Lead Like a Mother: Work-Life Balance, Burnout Recovery & Leadership Skills for High-Achieving Moms

Christina Runnels
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

From the author of Boldly Both, Lead Like a Mother: Work-Life Balance, Burnout Recovery & Leadership Skills for High-Achieving Moms is the podcast for working moms who look “put together” but feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and one more email away from snapping. If you’re a high-achieving working mom juggling meetings, school drop-offs, deadlines, and the endless mental load while secretly Googling “working mom burnout,” “how to balance work and motherhood,” or “time management for high-performing moms,” this show will feel like you’ve finally been seen.​ Each week, you get practical strategies to balance motherhood, career, and leadership without burning out, so you can stop living in survival mode and start feeling like yourself again. You’ll learn realistic work-life balance habits, time management for busy working moms, burnout recovery tools, and simple boundary-setting scripts for work and home that help you protect your energy, reduce stress, and calm the constant mental chatter.​ Episodes dive into leadership skills for high-achieving moms, communication, delegation, decision-making, and confidence, so you can lead well at work and lead well at home without feeling guilty or stretched too thin. You’ll hear honest conversations about invisible labor, emotional load, mom guilt, perfectionism, and maternal burnout, plus coaching-style episodes with small, doable steps you can implement in one week to create more peace, margin, and clarity.​ Hosted by Christina Runnels, a licensed therapist, author of Boldly Both: A Mom’s Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt, and sought-after speaker on working mom burnout and leadership, this podcast blends evidence-informed strategies with real-life mom wisdom you can use right away. If you’ve ever thought, “No one really understands how much I’m carrying,” this is your space for validation, practical tools, and long-term burnout prevention designed specifically for ambitious, high-achieving working moms.​​ Next Steps: Get Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt: https://bit.ly/BoldlyBoth Visit the website: https://www.ChristinaRunnels.com Connect with Me: Hello@ChristinaRunnels.com

Episodes

  1. Mar 3

    From Burned Out to "Boldly Both": 5 Practical Changes to Feel Like Yourself Again in 90 Days

    You’ve listened to the episodes, done the check-ins, named the anger, set some boundaries, and rediscovered bits of yourself, but you’re still exhausted and wondering, “Okay, but what do I change in my actual day‑to‑day?” If you’re ready for practical shifts that move you from burned out to “Boldly Both,” this episode is for you. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@ChristinaRunnels.com Buy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on Facebook 👉 If you want a simple way to see your burnout on paper—monitoring your energy, sleep, snapping, joy, start with the FREE Working Mom Burnout Check-In PDF In this episode you’ll hear: Why knowing you’re burned out isn’t enough—high-achieving working moms need practical changesChristina’s “90-day line in the sand” moment: staring at her full calendar and realizing something had to breakHow to go from burned out to “Boldly Both” without quitting your job or abandoning your family5 practical changes to feel like yourself again in 90 days:Weekly margin block you protect like an appointmentDaily “enough” list instead of a never-ending to-doOne area you intentionally do at B-minusOne boundary script you use on repeatOne small “future self” action that honors who you’re becoming Episode roadmap 0:00 – Stuck between burnout awareness and knowing what to actually change 2:45 – The car moment staring at a 3-month calendar with no white space 7:15 – Change 1: One weekly margin block (60-90 min, non-negotiable) 9:40 – Change 2: Daily “enough” list (3 work + 1 home = done) 11:25 – Change 3: Pick one B-minus area on purpose 13:50 – Change 4: One boundary script you actually use 16:20 – Change 5: One consistent “future self” action 21:30 – Pick your first 30-day experiment + share it via email Visit www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    16 min

