If You Know What to Do… But It Won’t Stick — This Is Why (114 Working Mums Survey Results)

If you’re a working mum who knows what would help : move more, sleep more, eat better, cut back on sugar/wine, get into a routine……but it still doesn’t stick in a real week…

this is for you

I asked working mums to fill out a short Healthy Lifestyle Survey. 114 women responded  from across Australia (and also Zimbabwe, South Africa, England, the US and the Netherlands), different cultures, different life stages (pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, teenagers… all of it).

Different circumstances — but some very clear shared patterns.

What working mums told me (the headlines)

1) The #1 energy drain wasn’t exercise. It was mental load.“Too many tabs open” came through again and again.

2) Sleep is a massive multiplier (in both directions).Broken sleep didn’t just affect energy — it affected everything: motivation, food choices, patience, and the ability to follow through.

3) This isn’t a knowledge problem — it’s a systems problem.Most women aren’t failing because they “lack discipline.”They’re operating inside a week that’s already overloaded.

And what so many of you said you wanted wasn’t perfection — it was the real-life version of healthy success:

• more patience

• less snapping by dinner/bedtime

• calmer evenings

• more energy to play

• better sleep

• less guilt

• 
  

A few lines I won’t forget

“Making time in my work schedule for movement. After work, it’s mum duty.”

“I’m dealing with the accumulation of multiple issues… if I don’t put myself first right now, it’s all going to explode.”

“Unpredictable moments… bad sleep from baby, big emotions, then you miss the class and feel like you’ve failed.”

And my personal favourite, for a bit of humour:

“Male pregnancy — how are we not there yet?”

Honestly… fair.

Your tiny “start here” (30 seconds)

If you do nothing else today, do this:

1. Name your biggest drain right now (mental load / sleep / stress / movement / food / pain).

2. Notice where it hits hardest at home (morning / after work / dinner / bedtime).

   
   

That awareness is the beginning of change that actually sticks — because you stop blaming yourself and start adjusting the system.

What happens next

Based on these responses, I’m creating a practical, realistic next step — something that fits real life, not the ideal version of life.

If you want that when it’s ready, make sure you join my email list (or reply to any email from me with the word STICK and I’ll keep you in the loop).

Let's make your success healthy & happy!

Dr. Masi

Health & High-Performance Doctor for Women | HERSELF HEALTH