You know I’m a big believer in outsourcing wherever I can so I can focus on what matters, especially during the holidays when work ramps up, school events pile on, and the calendar starts feeling unmanageable. @Stitch Fix new Holiday Photo Edit took a stressful thing off my plate this year: coordinating family photo outfits. Each box has a $20 styling fee (waived for your first order), but that fee is credited toward anything you keep... so if you buy even one item, the personal stylist is basically free. Here’s how to try it: 1. Create a family account and set up profiles for everyone 2. Order your “Fix” with sizes, budget, and preferences 3. In the notes, say it’s for holiday photos (add your color palette, dress level, and location) 4. Plan for delivery in about a week or two (ours came in 7 days) What else are you outsourcing or simplifying this season? Thanks to StitchFix for gifting me this experience. — Hi I’m Barbara, a mom of 2, ex-tech exec turned entrepreneur building the Bay Area’s first Wellness Social Clubs @MNTSTUDIO. Here I share the real behind-the-scenes of building a values-led life: career pivots after burnout, routines that create more ease, and the systems that help ambitious moms feel present, fulfilled, and in charge of their time. If you’re navigating work, family, and your own sense of purpose, you’re in the right place. #gifted #holidayphotos #holidayphotoshoot #familyphotos #holidayoutfit

Hiring a house manager changed my life and I didn’t even know this kind of help existed. One year ago, I was totally maxed out. We had just signed the lease for @MNTSTUDIO Marina, acquired MNT Palo Alto and another studio in Mill Valley. My kids had just started school (preschool & TK), my husband was still in tech full-time, and I was trying to grow my marketing agency while keeping our house from falling apart. We had a temp nanny who needed more hours, so I asked her to help around the house. Laundry, meal prep, tidying. That one decision opened my eyes to what a house manager could actually do. So I sat down with with Kelly Hubbell, founder of @Kelly Hubbell who is helping families find the same kind of support. Here’s what we cover in this Toolkit Series episode: 🏡 What a house manager actually does 💵 How much it costs and how to start small 📝 Where to find one and what to ask in interviews 📋 How to onboard and set them up for success 🚫 Common mistakes to avoid when hiring 🔄 How to transition your current nanny or housekeeper into a broader role We have hired a dedicated house manager for 15 hours a week, and it has completely shifted how our home runs, how we show up as parents, and how I use my time. You deserve this kind of help too. #podcastformoms #mompodcast #podcastforwomen #workingmom #workingmomlife

But really... the airport without kids feels like a spa experience. Give this a ❤️if you agree! #couplestrip #travelingwithoutkids #coupletrip #airportlife #parentinghumor

Now, I get it. Not everyone has grandparents on standby for a week-long babysitting marathon. But if you’re lucky enough to convince them, here are a few things we’ve learned to make it a win-win for them and for you. 🗓️ Plan it for a weekday stretch. Schedule your trip Monday–Friday so the kids are in school most of the day. It gives your parents a break and keeps the routine familiar for everyone. 👩‍🍳 Get extra hands for the tricky hours. If you don’t have an au pair or regular nanny, hire after-school help for kids laundry, school lunch packing, activities and dinner assistance/clean-up. Do a trial run with the sitter ahead of time. 🧺 Have house cleaners come right before you leave so your house feels like a guest stay instead of the usual mess with piles of laundry everywhere. Would your parents survive a week with your kids? 😅 #parentsgetaway #momlife #couplestrip #couplesvacation

After four days of nonstop events, I knew I’d need a reset day, not to rest, but to realign. These days aren’t glamorous, but they’re the ones that keep everything else moving. I plan them before the chaos begins: a day with no meetings, no calls, just space to think, move slower, and catch up with intention. I used to see slowing down as a nice-to-have. Now I see it as maintenance. Because if I don’t create margin in my week, everything I’ve built starts to feel overwhelming. The systems that keep life running smoothly only work when I pause long enough to check that they’re still serving me. P.S. Comment SHOP for my top 3 favorite @cuyana bags. 💪 @thesculptsociety 🥗 @cookingclaudine 💇‍♀️ @hudson_hair @sfcolorcollective 👜 @cuyana 🛒 @rollwithjoey 🍦 @kitchenaidusa 🍵 @perelelhealth #cuyanapartner #workingmomlife #momlife #workingmoms #wellnessentrepreneur