  2. Feb 25

    Losing Yourself as a Working Mom? 3 Steps to Reclaim Your Identity and Ambition

    You look successful on paper—career, kids, calendar full, but inside you feel strangely blank. You can answer who you are as “mom” and what you do at work, but if someone asks, “What do you want? What do you enjoy?” your mind goes quiet. If you’ve wondered, “Have I completely lost myself in work and motherhood?” this episode is for you. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting:  Hello@ChristinaRunnels.com Buy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on Facebook 👉 If you want a simple way to see your burnout on paper—energy, sleep, snapping, joy, start with the  FREE Working Mom Burnout Check-In PDF In this episode you’ll hear: Why high-achieving working moms often feel like they’ve lost themselves in their rolesThe quiet “Who am I, really?” moment when you’re asked what you want for the next few yearsHow being everybody’s go‑to person buries your own desires and dreams3 practical steps to reclaim your identity and ambition as a working mom:Remember: who you are beyond “employee,” “leader,” and “mom”Reconnect: with what actually gives you energy and joy in this seasonRebuild: your ambition with small, aligned steps that fit your real life Episode roadmap 0:00 – Feeling like you’ve disappeared inside work and motherhood 2:30 – The moment someone asks, “What do you want?” and your mind goes blank 6:45 – Step 1: Remember – separating who you are from what you do 11:30 – Step 2: Reconnect – using an Energy List to notice what makes you feel like yourself 16:40 – Step 3: Rebuild – letting your ambition back in one small step at a time 22:00 – This week’s identity + ambition experiment + invitation to share your sentence via email Visit www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    16 min

  3. Feb 17

    Burnout Recovery for Working Moms: How to Start Coming Back to Yourself

    You finally get a quiet moment—shower, car, parking lot and instead of feeling relief, you feel… nothing. Not excited, not inspired, just flat and tired in your bones. If you’ve wondered, “Is this just my life now?” this episode is for you. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on Facebook👉 If you want a simple way to see your burnout on paper, monitoring your energy, sleep, snapping, joy, start with the FREE Working Mom Burnout Check-In PDF  In this episode you’ll hear: The subtle difference between being “tired” and being truly burned outChristina’s quiet burnout breaking point: “If life looks like this for 10 more years…”How over‑functioning at work and home numbs you out instead of fulfilling youThree gentle moves for burnout recovery in the life you already have:Notice: telling the truth about how depleted you really areNurture: adding tiny, non‑performative care into your dayNegotiate: changing the terms of how you’re living (at work, at home, with yourself)Episode roadmap 0:00 – “Flat and numb” hook in the shower/car/parking lot3:54 – The quiet thought that changed everything: “I don’t know if I can do this for 10 more years”6:29 – Notice: honest burnout check-in (using energy, sleep, irritability, joy)7:58 – Nurture: 5-minute practices that don’t require a whole life overhaul9:55 – Negotiate: small but real changes in workload and expectations10:55 – This week’s recovery experiment + invitation to share your story via emailVisit www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    14 min

  4. Feb 10

    How to Set Boundaries as a Working Mom: Scripts to Say No at Work and at Home Without Guilt

    Feeling like the reliable one for everyone at work, at school, at home, and also the most exhausted person in every room? This episode is for you. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookFree burnout check-in (from Episode 1): Start tracking how depleted you really are and how often you’re saying yes from empty. 👉 Get the Burnout Check-In PDF: Free Working Mom Burnout Check-In PDF  In this episode you’ll hear: Why “You’re so reliable” can feel like both a compliment and a curseA real Tuesday: meeting request + Flock DM + text from school all at onceHow always being the “responsible one” becomes part of your identityTwo questions to ask yourself before you say yes to anythingTwo simple scripts to say:“Yes, but with truth” at work“No, to protect who I am” at home, school, and with friendsEpisode roadmap 0:00 – “You’re so reliable” hook2:20 – The meeting + Slack + school text moment7:52 – Question 1: “What part of me wants to say yes?”7:57 – Question 2: “If I say yes, what am I saying no to?”9:11 – Script 1: Yes, but with truth (work)10:24 – Script 2: No, to protect who I am (home/school/friends)11:32 – This week’s boundary experiment + Episode 8 teaser

    15 min

  5. Feb 3

    Working Mom Anger and Resentment: Why You’re So Irritable and What to Do About It

