vanessa Layton - founder of Profit People Systems and mum of two - who shares how she went from 80-hour weeks and near burnout to running a profitable, sustainable business in under 20 hours a week.

Vanessa opens up about the moment that shifted everything, the power of time audits, and the systems that helped her rebuild her business (and her peace) from the ground up.

If you’ve ever wondered how other mums make it work without breaking down, this is the behind-the-scenes truth.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What burnout really looked like and what finally made Vanessa change

• Why systems aren’t just about business, they’re about freedom

• The unexpected emotional journey of hiring help and setting boundaries

• How to start systemising, even if you feel like you’re drowning

• Her signature approach to time tracking and energy clarity

• Why help is not a weakness and asking for it might just change your life

Episode Highlights

✔ How Vanessa went from working 80 hours to under 20, without losing profit
✔ A real talk on perfectionism, control, and letting go (slowly!)
✔ Her favourite tools and simple SOP strategy any mum can start using today
✔ Why accepting help is a gift, not a failure
✔ The question every mum in business needs to ask: “What can I let go of?”

Links + Resources
→ Free time audit toolkit: http://www.profitpeoplesystems.com/time
→ Connect with Vanessa at @‌profitpeoplesystems or visit www.profitpeoplesystems.com
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the cost of living rises, time often becomes the first thing we spend… and for mums in business, that cost is personal.

In this episode of Coffee, Clients & Naptime, I'm talking about the invisible weight that creeps in at the end of the financial year. You’re already doing so much, but somehow the pressure to do even more kicks in hard, especially when budgets are tight, expenses are rising, and your business feels like the only lever you can pull to make ends meet.

But what’s the real cost of that extra client, that last-minute offer, that late-night hustle?

It’s time to talk about what we’re spending, not just in dollars, but in energy, rest, and presence.

Inside this episode:

• Why EOFY brings up guilt, urgency, and comparison for mums in business

• How rising costs are pushing women to sacrifice time, peace, and boundaries

• The unspoken belief that it’s your job to fix the financial gap

• A powerful reframe: What if EOFY became a reset instead of a pressure cooker?

• A quiet permission slip to stop doing more and start doing what matters

Episode Highlights

What the rising cost of living is doing to our time, energy, and peace
The hidden cost of trying to be the solution when money gets tight
Why mums often feel responsible for “fixing” financial stress
Why EOFY can be both a trigger and an opportunity for reflection
A reminder that your worth isn’t measured by your output

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the way to grow your business wasn’t through hustle, but through softness, strategy, and systems that honour your life?

In this episode of Nap Time Chats, I’m joined by the incredible Lauren Hogan of Hey Lauren, who shares her honest and powerful journey from postnatal depression and business burnout to building a calm, sustainable business that fits around her life - not the other way around.

Lauren isn’t a coach or a VA. She’s a creative Online Business Manager and strategist who supports mums to grow their businesses in ways that actually work for them. No bro marketing. No 10-step funnel formulas. Just real systems, boundaries, and support that respect your season of motherhood.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Lauren’s journey from rock bottom to running a values-aligned OBM business

• Why building a team isn’t always the answer - and where support outside your biz matters most

• How to release guilt around outsourcing household help and redefine your idea of a “village”

• The concept of systems with softness and how backend strategy can actually give you more breathing room

• Setting boundaries (and sticking to them!) in a way that serves you and your clients

• Letting go of the pressure to scale fast and embracing slow, sustainable growth

Episode Highlights

✔ From product biz burnout to aligned service-based success
✔ Why help doesn’t have to come from inside your business
✔ Boundaries that actually hold (even when it’s hard)
✔ Why sustainable growth is the real flex

Links + Resources
→ Connect with Lauren at @hey.lauren or visit http://heylauren.com.au
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama and let me know: what part of Lauren’s story resonated most with you?
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling like everyone else is racing ahead while you’re barely staying afloat? You’re not behind - you’re just building something real, and you’re doing it your way.

In this episode of Coffee, Clients & Naptime, we’re unpacking that “I’m falling behind” feeling - the one that creeps in when you scroll through Instagram, see someone’s highlight reel, and instantly feel like you’re not doing enough.

This isn’t a strategy session. It’s a permission slip.

I’m sharing:

• My early biz story and why I still felt behind (even when things were growing)

• Why social media messes with our perception of success

• A powerful reframe that will help you stop running a race you never meant to enter

• A journaling prompt to reconnect with what success actually looks like for you

• A simple mindset practice I call the “Proof List” to track your growth

This episode is for the mamas growing slowly, intentionally, and with their whole hearts.

Episode Highlights

The myth of overnight success (and what’s really behind it)
Why slow growth isn’t failure, it’s sustainability
What success looks like for you, not the algorithm
The one question that always brings me back to centre

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being the default parent doesn’t just mean doing more, it means you are carrying more, and I see you.

