Working from home while juggling family and work responsibilities can feel like walking a tightrope. The boundaries often blur, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed.

Mom’s Midcentury Workspace
Ashley’s vintage workspace wouldn’t be complete without her trusty orange chair. Its rock-and-recline feature provides optimal comfort for Ashley as she works or takes care of her little one.
Maker StationsEditorial Team

We’ve handpicked ten insightful books that offer honest, practical advice to help you strike a balance and find harmony between your family life and work commitments.

1.“I Know How She Does It” by Laura Vanderkam

  • What it’s about: Vanderkam debunks the myth that you can’t have it all by analysing the schedules of successful women who manage to balance work and family. Through detailed time logs and real-life examples, she demonstrates how these women allocate their time effectively to excel in both their professional and personal lives.
  • Perfect for: Working parents looking for practical time management tips and inspiration from real-life examples of women who successfully balance career and family responsibilities.
  • Might not be your thing if: You prefer more scientific or data-driven approaches, as this book focuses more on anecdotal evidence and personal stories rather than rigorous scientific analysis.

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

A game-changer for anyone feeling overwhelmed by juggling a career, family, hobbies, and sleep. Vanderkam, a time management guru, draws on detailed time logs from real women to reveal practical strategies for reclaiming your day. She shows that you can work less, sleep more, hit the gym, enjoy date nights, and still have time to socialise. This book is a relatable and honest guide to building a balanced life, one hour at a time.

Check price on Amazon

2. “Overwhelmed” by Brigid Schulte

  • What it’s about: Schulte examines the cultural and societal pressures that lead to feeling overwhelmed, specifically focusing on balancing work and family responsibilities while working from home. She offers practical tips and insights to help you manage your time more effectively and reduce stress in a home-based work environment.
  • Perfect for: Anyone working from home who feels the pressure of balancing professional duties with family responsibilities and is looking for strategies to create a more manageable and less stressful routine.
  • Might not be your thing if: You prefer less analytical, more straightforward action-oriented advice, as this book delves into societal and cultural contexts along with providing practical tips.

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

Feeling swamped with work and family responsibilities while trying to work from home? Brigid Schulte’s “Overwhelmed” gets it. This book dives into the constant busyness that modern life throws at us, especially for working parents. Schulte shares her own hectic experiences and digs deep into why we all struggle to find balance. She explores the societal, historical, and even biological reasons behind our dwindling free time and looks at ways to get it back. With insights from experts and a look at how different countries handle family life, Schulte offers practical advice and a glimmer of hope for anyone drowning in to-do lists and packed schedules. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to find some peace and balance in the chaos of daily life.

Check price on Amazon

3. “Drop the Ball” by Tiffany Dufu

  • What it’s about: Dufu encourages readers to let go of perfectionism and delegate more responsibilities, focusing on what truly matters in their personal and professional lives. She shares her journey of learning to prioritise effectively and to achieve more by doing less, providing practical advice and strategies for those feeling overwhelmed.
  • Perfect for: Those who struggle with trying to do it all and need help prioritising and letting go of less important tasks, and anyone looking for guidance on how to delegate effectively to achieve a better work-life balance.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re looking for a more traditional productivity guide that focuses on efficiency and time management without addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of letting go and delegation.

Drop the Ball: Expect Less from Yourself and Flourish in Work & Life by Tiffany Dufu

An inspiring and practical guide for women feeling overwhelmed by balancing work and home life. Dufu encourages women to apply the same delegation and negotiation skills they use in the workplace to their personal lives, urging them to embrace imperfection and expect more from others. By letting go of the need to do it all, women can find more success at work and build deeper, more meaningful relationships at home. This book is a relatable and empowering read for anyone looking to achieve more by doing less.

Check price on Amazon

4. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families” by Stephen R. Covey

  • What it’s about: Covey applies his classic principles of effectiveness to family life, providing a framework to balance family and work. He offers practical advice and strategies for building strong, resilient family relationships through effective habits, communication, and mutual respect.
  • Perfect for: Families looking to build strong, effective habits together and seeking a structured approach to improve their family dynamics and relationships.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re not a fan of Covey’s structured approach and prefer more flexible, less formal methods for managing family and work-life balance.

