The Books That Changed How I Work (and Live)

Let's be honest: being a full-time working mom and reading don't exactly go hand in hand.

I used to be that person with her face constantly in a book. On the train commuting into Boston, curled up at night, always reading. I wasn't a TV person at all. But then my first son was born, and I found myself slowly trading books for reality TV (no judgment please, we all cope somehow).

About five years ago, I hired a life coach and everything shifted. I started my personal development journey, and with it came a return to reading. Not just reading, but intentional reading, books that would genuinely change how I see myself, my work, and what's possible.

If you're in that season too, ready to invest in yourself, looking for meaningful gifts this holiday season, or planning your 2026 reading goals, these are the books I return to again and again.

How to Use This List

Think of this as your curated menu of life-changing reads. Use it to:

• Build your holiday gift wishlist (hello, hint-dropping to family!).
• Plan your 2026 reading intentions.
• Find your next book when you're craving real growth.
• Gift to another woman who needs to know she's not alone.

You'll notice some books appear across multiple categories. That's intentional, they're the ones that truly tackle the multifaceted reality of being a corporate working mom.

For Rethinking Productivity and Time

Indistractible by Nir Eyal
This is THE book for rethinking how you use your time. It's not about cramming more into your day; it's about protecting your attention and being intentional with where your focus actually goes. Perfect for those of us drowning in constant context-switching between work calls, homework help, and remembering that thing you were supposed to do three hours ago.

The most impactful lesson from Nir? His approach to time management: he carves out time for himself first, then his family, and then plugs in work. A me-first approach to time management. Revolutionary for those of us who've been taught to squeeze ourselves into whatever time is left over (spoiler: there never is any).

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
This book fundamentally dismantled my "I need big blocks of time to make progress" belief. It shows you how small, consistent actions compound over time, which is exactly what we need when we only have 10-minute pockets scattered throughout the day. Reading this changed how I approach everything from fitness to career development.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Productivity isn't about willpower; it's about systems. This book teaches you to design automatic routines that save mental energy and time, so you're not constantly deciding what to do next. When you're already making 5,000 decisions a day, this is gold.

For Managing Mental Load and Invisible Labor

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Perhaps the most directly applicable book for mental load. It teaches you to stop carrying the weight of managing, worrying about, and trying to control everyone else's behaviors, decisions, and opinions. So much of our mental load comes from feeling responsible for everyone's experience. This book gives you permission to let go. Think about how it would feel if you let go of things you can’t control at work….

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
This addresses the automatic patterns and unconscious habits that keep you trapped in the "I have to do everything" identity. It helps you rewire the neural pathways that default to taking on all the invisible labor. Fair warning: this book goes deep, but that's exactly why it works.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
(Yes, it's here again.) So much invisible labor becomes automatic, you're the one who "just remembers" doctor appointments, permission slips, birthday gifts, and when the milk runs out. Understanding habit loops helps you either delegate these tasks or make them truly automatic so they require less mental energy. A brain dump is a good start to see where your invisible labor is.

For Career Navigation as a Working Mom

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
This directly addresses leadership, authenticity, and having the courage to show up as your whole self in professional spaces. It's about leading in a way that's both effective and aligned with your values, which is crucial when you're navigating being both "ambitious professional" and "present parent."

Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown
This one speaks to the isolation of feeling like you don't fully belong in traditional corporate culture when you're also a mom. It teaches you to belong to yourself first. When you're constantly toggling between worlds that don't quite understand each other, this book is your anchor.

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Crucial for working moms who self-sabotage just when they're about to break through to the next level. It identifies the "upper limit problem", why you might unconsciously hold yourself back from promotions, raises, or bigger opportunities because of hidden fears or limiting beliefs about what you're "allowed" to have as a mom.

Be Ready When Luck Happens by Ina Garten
Shows how to position yourself for career opportunities even when you feel like you're "too busy" with kids. It's about strategic preparation and being ready to seize the right moment when it comes. Ina's story proves you can build something extraordinary on your own timeline.

For Identity and Self-Reclamation

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
(Yes, a third time, it's that transformative.) This is THE book for identity transformation. It's specifically about breaking free from the person you've become by default, stressed working mom, people-pleaser, perpetual multitasker, and consciously creating who you actually want to be. It's about reclaiming yourself at the deepest level.

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Directly addresses reclaiming your authentic self beneath all the roles and expectations. It's about remembering who you are when you're not performing "good employee," "good mom," "good wife", and embracing that wholehearted, imperfect person underneath it all.