    In this episode of Lead Like a Mother, licensed therapist and author Christina Runnels dives into a topic that hits every overloaded working mom: anger and resentment. Christina shares her own story of snapping over small moments, like asking kids to put on shoes and explores why these reactions happen when we’re carrying too much. She breaks down why anger isn’t a character flaw but a signal of overload, and shares three practical scripts to help working moms name it, normalize it, and redirect it, without guilt or pretending everything is fine.  Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookEpisode Timeline 00:00 – Introduction: Why small moments can trigger big reactions 01:01 – Personal Story: The “shoes” moment and early-morning meltdown 04:35 – Understanding Your Anger: Overload, unspoken expectations, and grief 06:53 – Shift 1 – Name It: Stop gaslighting yourself and identify what’s really happening 07:14 – Shift 2 – Normalize It: Recognize that anger is a signal, not a flaw 09:31 – Shift 3 – Redirect It: Use scripts to redirect frustration toward partner, work, or self 11:50 – Practical Scripts: Real examples for partner, work, and yourself 12:29 – Tiny Intentional Moments: How small changes can reduce resentment 13:54 – Free Resource: Working Mom Anger & Resentment Script Sheet 14:18 – Next Episode Teaser: Setting boundaries without guilt Episode Summary You snap over something small… and then immediately feel guilty. You think, “What is wrong with me?” If this sounds familiar, this episode is for you. Christina Runnels, licensed therapist, author of Boldly Both, and fellow high-achieving working mom, explores why working moms experience anger and resentment. She explains that anger is often misdirected—it comes out sideways on the people we feel safest with—and why it’s not a reflection of your character. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why snapping over small things is actually a signal that you’re overloadedHow to stop the guilt spiral and offer yourself self-compassionThree practical scripts to name, normalize, and redirect anger in everyday lifeHow to communicate needs to your partner, at work, and to yourselfTiny intentional moments that help you release resentment without a major overhaulMentioned in this episode Free Working Mom Anger & Resentment Script Sheet – includes all three scripts and space to write your own version in your own words Visit www.ChristinaRunnels.com for more support and to connect with Christina!

    15 min

  6. Jan 27

    Time Management for Busy Working Moms: Simple Daily Routine to Stop Rushing All Day

    Working Mom Time Management: End 8:57pm Dinners Forever Download your FREE Working Mom 3-Block Template ⬇ https://officialchristinarunnels.kit.com/1bc4f01ac1 You glance at the clock: 8:57pm. Cold dinner over laptop. Kid lunchbox in sink. Work phone buzzing. Tomorrow is looming. High-achieving working moms need a working mom time management system—not more discipline. Episode 5's 3-block routine (work/family/margin) stops rush days.  Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookEpisode Highlights: 8:57pm dinner realization → no purposeful "you" time  3-block routine working moms use: 3 golden hours + family DND + 90min margin Sunday reset (laminate weekly)Timestamps: 0:00 Working mom 8:57pm dinner scene   2:30 Thursday "no sitting down" moment   7:15 Block 1: Working mom golden hours   11:45 Block 2: Family block (phone DND)   15:20 Block 3: Working mom margin time   19:10 3-block template walkthrough This week: 1. Circle 3 golden work hours   2. Sunday: Fill + laminate   3. Notice 8:57pm feels different   Share your completed template → Hello@ChristinaRunnels.com Next: Episode 6 - Working Mom Anger  www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    17 min

  7. Jan 20

    Mental Load of Motherhood: Why You Remember Everything for Everyone and Still Feel Overwhelmed

    That grocery store receipt moment... Organic milk (dairy upset), gluten-free bread (headaches), exact yogurt she'll eat, Goldfish rotation, birthday wrapping paper (party Saturday), Tuesday-only sales. $187.43. Every item = one mental decision you made.  If you disappeared tomorrow: Would they know her yogurt? Goldfish rotation? Science fair dates?  Not because they don't care. Because that info lives only in *your* brain. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookIn this episode, Christina breaks it down: Grocery receipt → "If I disappeared" realization  Shift 1:10-min brain dump (see your overload on paper)  Shift 2:Hand-off script *"I'd like you to own [snack calendar] from here" Shift 3:Sunday 10-min handover ritual (prevents reload)  👉 Download Your Mental Load Handover Checklist FREE Checklist Your 3 steps this week: Tonight: 10-min brain dump → checklist  Tomorrow: Pick 1 task → use script "You own [task]. Questions?"   Sunday: 10-min handover → "Confirm you own it?"Next episode: Time Management for Busy Working Moms: Simple Daily Routine to Stop Rushing All Day

    13 min

  8. Jan 12

    Mom Guilt for High-Achieving Working Moms: 3 Shifts to Stop Feeling Like You’re Failing Everywhere

    You’re at work thinking you should be with your kids, and with your kids thinking about everything you’re dropping at work, so no matter where you are, you feel like you’re failing everyone. This episode is for the high-achieving working mom whose brain constantly says, “I’m not enough.” Christina Runnels, licensed therapist, author of Boldly Both, and host of Lead Like a Mother, breaks down mom guilt into three powerful mindset shifts so you can start releasing the shame and defining what “good enough” really looks like in this season. Download your FREE  Mom Guilt Reframe Worksheet : prompts to define “good enough” for this season and rewrite three specific guilt stories with kinder language Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookIn this episode, you’ll learn: The hidden belief driving so much working mom guilt (“If I’m good at work, I’m a bad mom”)How to redefine “good enough” at work, at home, and for yourself in this seasonA simple “why am I choosing this?” process to move from feeling like you’re failing to seeing yourself as an intentional decision-makerWhy guilt grows in isolation and how sharing it in safe spaces shrinks its powerHow to create one new sentence you can use whenever guilt shows up Visit www.ChristinaRunnels.com for more support and to connect with Christina!