7 Habits Of Highly Effective Families by Stephen R. Covey 

Covey offers invaluable lessons for building and maintaining a strong family culture in today's chaotic world. Drawing from the same wisdom that made The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People a global sensation, he addresses the fundamental concerns of family life. He provides a powerful framework based on timeless principles to help families communicate effectively, resolve issues, and shift from problem-solving to a creative mindset. This bestselling book is a must-read for any family looking to achieve their goals and work together meaningfully.

Check price on Amazon

5. “The Working Mom Survival Guide” by Suzanne Riss and Teresa Palagano

  • What it’s about: This book offers down-to-earth tips and real-life advice for working mums juggling career and family. It’s packed with relatable stories and practical strategies to help you feel more supported and less alone in your daily struggles. The authors focus on creating a sense of community and understanding, making sure you know you’re not the only one dealing with the chaos of work and parenting.
  • Perfect for: Working mums looking for uplifting, empathetic advice from people who really get what you’re going through.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re looking for advice aimed at both parents, as this book is specifically focused on the challenges faced by working moms.

Working Mom Survival Guide: How to Run Around Less & Enjoy Life More by Suzanne Riss & Teresa Palagano

A practical and humorous handbook for busy working mothers. Packed with straightforward solutions and shortcuts from the editors of Working Mother magazine, this guide tackles everyday challenges at home, in the office, and on the go. Whether you need tips on managing your toddler, balancing a career, or asking for a flexible schedule, this book has you covered. With advice from experienced working moms and experts, it helps you organise, prioritise, and find a more manageable balance between work and family life, all while maintaining a sense of humour.

Check price on Amazon

6. “Balance is B.S.” by Tamara Loehr

  • What it’s about: Loehr challenges the conventional idea of achieving a perfect work-life balance. Instead, she offers a fresh perspective on integrating work and family life in a way that feels harmonious and sustainable. Loehr's approach is about finding what works for you personally, rather than striving for an unrealistic ideal.
  • Perfect for: Those tired of traditional balance advice and looking for a new, more realistic approach to managing work and family life.
  • Might not be your thing if: You prefer more conventional self-help books that focus on traditional methods of achieving work-life balance.

Balance is B.S.: How to Have a Work. Life. Blend. by Tamara Loehr

This book by Tamara Loehr offers a refreshingly honest take on the myth of work-life balance, especially for today’s working women. Recognising that women are often juggling increasing professional responsibilities without a decrease in personal duties, Loehr provides practical advice for blending personal and professional lives seamlessly. It includes exercises to help women identify their values and focus on what truly matters, offering strategies to manage expectations and avoid burnout. By combining work, social, family, and parenting lives without compromising on values, “Balance is B.S.” helps women embrace a more integrated and fulfilling approach to living.

Check price on Amazon

7. “The New Corner Office” by Laura Vanderkam

  • What it’s about: Vanderkam provides strategies for thriving in a remote work environment while balancing other commitments. She offers practical advice on creating productive home workspaces, managing time effectively, and setting boundaries between work and personal life to ensure both professional success and family harmony.
  • Perfect for: Remote workers looking for actionable tips on managing work and home life more effectively, especially those new to working from home or struggling to adapt to this mode of work.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re looking for more general parenting advice, as the book focuses specifically on strategies for remote work rather than broader parenting issues

The New Corner Office: How the Most Successful People Work From Home by Laura Vanderkam

A practical guide for thriving in a remote work environment. Drawing from her 18 years of remote work experience and interviews with successful remote workers, Vanderkam offers strategies to boost productivity, creativity, and well-being. She advises managing by tasks rather than time, creating a balanced daily rhythm, and nurturing professional connections virtually. This book provides actionable insights for adapting to the new normal of working from home, helping you turn remote work into a career advantage while maintaining energy for personal goals.

Check price on Amazon

8. “Work. Pump. Repeat.” by Jessica Shortall

  • What it’s about: This book is a practical guide for new mums navigating the challenges of breastfeeding while working. Jessica Shortall offers real-life advice, tips, and encouragement to help working mothers manage breastfeeding, pumping, and returning to work. The book covers various aspects of this journey, including preparing for maternity leave, creating a pumping schedule, and dealing with common breastfeeding issues in a work environment.
  • Perfect for: New moms balancing work and breastfeeding, looking for supportive, practical advice to manage both successfully.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re not dealing with newborn-related issues or if you’re seeking advice on broader parenting topics beyond breastfeeding and work.

