Motherhood is one of life’s greatest perks, yet it is accompanied by its fair portion of challenges as well. For most women, the biggest challenge comes after childbearing—how to balance work aspirations with being responsible for nurturing a miniature life.
As we hurtle through life at a furious pace, the mother is all too often stretched in two directions at once. On one is her work: her ambition she has built with years of toil, study, and dedication. On another is her child, who needs her time, attention, and strength. The tug can seem hopeless, and guilt at favoring one over another besets many mothers.
We’ve progressed a long way to accepting women as equal stakeholders in the workplace, and yet caregiving responsibility falls disproportionately with them. Flexibility at work, accommodating partners, and considerate workplaces are helpful, but the truth is—every mother has to fight and struggle her way to find balance.
Occasionally, even the most successful women are at those crossroads. More recently, Deepika Padukone has left the long-awaited Kalki 2898 AD sequel. Though reports attribute them to work-related reasons such as schedule and commitment, many attribute it to her embracing motherhood and opting to direct her time elsewhere. The move is a reminder that however powerful and successful a woman is, there is always a mother who will balance her child’s needs with her goals. Deepika’s step is a mirror to millions of women all over the world—moms who are taking tough decisions quietly day by day. Some take a sabbatical from work temporarily; some take it ahead with support groups; all of them carry with them the strength of love and persistence.
At day’s end, the challenge of managing motherhood and work is less about sacrifice and more about redefining success. At some points, success is climbing the corporate ladder. At others, it is simply being there for a child’s first grin, first word, first step. For most mothers, it is a combination of those things and navigated one choice at a time.