Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
As my baby was a light sleeper, it was vital to ensure an atmosphere of pin-drop silence during her nap time and that’s when my work demanded to be at the top of my voice to get things done!
“I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you’re just thinking, ‘This is impossible — oh, this is impossible. ‘ And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible.” – Tina Fey
Years back, had you questioned me, ‘Would you work after having a baby?’, I would have instantly replied, ‘Nope, I would be a stay-at-home mum to take care of the kiddo.’
It was a beautiful sunny day and I had just completed the daily routines of a full-time mum. A few moments back, I had been moving heaven and earth to indulge my nine-month-old in the essence of sleep.
As I sat back on my couch to savour my lemon tea, it dawned on me that I was at the eleventh hour to take a call on my career.
9 months of magnificent motherhood journey had come to an end, and so did the maternity break at my office.
Reminiscing the transition from a happy-go-lucky woman to a responsible mum, progressing through the phases of c-section delivery, intense breastfeeding, sleepless nights, emotional outbreaks, weight gain stress, the journey had been reviving though it felt like a fish out of water often times.
During the break, I had always pondered over the thought of rejoining to work and weighed the pros and cons of being a working mum and a stay-at-home mum.
Every time I would experience cognitive dissonance – the state of having contradictory thoughts and I would end up being in two minds.
That day, once and for all, I decided to resume work; for I couldn’t cherry-pick something without knowing what it was and how it would feel. After all, it was a working from home job and my baby would be at my close range.
Boom!
The first day at the office was full of the joys of the spring, for I had resumed to something that I loved to do. The initial days of being a working mum were a cakewalk. But as the real work pitched in, it became a tough row to hoe alongside motherhood responsibilities.
Little did I know about the insecurity of my job skills etched in my subconscious mind after having taken a long break. Furthermore, I was too careful to ensure that my seniors don’t pity or blame me:
‘She’s a new mum, delegate the task to someone else.’
‘She has a baby to look after, what else can we expect from her!’.
I started accepting the responsibilities and tasks, even when they were stressful and of stringent deadlines. There forth, I had to burn the midnight oil to be on pace with the committed timelines.
Regardless of giving my best at work, I made a few nanoscopic mistakes which eventually would be committed by every other human being.
Yet the tiny mistakes got exaggerated in my lenses since I was over-cautious to not let anyone point fingers at me. Stress started piling up as I regarded myself as ‘a failure at work’.
Casting light on my motherhood side, I was stumbling badly, clueless of ways to balance my duties.
As my baby was a light sleeper, it was vital to ensure an atmosphere of pin-drop silence during her nap time and that’s when my work demanded to be at the top of my voice to get things done.
Irregular and incomplete nap times, missing out on a few motherly tasks, had become a new norm. Motherly guilt started soaring up as I deemed myself ‘a failure as a mum’.
The thoughts of non-performance at work and home were eating me up day in and day out. On the verge of breaking down, I realized that the physical and psychological parts of me were pleading for a break.
I slammed the doors of the stressful thoughts and deep-dived to connect with my inner self; for I always crossed my torrid times with the wisdom bestowed inside.
Ta-da! As ever, I discovered a ray of sunshine amidst the stormy clouds. To all the mothers who sail on the same boat, here’s what I have to share with you:
Yes, being a working mum is all worth it; for it also instils a few of the leadership qualities in you – time management, prioritization, perseverance, and accountability.
Enjoy the journey!
Published here first.
Image Source: Leung Cho Pan, free and edited on CanvaPro
Instructional Designer by profession; Writer by passion. A self sculpting mother exploring life in various dimensions. read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
Please enter your email address