Work. Pump. Repeat.: The New Mom's Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work by Jessica Shortall

A must-read for any working mother navigating the challenges of breastfeeding. Shortall moves beyond the “breast is best” debate to offer practical advice on managing the demands of a job while pumping. This guide provides essential tips on negotiating pumping schedules at work, handling business travel, and dealing with less-than-ideal pumping locations. Packed with stories, hacks, and humour from working mums, along with Shortall’s own experiences, the book offers moral support and practical solutions for the stress and guilt of juggling work and breastfeeding. In her witty and inspiring style, Shortall reassures mums that their worth isn’t measured in ounces.

Check price on Amazon

9. “Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers” by Lucy Jo Palladino

  • What it’s about: Palladino offers strategies to help parents and children manage screen time and distractions in today’s digital age. She provides practical advice on how to create a balanced environment that supports healthy attention spans and reduces the impact of digital distractions on family life.
  • Perfect for: Parents concerned about digital distractions affecting their children’s attention and overall family dynamics, and who are looking for actionable tips to manage screen time effectively.
  • Might not be your thing if: You’re looking for broader work-life balance tips that encompass more than just managing screen time and digital distractions.

Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers: A Step-by-Step Guide to Balancing Your Child’s Use of Technology by Lucy Jo Palladino 

An essential guide for parents struggling with their children’s screen time. As kids increasingly spend time on devices designed to captivate them, parents worry about the impact on attention spans and overall development. Palladino offers practical, evidence-based steps to help children, from toddlers to teens, gain control over their technology use. She teaches parents how to guide their kids in understanding and managing their attention, recognising when it is being hijacked, and balancing tech use with other activities. The book also delves into the differences between voluntary and involuntary attention, new insights into brain development, and the risks of attention disorders, providing a comprehensive toolkit for today’s digital age.

Check price on Amazon

10. “Mompowerment” by Suzanne Brown

  • What it’s about: Brown shares stories and strategies from working mums who have successfully balanced their careers and family lives. Through personal anecdotes and practical advice, Brown provides insights and tips to help other working mothers navigate the challenges of balancing work and home responsibilities.
  • Perfect for: Moms seeking inspiration and practical tips from other working mothers who have found ways to manage their dual roles effectively.
  • Might not be your thing if: You prefer a more research-based approach with statistical analysis and data-driven insights.

The Mompowerment Guide to Work-Life Balance: Insights from Working Moms on Balancing Career and Family by Suzanne Brown

A practical and inspiring resource for working mums striving to juggle career and family life. Drawing from her own experience and interviews with over 110 professional working moms, Brown offers actionable advice on achieving work-life balance. This award-winning book provides tips on working smarter, setting boundaries, sharing household duties, networking effectively, and making time for self-care. Whether you’re a new mum or a seasoned pro, you’ll find strategies to help you manage what truly matters and create a personalised balance that works for you.

Check price on Amazon

11. “The Family Manager Takes Charge” by Kathy Peel

  • What it’s about: Peel provides a comprehensive guide to managing a household like a business, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Her book offers structured, actionable advice on various aspects of family management, including organising schedules, budgeting, meal planning, and maintaining a clean and efficient home environment.
  • Perfect for: Parents looking for structured, actionable advice on managing family life efficiently and effectively, using principles similar to those applied in business management.
  • Might not be your thing if: You dislike highly structured approaches to family management and prefer a more flexible, less formal method.

The Family Manager Takes Charge: Getting on the Fast Track to a Happy, Organised Home by Kathy Peel

This is the ultimate guide for anyone feeling overwhelmed by household responsibilities. Peel applies business principles to family management, turning you into the CEO of your home. With tips and strategies for managing everything from budgeting and cleaning to decorating and childproofing, this book covers it all. Drawing from her experiences as a mother of three, Peel offers practical advice and insights to help you create a happy, organised home. Perfect for those looking to take control and streamline their household, this book is a must-read for achieving domestic bliss.

Check price on Amazon

Enjoyed our recommendations? Don’t stop here! Check out this handpicked list of books on:

We’re a reader-supported publication. This article has affiliate links, so if you click and buy something we recommend, we might get a commission. Just so you know, we wrote this article independently.