A WOMAN’S WORK
I’M OFTEN asked by other women: can I have it all as a woman and achieve balance and can I lead a fulfilling life? The answer to the first is a resounding no, but an emphatic yes to the second.
A man’s life, for the most part, is simple and linear. Traditionally, a man gets up in the morning expecting his breakfast to be made and shirts to be ironed. He goes to work where he can focus without interruption: he doesn’t have to worry about phone calls from school, unexpected medical appointments or organising a plumber to fix the tap. He comes home to a warm meal and to relax in front of the TV with a glass of wine or a beer.
A woman, however, is a juggler. She is expected to shop, maintain a clean home, organise repairs, supervise the children and their homework, attend school meetings, drive the children to parties and after-school activities, make time for exercise, look good, iron those shirts, cook those meals, and then possibly still have a career. Just writing this makes me feel exhausted.
So, no, as a woman you cannot have it all and achieve balance. What you can do is choose your priorities. What is important to you? Is it having a career or being a mother? There are no wrong answers. Each option comes with its rewards and sacrifices.
‘IT TAKES A VERY STRONG MAN TO MARRY A STRONG WOMAN’
Once you have chosen – if you have a choice, of
