You Weren’t Meant to Do It All: Why Asking for Help Is a Strength, Not a Flaw
Have you ever found yourself staring at the clock at 9 p.m., completely drained—yet your ongoing to-do list still calls to you from across the room?
You’ve already worked a full day, helped with homework, made dinner (or maybe just felt guilty for not making dinner), picked up the random dirty socks and snack wrappers, read the endless emails from your child’s school, scheduled a grooming appointment for the dog, called your dad to make sure he’s ok—and somehow still feel like you're falling short.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Writing that list of examples just made me exhausted.
As high-achieving working mothers, we are used to setting the bar high. We’ve been praised our entire lives for being “capable,” “driven,” and “on top of things.” But here’s the truth no one says out loud often enough:
You can be a strong, successful woman—and still need help. Asking for help does not mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
It turns out that even though it might be nice, you aren’t a superhero. And just because you’re competent in most of life doesn’t mean that you can (or should) do it all by yourself.
The Hidden Burnout of “Doing It All”
One of the biggest struggles I see in my coaching work is women trying to juggle a full-time (or more than full-time) job while running their homes like a second job. Cooking, cleaning, driving kids to activities, managing emotional needs, keeping in touch with extended family, remembering every birthday and doctor’s appointment—and doing it all without missing a beat.
When you’re trying to perform at a high level in every single domain of your life, you eventually hit a breaking point. But instead of stepping back, many of us push harder. We think the problem is us—not our unrealistic expectations for ourselves.
We tell ourselves we need better time management, more discipline, more hours in the day.
But the truth is: you don’t need to do more—you need to do less.
Delegating Isn’t Giving Up Control. It’s Choosing What Matters Most
For many of us, asking for help feels like surrender. Like we’re giving up control, or admitting we can’t handle it. But in reality, delegation is an act of strength and kindness to yourself and others. It means you are wise enough to know where your energy is best spent.
Maybe that looks like:
Hiring someone to clean your home every few weeks
Signing up for a meal delivery service that saves your mental bandwidth
Having your groceries delivered
Creating carpool systems or saying “no” to one extracurricular activity
Booking a babysitter—not just for date night, but for you
These aren’t indulgences. They’re lifelines.
Permission to Protect Your Energy
If you're juggling the responsibilities of parenting, partnering, caregiving, and career-building, here's your reminder:
It’s okay to ask for help.
It’s okay to do less.
It’s okay to spend time on something that’s just for you.
You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to create space. You are allowed to say, “This is too much for one person.”
Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s one of the most powerful, loving things you can do for yourself and your family.
And if your goals are slipping through the cracks—it may be time to get support in a deeper way. A coach can help you create sustainable systems for positive change.You were never meant to do this alone.
Want Support in Blasting through Burnout and Reclaiming Your Life?
At Empowered Focus, we help working moms in the sandwich generation prevent burnout and find clarity, creativity, and joy again. If you’re ready to take one small step with some non-judgemental support, let’s talk.
Contact us today to find out how we can help.
Disclaimer: While Dr. Liz is a licensed psychologist, the information provided herein is intended solely for educational purposes. Services offered by Empowered Focus, LLC are not to be considered a substitute for mental health therapy. Individuals requiring mental health therapy are advised to seek support from a qualified mental health provider in their respective localities. A valuable resource for locating such providers is Psychology Today.