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Women are praised for topping the higher and authoritative positions in organizations. Some of the great women entrepreneurs are inspirational to the upcoming generations. Just imagine how these great women managed to be working mothers.
In India, it is completely different from being a working mother. We can clearly use the word difficult than different here. A new mother is expected to be a superwoman all of a sudden. In fact, she prepares herself to face the struggles of being a working woman. But there is no limit for the struggle. Maybe that is some women are called superwomen.
When a woman is able to manage her professional and personal life well, it doesn’t mean she is just capable of it. But she is passionate about her duties. She is trying to do beyond her capabilities and comfort levels. A working mother faces a lot of struggles and sees what she goes through to keep her family happy.
Struggles Of A Working Mother In India
1. She gives up on her passion
If a woman wants to grow in her career but she needs to sacrifice her passion for a child’s care. Promotions and new roles for her is not the right time to take up. And never know when actually the right time comes again after being a mother. She may also have to give up her big dreams for life. She cannot take a chance of giving importance to her career. In case, if she is making time for her passion, she may also skip the child’s care. It is more difficult for new mothers who can need to pay all their attention to the little one.
Even if there is chance of growing with her inculcated skills and capabilities, she cannot as she is a mother.
2. She must learn multi tasking
A woman will be handling the tasks as per her capability. But once she becomes a mother, she must handle tasks beyond her capabilities. She is expected to be a superwoman. She has to manage with childcare, household chores, office work. If we need to do some new task, we expect some time to learn. But no one waits for a mother to learn the new habits and to face struggles. She is expected to do it all by her own and be perfect at tackling every challenge.
3. Her life is more of sacrifices
Don’t you think a mother’s life is more of sacrifices? She starts to sacrifice every small and big thing that matters to her family and happiness. The growing child needs her care and family members expect her to sacrifice herself. We all know that a mother is meant for sacrifices and we think it is her responsibility but there is hard struggle behind the sacrifices.
4. Least time for herself
A working woman generally invests her time in professional work and rest of the time for herself. But a working mother, must give her time at work place and then at home. She has least time for herself. She tends to give up on her fitness, health and wishes and anything that she wants or needs. By the time she lives up to the expectations at work place and home, she will have least time.
5. Lifestyle changes
Women set their lifestyle which is easy and happy to live. But it is applicable for her until she becomes a mother. Then her lifestyle changes and her habits changes. She need to make new habits and new struggles. She sets a new lifestyle and makes it all possible without complaining.
She needs to change daily routine and habits to take care of her children. As she is expected to be a perfect mother, she needs to set a new lifestyle.
6. Time management goes tough
If you have to learn about time management, you must learn it from mothers and especially Indian mothers. Every mother knows to manage their time and she is expected to. For working mother time management struggles is not an exemption. A working mother cuts off her time by setting the priorities in her daily life. That is how she can play the dual role of mother and an working woman. Playing dual role is not as easy as we watch in the movies. It is a struggle in real!
7. She miss her child in working hours
A mother loves her child with whole heart and when the distance comes, she miss her child with whole heart. This is a every day sad story for a working mother. May be she is prepared for the going to be developed distance with her child. But it is a struggle for her to take it all and every day. When she needs to pay full attention at work even though she remembers her child. And this is hard for a mother. This looks simple leaving the child at home for everyone. To know the struggle it is not enough see but need to experience it.
8. She is worried about her motherhood
As she is a working woman, she must prepare herself to give certain amount of time at work place. It take nearly 9-10 hours for a working woman to stay away from her child. And during the working hours, she creates a substitute to look after the child. A working mother is always worried about the connection with her child. Mother will never lose the connection with child but the little child may lose the connection.
9. Fluctuating health conditions
A woman goes through many changes during pregnancy and delivery. The changes in her body also show an impact on her health more or less. She feels low, weak physically and this matters a lot for a working woman. A new mother will have to face some of the health fluctuations. The health conditions keep fluctuating in her like mood swings for person. If she is at home, she can be relaxed and handle.
10. She gets sudden calls from home
This is common for every working mother. The call that she gets from home is not about personal talk every time. She may also get calls about her child’s health condition. When the child is suffering from a health condition but still she cannot stay back every time. So, she must leave home with the pain and she may have to go back home if her presence is needed.
I have seen this painful situation of working mother, who was my ex-colleague. She always used get phone calls about her child’s health conditions. Though it was common conditions like cold and cough it is a bigger concern for mother about her child.
11. She is no more flexible with office times
Most of the companies demand employees to change the shifts and work according to the company requirements. But a working mother, it is difficult to be flexible with her office timings. Some of the companies give an exception for women and support them. But it may not be the same with all the companies. It completely depends on the criticality of the work. Finally, working mothers struggle to manage it all. And they must be called super mothers.
12. Her mindset should be changed
A mother needs to change her mindset along with her lifestyle. She needs to prepare her mind for all the struggles that comes in her way. She must become selfless for her child and family. This is expected any time from a mother but a bit more difficulty for working mothers. Though it is difficult all she needs to do is, prepare her mind to take it all. After all she cannot afford to lose the best experience of motherhood.
13. She need to get back the focus
We know that in India, working new mothers are provided with 6 months of maternal leave. This is a great decision by the government and every working woman is thankful for this step of concern and care. But she need to struggle to focus on work. She may forget the process and work ways within 6 months of span. This is a real struggle for every working mother after such long gap.
14. No proper sleep
Mostly, this is situation is faced by working mothers. We cant expect new born babies and toddlers to understand the situation or struggles of their mom. All they want is care and attention of mother. Mother needs to stay awake and look after her children until they fall asleep. Putting children to sleep is equal to a bundle of tasks. If resting time is sufficient or not, she needs to report on time at work place. This is a toughest task to do and lack of sleep makes her feel weak and restless.
The purpose of this article is not just to show the struggles of working mother. But to understand and share her pain. You need not be a family member only to support her. You can support her being a colleague by sharing her part of work at work place. You can help her even being a stranger by offering her seat in public transport- “where there is a will there’s a way”. Every mother is an epitome and she deserve to be treated so.
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