Social Work Mums

Ade Larigo

Social Work Mums Beyond Burnout is a podcast for social work mums who give deeply, carry a lot, and are quietly realising that coping is no longer enough. Hosted by Adefunke, a social work consultant, mum, and values-led digital business owner, this podcast creates space for honest, grounded conversations about burnout, motherhood, mindset, and values-aligned income — without hype, pressure, or unrealistic promises. This is not a podcast about leaving your profession or chasing quick success.It’s for women who love meaningful work and want more flexibility, peace, and presence in their family life — now and long-term. Drawing on her experience in social work and her journey building values-aligned digital income alongside professional life, Adefunke offers thoughtful insight into what happens when capable women carry responsibility for too long inside systems that leave little room for rest, choice, or sustainability. Here, burnout is not framed as a personal failure.It’s understoo...

  1. 6D AGO

    17 | Why Two Incomes Isn't Enough For Social Worker Families

    EP17: Why Two Incomes Isn't Enough For Social Worker Families — And What to Do About It 📅 6 May 2026 You and your partner are both working. Both giving everything to your jobs, your family, your profession. Two incomes coming in. And you're still not free. The bills are still tight. The savings aren't growing. You barely see each other. And the worst part? You're both exhausted — and nothing is actually changing. Nobody around you is saying it out loud, because saying it feels like failing. But for so many families in caring professions — two incomes still isn't enough. And that is not your fault. In this episode, Ade shares the real story of a couple who were drowning in debt, barely seeing each other, and working themselves into the ground — until one decision changed everything. She retired at 43. This is that story. **In this episode:** - Why two full-time salaries in caring professions still leaves families financially stretched every single month - The honest truth about what two incomes actually cost — your time, your marriage, your freedom - The real story of a nurse who took a job away from home just to survive — and what happened when she found another way - Why waiting for a crisis before making a change is the most expensive decision you can make - The one step you can take today — even if you're tired, busy, and not sure where to start **Ready to explore what else is possible?** Click the link below to share your email and get instant access to watch real women sharing their own stories about how they went from where you are to where they are now. 👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep17 After watching, there is a $149 investment to access the full training and business breakdown. Take action today.    Connect with Ade  💼  Linkedlin https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   *Around here, we dey change our story.* 👑

    14 min
  2. APR 28

    16| Working Online A Scam? I Was Skeptical Too

    EP16: IS WORKING ONLINE A SCAM? I WAS SCEPTICAL TOO — A SOCIAL WORKER MUM'S STORY 📅 28 April 2026   If you've ever scrolled past an ad about making money online and thought "that's a scam" — this episode is for you. Because I thought so too. For a long time, I shut it all down before I even let it land.   And your scepticism makes complete sense. There are scams online. People do get burned. But here's what I had to face: my fear wasn't protecting me anymore. It was keeping me stuck. There's a difference between wisdom and a wall — and I had built a wall.   In this episode, Ade shares why your caution is wisdom, not weakness. And she tells the real story of a social worker who started building a business on the side — before she ever thought she'd need it. When redundancy came, her Plan B became Plan A. She didn't panic. Because she was already prepared.   In this episode: - Why your scepticism about online business is completely valid — and where it stops serving you - The real story of a social worker who lost her government job through redundancy and didn't spiral — because she had already built something on the side - What the difference actually is between a legitimate online business and the scams you've rightly been avoiding - Why starting before you need it is the smartest thing a helping professional can do - What it looks like to explore this without pressure, without hype, and without handing over money before you understand what you're getting into   Ready to explore what else is possible? Click the link below to share your email and get instant access to watch real women sharing their own stories about how they went from where you are to where they are now.   👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep16   After watching, there is a $149 investment to access the full training and business breakdown.   Take action today. I look forward to seeing you on the inside.   Connect with Ade: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    16 min
  3. APR 21

    15 | I Don’t Have Time — Or Is That Really the Truth?

