How Do You Decide Which Ones You Really Want to Catch?

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The options that come your way are exciting in a lot of ways. It's very easy to jump in and say, yes, yes, i'll do that. A ball that wasn't important to you five or ten years ago may all of a sudden be really important to you. And so we hope that by this point in your life, with all of these other balls you've had there, you've figured out which ones you really want to catch.

You’ve heard the story: Motherhood and work are at odds, and women who pursue both have to make endless trade-offs and compromises. And yet, lots of women go for it, with great results for themselves, their families, and their careers. In fact, research suggests that parenting can enrich our careers, and vice versa.

Professors Danna Greenberg and Jamie Ladge talk about the benefits of being a working mom. They share advice around setting expectations, finding child care, asking for help, and advocating for ourselves as kids get older. Then, our fellow HBR editor Erica Truxler checks in with a listener about returning to work after parental leave.

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