"The Juggle Is Real" Q&A - with Michele

This Mother’s Day, we’re highlighting some inspiring mothers and asking them how they have approached parenting and their working life. The highs and the lows of motherhood - and some learnings they can share from the journey (so far).

Tell us a little about yourself—who you are, what you do, and who makes up your family.

I’m Michele and I run Good Tuesday, together with my partner in life, Angus. We have three kids at home - Jules (14), Flora (12) and Otis (3), so our life is a chaos of teenagers and toddlers at the moment. 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a working mum?

Time is the biggest challenge - I want to embrace all the joy of my kids and be there for every important moment, but equally, I love running the business and need to make a living. I think this is every parent’s challenge. Life is busy! 

Balancing hormones and toddlers - plus myself. I still feel like I’m not quite an adult myself

What’s one small routine or habit that helps you stay organised (or sane)?

I have built endless small habits over the years - as I have ADHD, this has been the only way to get through the days. On Sunday’s, I have to write down everything happening the week ahead on my weekly planner.

I also pop my vitamins and supplements in one of those weekly containers at the same time, otherwise I forget to take them. 

I have a gym bag ready at all times, so when I wake extra early or find some time in the day, I can easily run to the gym.

We get a weekly Riverford delivery with lots of organic veg and meat - that way we always have a healthy meal ready to prepare, rather than grabbing something last minute.

I have allocated certain times of the day that just focus on the kids - spend un-productive time with them - allowing that space and time for me is all about quality, not quantity.

What’s a recent “mum win” you’re proud of?

My biggest mum win is that the kids want to spend time with me. We’ve started doing ‘night-night’ walks, where we all put our phones away and go for an evening walk to the beach. The toddler falls asleep in the pram and the big kids and us just chat and catch up on our days. I cherish this time together. 

What advice would you give to other working mums feeling overwhelmed?

The way I deal with overwhelm, other than taking some me-time, is a practical approach; every day, spend a few minutes to do something to make your life a little easier in the long run. 

Identify the areas of frustration and tackle them one by one, a little each day. 

If meal planning feels super overwhelming, start by brainstorming what would take some of that overwhelm away? ( a private chef, obvs, but I think of things that are accessible to you). Then, take small steps to put those into place.
I believe strongly in marginal gains - small steps for big outcomes.