    EP15: "I DON'T HAVE TIME" — THE LIE SOCIAL WORKER MUMS BELIEVE (AND HOW TO RECLAIM YOUR HOURS) 📅 21 April 2026   You've said it. I've said it. Every social worker mum I know has said it: "I just don't have time." And honestly? Your life IS full. Running a consultancy, raising children, managing your son's Olympic development training, caring for a parent, showing up for your clients every day — that's not drama, that's just real. Nobody is disputing that you are genuinely, legitimately busy.   But what if "I don't have time" isn't actually the truth — it's just that you've never stopped to look at where your time is really going? That one question changed everything for Ade.   In this episode: - Why "I don't have time" is rarely about the number of hours — and what it's actually about - The three shifts Ade made that reclaimed hours she didn't know she had: cutting mindless TV and scrolling, getting boundaried about which occasions deserved her yes, and becoming intentional about activities that weren't moving her forward - The moment Ade's friend — on maternity leave with a newborn — showed her what was actually possible - What the difference between being busy and being productive really feels like - The one honest question Ade is asking you to sit with this week   Ready to explore what else is possible? Click the link below to share your email and get instant access to watch real women sharing their own stories about how they went from where you are to where they are now.   👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep15   After watching, there is a $149 investment to access the full training and business breakdown. Take action today.    Connect with Ade  💼  Linkedlin https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    22 min
  4. APR 13

    14 | Why One Income Doesn’t Feel Enough Anymore for Social Worker Mums

    EP14: WHY SOCIAL WORKER MUMS FEEL GUILTY FOR WANTING MORE THAN THEIR JOB 📅 13 April 2026   You love the work. You chose this profession on purpose. And yet — somewhere deep down — there's a voice that says you want more. More time. More peace. More breathing room. More money. And the moment that thought shows up, the guilt follows.   Because how can you want more when people are depending on you? When you chose a caring profession? When others have it harder? That guilt is real — and it has been keeping so many social worker mums and helping professionals silent for far too long.   This episode is permission. Not strategy. Not a plan. Just Ade getting honest about a feeling she carried for years — and what shifted when she finally stopped pretending it wasn't there.   In this episode: - Why wanting more does not make you a bad social worker, a bad mum, or an ungrateful person - The guilt so many helping professionals carry in silence — and why the profession itself can make that guilt feel justified - What "wanting more" actually looked like for Ade — and why it had nothing to do with greed - The internal narrative that keeps women talking themselves out of their own needs ("other people have it worse," "I should just be stronger") - How burnout forced an honest conversation — and why sustainability is not the same as selfishness - Why your social work skills are far more transferable than you've been told - The one small step you can take today if this episode is landing with you   If this is you right now and you need a gentle place to start — the Breathe Again Burnout Reset was made for this moment.   👉 Breathe Again — just £17 → https://payhip.com/b/7qNLs   If you're also curious about what building income alongside social work could look like:   👉  https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep14   Connect with Ade: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    35 min
  5. APR 6

