THROWBACK: How to Ask for Flexibility at Work (and Actually Get It)
You’ve proven you can do your job — and do it well — while working flexibly. But now that your employer wants more office time, how do you ask for what you need without feeling guilty or being seen as “less committed”?
In this episode Carina O’Brien speaks with Dr. Ellen Ford, leadership expert and author of #WorkSchoolHours, about the art of negotiating flexibility at work. Together, they explore how working mums can confidently start the conversation, use data and outcomes to back up their case, and find a win-win that works for both you and your employer.
You’ll learn:
How to have a confident, fact-based conversation with your boss about working from home or hybrid work
The key phrases and language to use when asking for flexibility (without guilt or defensiveness)
How to show your productivity and value while working flexibly
Why hybrid work supports better wellbeing, mental load, and family balance
How to reframe flexibility as a business advantage, not a personal favour
If you’re a working mum who wants to keep your flexibility this episode gives you the tools, confidence, and mindset to do it.
Listen to Dr. Ellen Ford's previous episode on the Working Mumma podcast ep 116 - Removing Barriers to Help Working Mums Thrive
Episode Resources & Links
Dr. Ellen Ford’s book: #WorkSchoolHours: A Revolution for Parents, Workplaces & the World
#WorkSchoolHours eBook - 100% discount with code "workingmumma100"
#WorkSchoolHours Online Courses 50% off with code "workingmumma50" check out Parents course or People manager course click here
Dr. Ellen Ford’s Website ellenjoanford.com
Connect with Carina on LinkedIn
Let's connect on Instagram @workingmummacommunity
Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/
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How to Co-Parent After Separation Navigating Divorce, Work, and Motherhood with Dignity
When a relationship ends, it’s not just the romantic partnership that dissolves - it’s the version of the life you imagined. For working mums, that loss can feel even heavier. You’re juggling career responsibilities, managing the daily needs of your children, and trying to make sense of an entirely new identity.
In this honest and practical conversation I chat with family lawyer, author, and co-parent Gabriella Pomare to talk about how working mums can navigate separation, divorce, and co-parenting with grace and clarity. Gabriella shares her personal story of rebuilding life after separation, whilst raising her son, managing a demanding career as a partner in a law firm, and finding a new identity.
We discuss:
The emotional reality of separation and identity loss
How to communicate with your ex without escalating conflict
Setting boundaries that protect your peace (and your children)
Strategies for reducing the mental load when co-parenting
The power of modeling respect and stability for your kids
When to seek professional help — and why mediation can work better than court
Resources & Links
Follow Gariella @collaborativecoparent and see her website for free resources thecollaborativeco-parent.com.au and check out her new book "The Collaborative Coparent"
Follow Carina and Working Mumma @workingmummacommunity on LinkedIn and sign up to receive the free newsletter.
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Stop Should-ing Yourself: Why “Should” Is the Real Swear Word for Working Mums
Are you caught in a constant loop of “I should be doing more”? In this reflective episode, Carina unpacks why the word "should" has become the secret source of guilt for working mums and how to replace it with kinder, more empowering language.
Carina explores how should sneaks into our day through social expectations, “good girl” conditioning, and the mental load and shares a simple mindset strategies to help reframe and let go of guilt and reclaim control of your choices.
You’ll walk away feeling lighter, more compassionate toward yourself, and with a practical strategy to shift from guilt to growth.
You’ll Learn:
Why “should” fuels guilt and burnout for working mums
The link between “should” and the mental load
A simple mindset reframe to reduce pressure
How to replace guilt with agency and compassion
Follow @workingmummacommunity or @workingmummapodcast on Instagram and follow Working Mumma on LinkedIn.
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Balancing IVF and a Career - How do you keep it all together? with Marianne Marchesi
What happens when you’re managing a busy job or running a business and quietly going through IVF at the same time?
In this powerful episode, Carina sits down with Marianne Marchesi, founder and Managing Director of Legalite, to talk about the emotional and practical realities of balancing fertility treatment and career.
Marianne shares what it was really like to lead a growing law firm while navigating IVF during COVID - from countless appointments, injections, and heartbreak, to showing up at work trying to keep it all together.
She opens up about being diagnosed with endometriosis, the emotional toll of fertility struggles, and how the experience reshaped her definition of resilience, leadership, and success. Marianne also shares how her journey inspired her to introduce a 12-day reproductive health leave policy at Legalite, setting a new benchmark for workplace support.
If you’ve ever wondered how anyone does it all, or felt the silent weight of trying to balance work and fertility, this conversation will make you feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.
In This Episode, We Talk About:
The emotional toll of IVF and infertility while working
Managing the juggle of appointments, deadlines, and hormones
The power of vulnerability and how it changed Marianne’s leadership style
Why workplaces must evolve to support fertility and reproductive health
How IVF reshaped her outlook on success, motherhood, and what really matters
MORE LINKS
Connect with Marianne on LinkedIn or Instagram @mariannemarchesi or via her website legalite.com.au.
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or @workingmummapodcast or on LinkedIn
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The “Good Girl” Conditioning That’s Burning Women Out with Dr. Michelle McQuaid
Have you ever caught yourself saying “I’ll just do it,” or “I don’t want to upset anyone,” or you’re simply tired of trying to do it all perfectly?
This episode is your permission slip to stop being the good girl, and start being YOU.
Dr Michelle McQuaid joins Carina to unpack Good Girl Conditioning, the pressure women feel to perform perfectly, please everyone, and protect others at their own expense. Drawing on her new research across 1,000 Australian women, Michelle reveals the hidden costs of this conditioning - exhaustion, resentment, and loss of self - and offers science-backed strategies to break free.
Together, we explore how this shows up for working mums juggling careers, home, and identity, and discuss practical ways to replace “being good” with being uniquely you.
We chat about:
What “Good Girl Conditioning” is and why it’s it's showing up more than ever
The 3 behaviours that keep women stuck: perfection, pleasing, and protection
How these patterns show up for working mums at home and work
The powerful antidote: self-compassion, secure attachment, and self-leadership
Simple nervous system tools to calm your body and respond differently
Why “you’re not there yet” might be the most powerful mindset shift of all
Links and resources
Take Michelle’s Good Girl Mindset Survey: thegoodgirlgamechangers.com
Follow Michelle on Substack or LinkedIn
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or @workingmummapodcast or on LinkedIn
Working Mumma is the go-to podcast for women navigating the juggle of motherhood and career, especially during the return-to-work period after maternity leave. Whether you’re preparing to head back to work, already in the thick of the transition, or in the first few years of rediscovering your professional self, this podcast is your toolkit for clarity, confidence, and connection.Hosted by Carina O’Brien, mum of 2 boys, businesswoman, and founder of Working Mumma, each episode delivers relatable stories, expert interviews, and practical strategies to help you. You will hear from experts, leaders, and women like you who are juggling career and motherhood. You’re not alone in this. Tune in weekly to feel supported, empowered, and reminded that you’re doing a great job.
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