Work/Life balance

I was recently invited to be a panelist at a conference on Women as Leaders of Change, held in Lahore on November 25.  Attended by professional women from all walks of life, the conference addressed many of the issues that women face in the workplace on a daily basis.  One issue that was discussed at great length was the oft debated topic of the challenge women face in balancing their professional lives with their roles as mothers, wives and ‘homemakers’.

The speakers included professionals from the media and corporate communities, as well as those with a more entrepreneurial bent. Many spoke about how they attempted to strike a work/life balance by changing career tracks and switching to sectors such as education, where the hours are shorter and they are able to strike more of a balance than in the corporate world.  

This, to me, is not striking a balance – it is compromising by changing careers and fooling yourself into believing that you still have it all.

The truth is, if you’re a mother working in a highly demanding corporate job, it is not possible to have it all. Not if you plan on making a mark. Take advertising – how on earth can a woman expect to achieve a balance when she’s sometimes expected to be at work five, sometimes six days a week – often for 18 hour shifts. Women in such jobs frequently find themselves leaving the office at 7 or 8pm – sometimes even later. By the time they’re home, their children are already wrapping up their days and settling into bed.

The fact is that men and women are judged by the same performance criteria within the work place – if anything, women with families have to work twice as hard to prove they are equally committed to their careers. For a woman to succeed, she has to really prove herself – taking off early (or even, frankly, on time) to spend time with the kids just wont cut it (not if you’re a lawyer, doctor, banker, work in advertising or journalism or any kind of media/marketing job). So then where’s the balance?

For me, the issue is not about achieving balance – that there will not be a balance is a foregone conclusion. The way forward – I believe – is finding ways to effectively manage your time. To ensure that you are optimising the time you spend with your family, making every single moment count. In that respect, women from Eastern cultures (especially South Asia) are often luckier than their Western counterparts, as they frequently supported by a culturally stronger family structure. One that allows them to go to work with the peace of mind that their family members will be taking care of the kids, rather than some stranger in a daycare. This gives us a much-needed edge to be able to succeed in the workplace.

But balance? Sorry not happening. The truth is that we still live in a world where if, as a woman, if you want to truly succeed in your career, you’re going to have to make some tough sacrifices.