Redefining Success & Productivity as a New Mom

A big theme I see in my sessions with clients and on social media is how societal norms often equate productivity with visible output: how clean is your home? when are you returning to work? is your body “bouncing back?” This can add an often overlooked layer of stress and overwhelm to new moms who are likely already navigating hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, and caring for a newborn. A notion I like to offer is how to shift our focus away from these norms and redefine success & productivity for each respective mother and what works for them. This can mean acknowledging how nurturing a new life, healing your body, and adjusting to a completely new identity are enormously productive acts. We can define success not by tasks checked off a list, but by how well a mom is caring for herself emotionally and physically. Is she setting boundaries, asking for help, choosing rest over perfection? GREAT. You might not be able to fold laundry or cook dinner—but maybe you took a shower today. Maybe you texted a friend back. Maybe you sat in the sunshine for five quiet minutes. These are victories. And when you're in the thick of new motherhood, small wins are everything.

Motherhood isn’t a productivity contest. It’s a relationship. A rhythm. A deeply human, sometimes messy, always meaningful journey.

So here’s your reminder: You are doing enough. You are enough. And success, in this season, might look a lot more like presence than productivity.