cindy@cindycavoto.com
If you missed the powerful episode of the HCI Podcast featuring Cindy Cavoto, productivity coach, business strategist, and working mom. In it, she breaks down the very real struggle behind the so-called “summer break” that leaves working mothers overwhelmed, unsupported, and exhausted. If you haven’t listened yet, go tune in now for a candid conversation full of real talk, practical insight, and hope for something better.
This blog is inspired by a recent episode of the HCI Podcast where Cindy Cavoto joined host Dr. Jonathan H. Westover for a raw, honest, and necessary conversation about the myth of “summer break” for working moms. The connection between Cindy and Jonathan was made possible through the Headway App, a tool she regularly uses to stay mentally sharp, curious, and professionally connected.
If you’re a working mom, the phrase “summer break” probably makes you laugh or maybe even roll your eyes. Sure, the kids are out of school and technically on a break, but for you? It’s anything but. The workload at your job doesn’t go on vacation, your house doesn’t clean itself, and now you’ve got extra humans at home all day needing entertainment, meals, and maybe the occasional referee.
As Cindy explains in the podcast, “There’s still a lot of responsibilities. They’re still working. They have to manage the kids’ schedules. They have to manage their schedule. And then they want to try to have a summer all at the same time. So it becomes difficult.”
The truth is, summer break often means more chaos, not less. Let’s break down why this is the case for so many moms and what can actually make it manageable.
Summer Means Less Structure, Not Less Work
When school ends, so does structure. That daily rhythm that kept your mornings, afternoons, and evenings somewhat predictable gets replaced with a lot of guesswork.
Kids are home, often bored, and you become the full-time event coordinator while also trying to keep up with your job. You’re expected to play cruise director, chef, chauffeur, and CEO before lunch.
And let’s not even talk about childcare. If you’re not sending them off to full-time summer camps (which cost more than most mortgages), you’re left cobbling together part-time programs, help from family, or just winging it every day.
As Cindy puts it, “Unless you’re going to send them off to a summer camp all summer… all of a sudden they’re home all day and you gotta figure out how you’re going to help them have a good summer.”
If you’re looking for ways to bring order to the chaos, check out these time management strategies for busy leaders and entrepreneurs that can help you stay grounded when your routine disappears.
The Invisible Load and “Mom Guilt” Run Deeper in Summer
Beyond the scheduling mayhem, there’s the emotional toll. That nagging guilt that somehow you’re not doing enough for your job, for your kids, or for yourself. It’s an exhausting balancing act that rarely feels balanced.
Cindy states it clearly: “I think women sometimes… we want to do it all because I think there’s still a myth that we’re expected to do it all.”
This pressure didn’t appear overnight. It’s deeply rooted in societal expectations, many of which are tied to old, patriarchal norms that taught women to serve everyone else before themselves. Even as times evolve, those beliefs don’t go quietly.
Dr. Jonathan H. Westover, host of the podcast, adds, “We have a patriarchal system that socializes women in a particular way… to sacrifice for their kids, for their family first.”
And because of that, many women are reluctant to speak up, ask for support, or even admit they’re struggling. They fear looking like they “can’t handle it” when really, they’re handling more than most could manage.
If this sounds familiar, you may want to explore how to reduce stress and anxiety at work before it carries over into every other area of your life.
Employers Can Make a Difference, But They Have to Step Up
Now, let’s talk about solutions. Because while summer is hard, it doesn’t have to be soul-crushing. A lot of the burden could be eased if employers proactively stepped up.
Westover suggests something so simple, it’s shocking more don’t do it: “Have a proactive conversation with them as a boss saying, ‘Hey, summer month’s coming up. I know kids are going to be out of school. What can we do to help accommodate you over the next few months?’”
A little flexibility goes a long way. Adjusted hours, remote options, or even just understanding that your team member might be jumping into a Zoom call after making four lunches and rescuing a toddler from the toilet, these things matter.
As Cindy notes, “Productivity can still stay the same maybe if we make some little tweaks.”