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
Helps you reconnect with your essential self beyond all the roles and identities you've taken on. It's deeply spiritual work about remembering your worth isn't tied to your productivity or how well you're managing everything. This one will make you cry (in the best way).

For Leadership and Influence

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
(Here again because it's foundational.) This is THE definitive book for modern leadership. It teaches you to lead with courage, vulnerability, and authenticity, skills that are especially powerful for working moms who can bring empathy and emotional intelligence to leadership roles that desperately need it.

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Leadership requires stepping into your "Zone of Genius" and claiming your unique contribution. This book helps you break through the upper limits that keep you playing small or staying in middle management when you're capable of so much more influence.

For Mindset and Resilience

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
This is foundational mindset work. It teaches you how to reprogram your self-image and mental patterns, which is the core of resilience. When you can control your internal dialogue and visualization, you become unshakeable regardless of external circumstances.

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
(Fourth appearance, told you it was good.) Goes deep into the neuroscience of mindset change. Shows you how to literally rewire your brain to break free from reactive, stress-based thinking patterns and consciously create a resilient, empowered mindset.

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The ultimate book on resilience. If Frankl could find meaning and maintain his humanity in a concentration camp, it reframes every challenge a working mom faces. It teaches that resilience comes from meaning, not circumstances. This book puts everything into perspective.

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
Resilience isn't about dramatic comebacks; it's about showing up consistently with small actions even when you don't see immediate results. This builds the mental toughness to keep going through the daily grind that is working motherhood.

How to Actually Read as a Working Mom

Here's what I've learned about fitting reading into the chaos:

The 10-Page Rule
The Slight Edge taught me this: if you read just 10 pages a day, that's roughly 300 pages in a month, typically one full book. That means 12 books a year with just 10 minutes of daily reading. It sounds simple, but it works. I try to carve out those 10 pages whether it's before bed, during lunch, or while waiting in the school pickup line.

Permission to Quit
You have full permission to not finish books. If something isn't serving you or you're just not enjoying it, put it down. Life is too short and your reading time is too precious to force yourself through something that isn't working. Some people want to give books a chance to "get better," but I say trust your gut and move on.

Quality Over Quantity
I know people who read five books a month, and that's beautiful. I wish I were a speed reader who could absorb and retain that much. But right now, in this season of personal development, I want to understand what I'm reading. I want to put it into action. So if it takes me two months to really digest a book, I'll take those two months. The goal isn't to check boxes; it's to actually change.

What I'm Reading in 2026

The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel

Just one book. That's it.

My word for 2026 is Simple, and what better way to embody that than keeping my reading list to a single book that I'll actually study, not just read.

I'm fascinated by The Master Key System. It's written to be read one chapter at a time, there are 24 chapters, designed to be studied over the course of a year. Not rushed through, not checked off a list, but truly absorbed and applied.

Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, and someone I deeply admire, credits The Master Key System as one of the foundational books that influenced her work. In her book The Source, she combines the practical lessons of The Master Key System with modern neuroscience to help people understand how manifestation and visualization actually work. If it's good enough for Dr. Swart, I'm all in.

Here's the thing: I don't want to just read personal development books anymore. I want to take action and embody them. I want to live what I'm learning. And that requires focus, not a towering TBR pile that looks impressive but never gets implemented.

So yes, just one book for the entire year. That's my version of simple. That's my version of real growth. Will I stick to just one? Probably not... But it's a focused start!

Honorable Mentions

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
If you're craving more calm and clarity in the chaos, this book brings ancient wisdom into modern life. Jay Shetty breaks down monk principles in a way that's actually applicable when you're juggling a career and kids, not when you're sitting in silence on a mountaintop. It's about finding peace within the noise.

Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron Gikandi
This one shifts how you think about abundance, wealth, and what's possible for you. It's not just about money (though that's part of it), it's about reprogramming scarcity mindset and understanding that you can create the life you want. A powerful read if you're ready to expand your thinking about what you deserve and can achieve.

Evergreen by Lydia Millen

A beautiful exploration of intentional living and creating a life that feels aligned with your values. Lydia's approach to building something meaningful and sustainable, whether it's your career, your home, or your daily routines, resonates deeply when you're trying to move beyond just surviving and start actually designing the life you want to live.

My Invitation to You

These books aren't just recommendations, they're investments in your growth. I didn't know I needed them until I started reading them, and they've made profound changes in my life.

My challenge to you: Pick one book for 2026. Just one. Read 10 pages a day. See what shifts.

Because here's the truth: we're not just working moms trying to survive. We're working moms who are growing, evolving, and becoming the fullest versions of ourselves.

With love,

Erin