    13 | Feel Trapped in a Job You Love? Why Social Worker Mums Feel Stuck

    Do you love social work, but still feel burnt out, overwhelmed, and stuck? In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about what it felt like to care deeply about my work as a social worker, while also feeling the weight of it in my own life, my family, and my wellbeing. I talk about why the work started to feel heavier than before, how the pressure, paperwork, and constant responsibility began following me home, and why I still felt stuck even when I knew something needed to change. I also share the self-talk that kept me pushing on for longer than I should have, what burnout really looked like for me as a social worker mum, and some of the first things that helped me start resetting. If you have been feeling emotionally drained, stretched too thin, or like you care deeply about the work but cannot keep carrying it the same way, this episode will help you feel seen. This episode is for social worker mums who feel trapped in a job they love, are struggling with burnout, and know they need a different way forward. To keep the conversation going, connect with me on LinkedIn and explore the Burnout Reset through my Linktree: Do you love social work, but still feel burnt out, overwhelmed, and stuck? In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about what it felt like to care deeply about my work as a social worker, while also feeling the weight of it in my own life, my family, and my wellbeing. I talk about why the work started to feel heavier than before, how the pressure, paperwork, and constant responsibility began following me home, and why I still felt stuck even when I knew something needed to change. I also share the self-talk that kept me pushing on for longer than I should have, what burnout really looked like for me as a social worker mum, and some of the first things that helped me start resetting. If you have been feeling emotionally drained, stretched too thin, or like you care deeply about the work but cannot keep carrying it the same way, this episode will help you feel seen. This episode is for social worker mums who feel trapped in a job they love, are struggling with burnout, and know they need a different way forward. To keep the conversation going, connect with me on LinkedIn and explore the Burnout Reset through my Linktree: Do you love social work, but still feel burnt out, overwhelmed, and stuck? In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about what it felt like to care deeply about my work as a social worker, while also feeling the weight of it in my own life, my family, and my wellbeing. I talk about why the work started to feel heavier than before, how the pressure, paperwork, and constant responsibility began following me home, and why I still felt stuck even when I knew something needed to change. I also share the self-talk that kept me pushing on for longer than I should have, what burnout really looked like for me as a social worker mum, and some of the first things that helped me start resetting. If you have been feeling emotionally drained, stretched too thin, or like you care deeply about the work but cannot keep carrying it the same way, this episode will help you feel seen. This episode is for social worker mums who feel trapped in a job they love, are struggling with burnout, and know they need a different way forward. To keep the conversation going, connect with me on LinkedIn and explore the Burnout Reset through my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/adelarigo https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ Take what you need from this episode, share it with another social worker mum who may need it too, and remember — we dey change our story.

    23 min
  6. MAR 31

    12 | Why Am I This Tired Every Day… And Nothing Is Changing?

    EP12: WHY AM I THIS TIRED EVERY DAY… AND NOTHING IS CHANGING? 📅 31 March 2026   You get to the end of the day and you just sit there. Not just physically tired — mentally finished. Emotionally wrung out. And the thing that makes it worse? Nothing is actually changing. You show up again tomorrow and do it all over again.   That kind of tired isn't laziness. It's what happens when you've been carrying too much for too long without enough support, without enough breathing room, and without anyone asking if you're okay. If you're a social worker mum, you know this feeling better than most — because the caring never stops.   In this episode, Ade gets real about what burnout looked and felt like from the inside — not the polished version, the actual one. And she talks about the small shift that started to change things, not overnight, but enough to begin seeing a different way forward.   In this episode: - Why "I don't have time" is often not the whole truth — and what's really underneath it - What feeling stuck actually looks like day to day when responsibility keeps rising but income and energy don't - The honest moment Ade realised burnout wasn't just affecting her work — it was affecting how she showed up at home with her children - Why she was sceptical about anything online and how she moved past that - The one question she changed that started to shift everything — from "do I have time?" to "can I start small?" - Why starting imperfectly, in small pockets of time, counts far more than waiting for the perfect moment   If you're listening to this and thinking "I need somewhere to start" — the Breathe Again Burnout Reset Bundle is that gentle first step.   👉 Breathe Again — just £17 → https://payhip.com/b/7qNLs   If you're also curious about what building income alongside social work could look like:   👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep12   Connect with Ade: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    16 min
  7. MAR 24

    11 | The Income Ceiling No One Talks About (Especially for Social Workers)