In this raw and honest solo episode of Coffee, Clients & Naptime, I’m sharing what it actually feels like when the weight of motherhood, business, and the mental load all crash into each other, and it’s you left holding the pieces.

This isn’t a productivity episode. There’s no plan to follow.
Just truth. Real life. And a reminder that if you’re stretched right now, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong - it’s because you’re carrying a lot.

Inside this episode, I talk about:

• The invisible weight default parents carry (and why it’s exhausting)

• The guilt of “not coping” when you should know how to manage it all

• The quiet resentment that sometimes creeps in, and why it’s a signal, not a shame

• Micro moments of control that help me move through the mess

• Letting go of the “hero complex” so we can ask for what we need

Whether you’re hiding in the laundry or sitting in the car before pick-up, this episode is your permission slip to stop holding it all together and start holding space for yourself.

Episode Highlights

When systems still don’t feel like enough
Why being capable doesn’t mean you’re not overwhelmed
What I remind myself when I feel like I’m dropping the ball 
A gentle, powerful reminder: You’re not alone. You’re doing enough.

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!
And don’t forget to share this with a biz mama who needs the reminder today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Nap Time Chats – the guest series inside Coffee, Clients, and Naptime where I sit down with brilliant business mamas doing things their way. This week I’m chatting with Bec Alison, marketing consultant, mum of two, and the queen of simplifying strategy for time-poor women in business.

Inside this episode:

• Bec’s journey into business after walking away from a corporate role that didn’t support motherhood

• Why automations and lead magnets kept her business growing while she was on maternity leave

• How to actually make your marketing fit your season of life

• The myth of perfection and why real > curated, every single time

This is a must-listen if you’ve ever:
✔️ Felt overwhelmed by marketing advice
✔️ Wondered if it’s okay to love your business and your babies
✔️ Needed permission to keep it simple

My favourite quote from Bec:
"My business isn’t just my business. It’s how I’ve found myself."

Links + Resources
→ Get Bec’s free Lead Generation Blueprint: https://lead-generation-blueprint.becalison.com.au/fun003-1-7369-4194
→ Link up with Bec: @‌becallisonau or https://www.becallison.com.au/
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re not failing - you’re just carrying a lie that was never yours to begin with.

In this episode of Coffee, Clients, and Naptime, I’m breaking down The Mum Guilt Lie - that voice in your head telling you you’re not doing enough in business or motherhood.

It’s a lie that keeps so many of us stuck, stretched thin, and questioning whether we’re cut out for this.

Here’s the truth:
You don’t have to choose between being a present mum and building a business that lights you up. And you’re allowed to do both without guilt.

Inside this episode, I’ll walk you through:

• What mum guilt really is (and why it’s not your fault)

• The 3-step shift I use to move through it instead of getting stuck in it

• The 4 systems that help me balance business, motherhood, and mental load - without burning out

• Affirmations and questions to reframe the guilt and give yourself more grace

This is your reminder that you’re not behind, broken, or failing. You’re navigating something hard - and you’re doing better than you think.

Episode Highlights
Letting go of unrealistic expectations
Creating systems that work in your season of life
Reframing guilt into compassion and clarity
Why grace gets you further than hustle ever will

Links + Resources
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Nap Time Chats - the guest episode series inside Coffee, Clients, and Naptime!

This week, I’m joined by AI & automation expert Brooke Wright from Wright Way Virtual Solutions. We’re talking all things smarter systems, time-saving tools, and how to use AI without sounding like a robot (or burning out completely).

Brooke shares her journey as a neurodivergent mama in business, how AI helps lighten the mental load, and why automations should be every mum’s business bestie.

Whether you’re totally new to AI or already in a situationship with ChatGPT, this episode will help you work smarter not harder.

Inside this episode:

Brooke’s journey from burnout to building a biz that fits her brain
Why AI is a powerful tool for neurodivergent mums (and kids)
Automations every mama needs in her business toolbox
How to stay human while using AI
Favourite apps that actually make a difference (hello, time freedom!)

Mentioned Tools:

• ChatGPT: ChatGPT | OpenAI

• Get Brooke’s “BrainBuddy” Bot: https://wrightwayvs.myflodesk.com/brainbuddy

• Gamma.app: http://www.gamma.app/

• Fathom AI: https://fathom.partnerlinks.io/WrightwayVS

• Zapier: https://zapier.com/

• Notion: Your connected workspace for wiki, docs & projects | Notion

• If anyone loves FloDesk like Brooke, you can get 50% off your first year:
  https://partners.flodesk.com/Wrightwayvs

Links + Resources
→ Get Brooke’s “BrainBuddy” Bot: https://wrightwayvs.myflodesk.com/brainbuddy
→ Link up with Brooke: @‌wrightwayvs or www.wrightwayvs.com
→ Come say hi on Instagram: @‌balancedbizmama
→ Join The Balanced Business Mama Circle
→ Subscribe to never miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.