After the incredible response to MNT Marina, the momentum was undeniable. The excitement and belief were real. But quietly, doubt creeped in too. The doubt of doing it again. Of recreating something that felt so rare. But this time is not the same. We have a playbook. We have a stronger team. We have more clarity around what we’re building and why. We’re moving from firsts to seconds. From figuring it out to refining it. From potential to proof. MNT Mill Valley opens in less than two weeks, and the vision is clearer than ever. Our first Pilates in the Park brought out over 50 people. Our Grand Opening Party already has hundreds RSVP’d. Construction is complete. Final touches are going in. The bigger picture is unfolding. And things are moving in the right direction. If you’ve been looking for a space to move, connect, and feel more like yourself, this is it. 📣 Founding memberships are almost gone. 🎟️ 2-week unlimited trials are NOW LIVE. 🎉 Grand Opening Party is October 4. 🚪 Doors officially open October 6. #marinfitness #wellnesssocialclub #millvalley #athleticpilates #wellnessentrepreneur

21 hours. Two kids under 6. Nice to San Francisco. It was long, but honestly one of our best travel days yet. No delays, no running through airports, no full-on public meltdowns… okay, there was one in the Virgin Atlantic Lounge, but we were in a quiet corner, so I’m not counting it. ✈️ Set the stage early For two weeks leading up to it, we talked about “the big airplane we get to sleep on.” Framing it as something exciting made a huge difference. By the time we boarded, they were actually looking forward to bedtime on the plane. 🍽️ The crew made all the difference The @virginatlantic team blew me away. They kept meals warm when the kids only ate half, cut up sandwiches mid-flight, and always knelt down to greet them with a smile. I’ve never felt so supported flying with kids. 🎒 Activity kits are my MVP 20+ tiny toys, hours of entertainment. Simple but worth their weight in gold. 🛴 Scooters for the win Scooters at Heathrow are a new non-negotiable. That airport is enormous, and instead of dragging tired kids from one end to the other, they scootered along happily. 💭 Mindset matters The mantra running through my head all day: “This is temporary.” It helped me stay calm when things got annoying, and I’m convinced that set the tone for everyone else. What are some of your travel tips you swear by with kids? Drop them in the comments! #travelday #traveldaywithkids #travelwithkids #travelingwithkids #flyingwithkids

Because the difference between chaos and calm on an international trip is what’s in your bag. #packingtips #packinghacks #packingideas #packinglist #familytraveltips #familytravelhacks #

For a long time, I thought outsourcing was a luxury. But the truth? It’s been one of the most powerful ways I’ve protected my time, energy, and presence—as a mom, a partner, and a leader. Here are 5 things I now delegate so I can focus on what actually matters: 👗 I hired a personal stylist. Shoutout to @jordannasharp who I’ve worked with the past 2 summers. 🛒 I gave up picking my own produce. Grocery delivery >>> 🎉 I delegated birthday party planning (and much more) to a VA. @duckbill.ai code: NEWMODERNMOM for 50% off first 2 months @tryfaye code: NMM50 for $50 off first month 🏡 I brought in a house manager for 15 hours a week. I spend my evenings how I want, not catching up on chores. 🍽️ @chatgpt plans our weekly dinners in 5 minutes. #outsourcing #worklifebalancetips #workingmoms #workingmomlife #workingmomslife #delegating

We send our kids to summer camp in Europe while we work remotely, and we’ve met dozens of other families doing the same. It’s not a vacation. It’s a temporary relocation. And yes, it can work if you plan for it. Ready to stop saying “I wish” and start asking “What if?” #summerabroad #livingabroadlife #summerineurope #europeansummer #familytravels #familytravel #travelwithkids

Slow Travel (n.): A way of traveling that trades packed itineraries for presence, spontaneity, and local routines. Today looked like: ☀️ Waking up slowly after a 2am parenting shift 🚗 Spontaneously deciding to drive to Italy (just 40 minutes from Nice) 🥐 Wandering beach towns, grabbing pastries, lingering over pasta 💻 Heading back for several focused hours of work 🌙 Ending the night with routines that make me feel my best We didn’t plan the day. We didn’t rush. And we still did a lot. Want slower mornings with your kids and adventures while they’re at camp? I’m sharing our Summer 2026 plans very soon. This experience is better with community and I’d love for you to join us.

Want to feel wildly on top of things this school year? Start here. Stop manually entering every no-school day, early release, and random break. I handed the entire school year calendar over to ChatGPT and let AI do the work. Here’s how to do it: *Do this on a computer only! 1️⃣ Download your school’s calendar 2️⃣ Upload it into ChatGPT and follow the prompt in the reel 3️⃣ ChatGPT will extract the dates and create a .csv file formatted for Google Calendar 4️⃣ Go to Google Calendar, click the ⚙️ Settings → Import & Export → upload the .csv file 5️⃣ Done. Every no-school day is now automatically on your calendar. 💡Bonus tip: Create a separate calendar labeled “School Calendar” to keep things clean. Save this post. Share it with your group chat. Consider this your first win of the school year.