    EP11: BURNOUT OR INCOME CEILING? WHAT SOCIAL WORKER MUMS AREN'T BEING ASKED 📅 24 March 2026 Everyone talks about burnout like it's only about the emotional weight of the work. And yes — the weight is real. But there's another question that doesn't get asked often enough: what if the burnout is also about the income ceiling? About knowing that no matter how hard you work, your financial reality may not change very much?   Because here's what Ade has noticed in her years of social work consultancy: the most burnt-out professionals are often the most committed. They care deeply. They go above and beyond. They lie awake at night thinking about the families they're supporting. They're not burnt out because they stopped caring — they're burnt out because something in the structure of the career isn't keeping up with their lives.   Responsibility increases. Experience increases. Expectations increase. But flexibility and income don't always move at the same pace. And over time, that gap creates something heavy. This episode is Ade asking the question out loud.   In this episode: - Why burnout in caring professions is often misread — and why the most committed people burn out the hardest - The quiet realisation Ade had during her consultancy work about what the structure of helping professions costs professionals over time - What Bob Proctor and Myron Golden say about growth — and why staying still is never actually neutral - Why the question isn't about leaving the profession but about expanding what's possible alongside it - The Yoruba proverb that captures exactly what this episode is about: we focus on where we are going, not just where we are coming from - What a more financially and personally sustainable life could actually look like for a social worker mum   If you're in that place right now and need a gentle place to start — the Breathe Again Burnout Reset Bundle was made for exactly this moment.   👉 Breathe Again — just £17 → https://payhip.com/b/7qNLs   If you're also curious about what building income alongside social work could look like: 👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep11   Connect with Ade: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    6 min
  8. 10 | Feel Like You’re Behind in Life? Listen to This

    MAR 3

    10 | Feel Like You’re Behind in Life? Listen to This

    EP10: FROM BURNOUT TO FREEDOM — HOW ONE SOCIAL WORKER MUM STOPPED COMPARING AND STARTED BUILDING 📅 2 March 2026   You're scrolling. Someone else is thriving. Their business is growing, their life looks put together, and you're sitting in the middle of your own exhaustion wondering why you're so far behind. That comparison — quiet, constant, relentless — isn't just draining you. It's stealing from you. Your joy. Your clarity. Your peace.   But here's the truth Ade had to learn the hard way: she wasn't behind. She was on her own path. And the moment she stopped measuring her story against someone else's highlight reel, everything shifted.   In this deeply personal episode — the most listened-to episode of the show so far — Ade gets completely honest about the quicksand of burnout. The mental fog. The feeling of being physically present with her family but emotionally somewhere else entirely. And the decision that changed everything.   In this episode: - Why comparison doesn't just drain your energy — it steals your clarity and keeps you stuck in someone else's timeline - What burnout really felt like from the inside: running a consultancy, showing up for everyone, and slowly disappearing from her own life - The moment Ade realised that being at home didn't mean being present — and what that cost her family - Why investing in yourself is not a luxury — and why you cannot build a new life on free resources alone - How shifting her mindset from survival mode to aligned action opened the door to building a digital business that actually fit her values - Why your timeline is valid, your story is still being written, and you are not running anyone else's race   If you're in that place right now — burnt out, tired, quietly wondering if there's more — the Breathe Again Burnout Reset Bundle was made for exactly this moment. 👉 Breathe Again — just £17 → https://payhip.com/b/7qNLs   If you're also curious about what building income alongside social work could look like:   👉 https://www.adefunkelarigo.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=ep10   Connect with Ade: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7348956483   Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

    13 min

Trailer

About

Social Work Mums Beyond Burnout is a podcast for social work mums who give deeply, carry a lot, and are quietly realising that coping is no longer enough. Hosted by Adefunke, a social work consultant, mum, and values-led digital business owner, this podcast creates space for honest, grounded conversations about burnout, motherhood, mindset, and values-aligned income — without hype, pressure, or unrealistic promises. This is not a podcast about leaving your profession or chasing quick success.It’s for women who love meaningful work and want more flexibility, peace, and presence in their family life — now and long-term. Drawing on her experience in social work and her journey building values-aligned digital income alongside professional life, Adefunke offers thoughtful insight into what happens when capable women carry responsibility for too long inside systems that leave little room for rest, choice, or sustainability. Here, burnout is not framed as a personal failure.It’s understoo...