Balancing ambitious career goals with fulfilling personal relationships can be a delicate act, especially for women leaders who are often juggling high expectations in both areas. For women entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives, the pressure to “do it all” can lead to burnout and imbalance, affecting both personal fulfillment and professional success. Rachel Radway, CEO of RER Coaching and a certified executive and leadership coach, has dedicated her career to helping high-achieving highly sensitive and neurodivergent women find a new approach to balance. She teaches them how to harness their strengths and align their lives and work so they can thrive, not just strive.
Rachel joined me on The Art & Science of Tending podcast to discuss key strategies for setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and rethinking both inner and societal narratives that lead women to overextend themselves. Her insights reveal that for women leaders, thriving begins with creating a healthy foundation. Here’s a closer look at Rachel’s advice for women seeking to align their career and personal goals.
Understanding the Unique Challenges of Women Leaders
Rachel opens by discussing a recurring challenge many of her clients face: balancing the desire to excel with the struggle to set limits. High-achieving women often feel a responsibility to handle everything independently, frequently due to an ingrained belief that others won’t meet their standards. This “superwoman complex” is particularly common among conscientious, detail-oriented leaders who fear that asking for help might compromise results. However, Rachel emphasizes that this mindset is unsustainable and, left unchecked, often leads to resentment toward colleagues or partners.
She explains that effective leadership, in life and work, requires not just competence but a willingness to share and delegate responsibilities. By shifting focus from “doing it all” to “doing what matters,” women can find relief from the pressure to perform and achieve a sense of alignment between their personal and professional lives.
Practical Strategies for Setting Boundaries in Relationships and Work
One of the first steps Rachel coaches her clients through is boundary-setting. While boundaries are essential to maintaining balance, women leaders can struggle to implement them effectively, fearing that they may appear selfish or uncommitted. Rachel encourages her clients to view boundaries as a commitment to their well-being rather than a limitation on others. Setting boundaries allows women to protect their energy, making them more present and available for meaningful interactions at home and work.
Rachel suggests starting small by setting “micro-boundaries.” This could mean blocking out a few hours each week for personal time or designating specific “no work” hours to focus on family. As these small boundaries become habits, women gain confidence in creating larger boundaries to safeguard their time and emotional energy.
“Boundaries,” Rachel notes, “aren’t about keeping people out but about creating a space where we can recharge. For leaders, that personal recharge time is essential for making sound decisions and maintaining balance.”
Self-Care as a Leadership Tool
Self-care is often viewed as a luxury, but Rachel reframes it as a leadership necessity. She explains that caring for one’s physical, mental, and emotional health lays the groundwork for balanced relationships. For women leaders, prioritizing self-care is about recognizing that one’s well-being directly impacts how effectively they can lead, collaborate, and support others.
Rachel introduces the concept of “integrative self-care.” Rather than waiting for extended vacations or spa days, she suggests incorporating small self-care practices into the daily routine. This could mean brief mindfulness exercises, a 10-minute walk outside, or simply taking time to disconnect from work emails in the evening. These practices help sustain energy and foster a mindset that values well-being as much as productivity.
Rachel’s approach to self-care extends beyond the individual. She encourages her clients to model self-care for their teams and families, normalizing it as a crucial component of successful leadership. When leaders show that self-care matters, it creates a ripple effect, inspiring those around them to adopt similar practices.
Confronting Internalized Beliefs and Societal Messages
Many of Rachel’s clients struggle with beliefs they’ve internalized from societal messages that tell them they’re “broken,” “crazy,” or “too much.” From childhood, women who feel or think differently are often conditioned to believe that success requires relentless effort and self-sacrifice, leaving little room for personal fulfillment. Rachel’s coaching focuses on identifying these ingrained beliefs and helping clients rewrite their inner narratives.
Rachel describes one client who came to her feeling constantly overwhelmed by a sense of not doing enough, despite her professional accomplishments. Through coaching, this client recognized that she was carrying the weight of expectations that didn’t align with her personal values. By confronting these messages and realigning her goals, she was able to prioritize herself and, as a result, create more fulfilling relationships.
“Internal narratives are powerful,” Rachel says. “When women begin to shift these stories, they can change their entire approach to work and relationships, letting go of the need to prove themselves and instead embracing their inherent worth.”
Cultivating Equitable Relationships in All Areas of Life
For women leaders, the shift from striving to thriving isn’t just about setting boundaries or practicing self-care; it’s about creating equitable relationships. Rachel emphasizes that balanced relationships require both parties to contribute equally, whether at work or in personal partnerships. This often involves clear communication about expectations and consistent check-ins to ensure both partners feel supported.
Rachel introduces her clients to the concept of “shared emotional labor,” which involves acknowledging the invisible tasks—like planning, emotional support, and conflict management—that often go unrecognized in relationships. By openly discussing and dividing these tasks, couples and colleagues can avoid imbalances that lead to resentment.
In her work with women leaders, Rachel also stresses the importance of “bids for connection,” a term coined by relationship expert Dr. John Gottman. These are small actions people take to connect with their partners, such as a quick message of appreciation or a gesture of support. Rachel encourages her clients to practice these bids, noting that even small, positive interactions can greatly strengthen bonds and build resilience in relationships.
The Path from Striving to Thriving
Rachel’s approach is fundamentally about helping women understand that they don’t have to do it all to be successful or happy. Moving from striving to thriving requires embracing the concept of “enough” and recognizing that well-being is as vital as achievement. By setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and reshaping their inner narratives, women leaders can find balance and fulfillment across all areas of life.
For women leaders feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of career and relationships, Rachel offers this advice: “Start by asking yourself, ‘What do I need to thrive?’ That question often reveals areas of neglect and sets the stage for change.” In this way, Rachel’s work echoes the core mission of Tend Task—to foster equitable partnerships and balanced lives where everyone’s needs are valued.
New Book Release: Perceptive: Owning Your Power When You’re Wired a Little Differently
As the interview wrapped up, Rachel shared exciting news about her upcoming book, Perceptive: Owning Your Power When You’re Wired Differently, which is set to launch next year with a pre-launch campaign in December. In this book, Rachel delves into her own journey of self-discovery as a highly sensitive individual, sharing personal insights and experiences that have shaped her work. She also features stories of other women leaders, both from the corporate world and entrepreneurial spheres, who have embraced their unique strengths and learned to navigate life differently.
Alongside these narratives, Perceptive provides tools, tips, and techniques designed to empower readers who know they’re “wired a little differently” and seek to harness this as a source of strength rather than limitation. Although the book speaks to everyone, its examples and stories focus on women, the primary group Rachel works with.
For those interested in being part of the pre-launch or learning more about the book, Rachel invites listeners to visit her website, RERcoaching.com, where they can sign up for updates and gain early access to launch activities. Early subscribers will receive exclusive content and insights ahead of the December campaign, making it a great way to connect with Rachel and explore her upcoming work. You can also find Rachel on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Rachel Radway’s insights shed light on the journey from burnout to balance, offering practical tools for women leaders striving to align their careers and relationships. Her approach reminds us that the path to fulfillment lies not in doing everything but in doing what truly matters. For women leaders ready to prioritize themselves, Rachel’s coaching provides a guide to building both a thriving career and a balanced, meaningful life.
