Having a Fulfilling Life with Corinne Low PhD
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In this episode of the Live Greatly Podcast, host Kristel Bauer sits down with Corinne Low, an economist, professor at Wharton, and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours, to explore what it really means to build a fulfilling, sustainable life.
Drawing from years of research and personal experience, Corinne shares powerful insights into why so many women feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and stretched too thin — and why it’s not a personal failure, but a systemic issue supported by data. She explains how women today face increasing career demands, rising parenting expectations, and unequal household responsibilities, creating an impossible standard.
Throughout the conversation, Corinne introduces the concept of a “personal utility function” — a framework for identifying what truly matters most in your life — and shows listeners how to align their time, energy, and career decisions with their deepest values.
Kristel and Corinne also discuss ambition, redefining success, navigating career stages, and why “work-life balance” is less important than creating a meaningful life that works for you. This episode offers practical strategies for setting boundaries, reducing perfectionism, and making intentional choices that support long-term happiness and well-being.
If you’re feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or stuck trying to “do it all,” this conversation will help you reset your priorities and design a life that feels fulfilling — not draining.
Key Topics Covered in This Episode
Why modern women are being “set up to fail” by unrealistic expectations
How to define your personal values using a “utility function”
Letting go of perfectionism and unrealistic standards
Dividing household and mental labor more fairly
Rethinking ambition and career success
Viewing your career as chapters, not a single race
Why structure and boundaries matter more than flexibility
Creating a life that supports energy, fulfillment, and well-being
Learning to prioritize your own needs without guilt
Who This Episode Is For
This episode is especially helpful for:
Working professionals balancing career and family
Women navigating leadership, ambition, and burnout
Parents feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin
Anyone seeking more clarity, balance, and fulfillment
High-achievers who want sustainable success without sacrificing well-being
About the Host
Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker, and TEDx speaker who delivers engaging, science-backed keynotes that drive measurable results for organizations. With a rare combination of clinical medical training and real-world business expertise, Kristel helps leaders and teams improve performance, resilience, well-being, and workplace culture—without burnout.
As an Integrative Medicine Fellow and Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel brings medical credibility and evidence-based insight to the stage. She translates cutting-edge research on mindset, behavior change, and peak performance into practical, actionable strategies audiences can immediately apply. Her high-energy keynotes are tailored to support leadership development, team engagement, productivity, and sustainable success—while inspiring audiences to “Live Greatly.”
Kristel is the award-winning author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business, November 19, 2024) and the creator and host of the globally ranked self-improvement podcast Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, was named a Forbes Top 10 Social Media Influencer, and was recognized as a 2026 Top Impact Speaker by Real Leaders—highlighting her influence at the intersection of leadership, well-being, and business performance.
Kristel’s prior clients include AbbVie, BP, Cognizant Technology, General Mills, Home Depot, Santander Bank, among many more. She has appeared on major media outlets including NBC News Daily, ABC News Live, FOX Weather, ABC 7 Chicago, and WGN Daytime Chicago. Based in the Chicago area and available for engagements worldwide, Kristel Bauer is an ideal keynote speaker for conferences, events and leadership summits seeking a dynamic, medically credible voice on peak performance, happiness, well-being, and leadership in today’s workplace.
Learn more at: https://www.livegreatly.co
Edited Transcript
Having a Fulfilling Life with Corinne Low, PhD (Author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours)
Live Greatly Podcast — Hosted by Kristel Bauer
Kristel Bauer: It’s time to awaken to your ultimate potential. I’m incredibly excited to have Dr. Corinne Low here today. She’s a Wharton economist, a working mom, and the author of her upcoming book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. Today we’re talking about fulfillment, overwhelm, ambition, work-life balance, and how to make choices that help you truly live a life that works for you.
Let’s jump in — welcome Corinne to the show!
Corinne Low: Thank you so much for having me, Kristel. I’m so excited to be here.
Kristel Bauer: I am, too. Before we dive into the book, can you give us a look into your background and what led you here?
Corinne Low: Absolutely. I’ve been studying the economic lives of women for over 15 years, and I’ve lived many of these experiences myself — balancing work, parenting, relationships, and the internal pressure to “have it all.” I used my economist lens to understand what the data actually says about how women spend their time and what’s realistic given the demands we face.
Kristel Bauer: That’s such an important place to start — especially for listeners who feel like they should be able to do it all.
Overwhelm Isn’t in Your Head — It’s in the Data
Corinne Low: One of the first things I tell people is this: you’re not failing. The reason so many women feel depleted is because the demands on our time have increased dramatically, but the support hasn’t. Women are working longer hours, spending more time on childcare, and still carrying the bulk of household work.
When you see that in the numbers, it gives you a chance to exhale.
Finding Your Personal Utility Function
Corinne Low: Once you understand the constraints you’re up against, you ask: what actually brings me fulfillment?
In economics, we talk about a utility function — essentially, what gives you joy, satisfaction, and a sense of a life well-lived. When you identify what matters most to you, you can start making choices that align with those values.
It’s about clarity — not perfection.
Reality Checks & Reframing Expectations
Kristel Bauer: So many women feel like they have to do everything — career success, perfect parenting, immaculate home — and then wonder why they’re exhausted.
Corinne Low: Exactly. When you check in — if you’re depleted, snapping at loved ones, or just worn down — that’s your body and mind telling you something isn’t working. You need to reframe what success means and adjust your expectations. It’s not about doing it all perfectly — it’s about doing things in a way that actually feels sustainable.
Uncovering the Invisible Labor
Corinne Low: A tool I recommend is tracking your time — not just the big items, but the mental and coordinating tasks that take up space in your head and your day. When couples do this together, they often discover the household work is much bigger than either partner realized.
Once you see the full scope of what’s happening, you can start dividing it more fairly.
Ambition with Clarity & Choice
Kristel Bauer: Let’s talk about ambition — can you talk about how you see that fitting into a fulfilling life?
Corinne Low: So often ambition is framed as climbing a career ladder with no end in sight. But if you think about what you’d do with your time if money wasn’t an issue, most people don’t say “climb to the top of the corporate ladder.” They think about meaningful connection, creativity, health, family — those are often the real drivers.
Your job is a tool — a way to support the life you want, not the only thing that defines you.
Work-Life “Balance” — A New Perspective
Corinne Low: I don’t think your goal should be balance. I think it should be a good life. Work should fit into your life’s goals — not the other way around.
The data also shows something interesting: women don’t actually want unlimited flexibility. What we want is structure — boundaries we can plan around, predictability we can count on, and schedules that let us show up in the ways that matter most.
Closing Reflections
Kristel Bauer: This has been incredible. Before we close — is there anything else you want to make sure we touch on?
Corinne Low: I want women to really reconnect with their values. Too often we do things because we feel like we should — because of others’ expectations or what worked for someone else. But your needs matter, too. Just like they tell you on an airplane — you need to put your oxygen mask on first. If you don’t, you can’t help others well.
Final Question
Kristel Bauer: Knowing what you know now — what advice would you give your 10-years-ago self?
Corinne Low: I’d tell myself that my needs matter, too. I was doing things that worked for everybody else — but not for me. And once I started making choices that worked for me, I showed up as a better parent, partner, and professional.
Kristel Bauer: Thank you so much for spending time with me today, Corinne. This was such a powerful conversation.
Corinne Low: Thank you — I absolutely loved it.
Kristel Bauer: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review — and until next time, this is Kristel Bauer with Live Greatly, inspiring you to awaken your ultimate potential.
Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions. Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations. They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content. Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.