    17 min

  9. Jan 12

    3 Keys to Surviving Working Mom Life: Burnout, Mental Load and Always Feeling Behind

    High-achieving working mom who’s always rushing and still feels behind? This episode will help you finally understand why and what to do about it. You’ll learn how each one is quietly draining you and walk away with one simple survival key you can start using this week so you’re not constantly living in catch-up mode. Download the FREE 3 Keys Survival Tracker so you can pick your key and actually follow through this week. Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookIn this episode, you’ll learn: Why your exhaustion isn’t just a “time management problem” but a burnout and energy problem What the mental load of motherhood really is and how it keeps you stuck in overwhelm How to use a weekly 10-minute “brain dump and share” to stop carrying everything alone A simple “good enough” weekly rhythm that helps you touch work, family, and you without expecting perfection Get more support at www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    23 min

  10. Jan 12

    Why I Created Lead Like a Mother: My Burnout Story as a Working Mom Therapist

    You look “fine” on the outside, but inside you’re exhausted, snappy, and one more email away from losing it. In this first episode of Lead Like a Mother, Christina Runnels, licensed therapist, author of Boldly Both: A Mom’s Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt, and fellow high-achieving working mom shares her own burnout story and explains why this podcast exists. You’ll learn what working mom burnout actually looks like (beyond just being tired) and walk through a simple 3-Minute Burnout Check-In so you can see where you really are and take your first small step toward relief this week. Download your FREE Working Mom Burnout Check-In PDF  Connect & work with Christina: Speaking, workshops, consulting: Hello@christinarunnels.comBuy Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt Follow on FacebookWhat you’ll learn in this episode: The real signs of working mom burnout for high-achieving women (physical, emotional, and mental)Why burnout hits ambitious working moms in leadership roles especially hardHow the mental load and invisible labor keep you stuck in “always on” survival modeThe 3-Minute Burnout Check-In you can do today to gauge your burnout level and choose one thing to drop, delay, or delegateVisit www.ChristinaRunnels.com

    14 min
  • 10 Episodes

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

From the author of Boldly Both, Lead Like a Mother: Work-Life Balance, Burnout Recovery & Leadership Skills for High-Achieving Moms is the podcast for working moms who look “put together” but feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and one more email away from snapping. If you’re a high-achieving working mom juggling meetings, school drop-offs, deadlines, and the endless mental load while secretly Googling “working mom burnout,” “how to balance work and motherhood,” or “time management for high-performing moms,” this show will feel like you’ve finally been seen.​ Each week, you get practical strategies to balance motherhood, career, and leadership without burning out, so you can stop living in survival mode and start feeling like yourself again. You’ll learn realistic work-life balance habits, time management for busy working moms, burnout recovery tools, and simple boundary-setting scripts for work and home that help you protect your energy, reduce stress, and calm the constant mental chatter.​ Episodes dive into leadership skills for high-achieving moms, communication, delegation, decision-making, and confidence, so you can lead well at work and lead well at home without feeling guilty or stretched too thin. You’ll hear honest conversations about invisible labor, emotional load, mom guilt, perfectionism, and maternal burnout, plus coaching-style episodes with small, doable steps you can implement in one week to create more peace, margin, and clarity.​ Hosted by Christina Runnels, a licensed therapist, author of Boldly Both: A Mom’s Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt, and sought-after speaker on working mom burnout and leadership, this podcast blends evidence-informed strategies with real-life mom wisdom you can use right away. If you’ve ever thought, “No one really understands how much I’m carrying,” this is your space for validation, practical tools, and long-term burnout prevention designed specifically for ambitious, high-achieving working moms.​​ Next Steps: Get Boldly Both: A Mom's Guide to Balancing Career and Family Without Guilt: https://bit.ly/BoldlyBoth Visit the website: https://www.ChristinaRunnels.com Connect with Me: Hello@ChristinaRunnels.com

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