Need a roadmap to approach this with your employer? Start with this fresh framework for time management for leaders.
Build Your Mom-Village, It Works
The phrase “it takes a village” isn’t just a cute Pinterest quote. It’s a strategy. One of the best ways to survive summer is to create that network of moms who get it.
As Cindy says, “You just have your friends and you have other people… talk to their parents and figure out carpools… it really does go a long way.”
Simple swaps can make a big difference. Maybe you trade days with a neighbor. One day they host a playdate, the next day you do. Or you create a mini “summer co-op” with moms in your circle where everyone shares a little of the load.
You don’t have to do everything alone. And you weren’t meant to.
For more about how to build support systems into your routine, read From Burnt Out to Badass, where Cindy shares her own story of how building a network changed everything.
Self-Care Isn’t a Luxury, It’s a Lifeline
Here’s what often gets lost in the chaos: You still matter.
That means your mental health. Your energy. Your joy. All of it.
Cindy drives this point home: “It’s okay to do some self-care. We encourage that. Please do, because then when you’re on, you’re full on. You’re 100 percent in. And that’s better than not being 100 percent and just being crazy.”
You’re not failing if you need a break. You’re not selfish for prioritizing your own needs. In fact, doing so makes you a better mom, partner, boss, and human.
Need help sticking to self-care habits during your busiest seasons? Here’s how to stay consistent with self-growth even when you’re too busy to think.
Let Go of Perfect, You’re Already Doing Enough
One thing summer really magnifies is the myth of the “perfect mom.”
You imagine other moms taking their kids on Pinterest-worthy adventures, running successful businesses, and still managing to meal prep organic lunches in color-coded containers.
Reality check. That’s not real life.
As Westover says, “Good moms are happy moms.”
So instead of pushing yourself to do it all, try focusing on what actually matters. Being present when you can, giving yourself grace when you can’t, and trusting that “good enough” really is good enough.
Letting go of perfection is a theme Cindy touches on in The Power Pause, it’s all about asking yourself better questions before you take on more than you should.
Time for a Post-Pandemic Shift
The pandemic showed us that the world can change when it has to. Work-from-home, flexible hours, Zoom everything, we made it happen.
So why can’t we extend that same mindset to supporting working moms?
Cindy makes a great point: “We adjusted for COVID, what about adjusting for the moms that stay home and work?”
Summer doesn’t sneak up on anyone. It’s predictable. Which means companies have every opportunity to prepare and support their teams, especially those who are trying to work while parenting full-time.
Westover adds, “There better be a darn good reason if you’re doing a return-to-office mandate.” And he’s right. If flexibility worked during the pandemic, it can still work now.
To keep your own productivity high during chaotic seasons, Cindy’s guide to managing multiple projects is a must-read.
What Really Helps Working Moms During Summer
Let’s recap a few things that actually help:
- Proactive Conversations: Managers should reach out and offer support before the stress sets in
- Flexible Schedules: Let moms work when they can be most productive, even if that means early mornings or after bedtime
- Remote Options: If the job can be done at home, let it be done at home
- Support Networks: Encourage team members to build a village. Maybe even help them do it
- Self-Care Time: Normalize it. Support it. Don’t judge it
- Grace Over Perfection: Progress over pressure, always
Need a structured approach to bring all this together? Cindy’s personalized time management coaching can help you create a summer plan that feels less like survival mode and more like something that works for you.
Listen In, Lean In, and Lighten the Load
Summer doesn’t have to be a solo mission. If you’re feeling the pressure, the guilt, or the exhaustion, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to keep doing it alone either.
Go listen now and share it with the moms in your life who need to hear they’re not failing—they’re just doing far more than anyone gives them credit for.
And when you’re ready to stop managing summer on fumes, reach out to Cindy directly to find out how coaching can help you create a life and business that works for you, not against you.
You’ve got this. Let’s make sure you don’t have to go it alone.
To connect with Cindy Cavoto and learn more about her work, visit her website at CindyCavoto.com. And be sure to check out all the podcasts in the HCI Podcast Network.