In Fortune Magazine, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution director Beth Fisher-Yoshida discusses work/life balance for women who want to succeed both at work and at home.
She shares a personal anecdote about a time when she prioritized work over family. When she couldn’t attend her daughter’s sports day event, her daughter had to complete a mother-daughter race with her grandmother instead. “Words cannot express how devastated I felt that evening watching the video of her...appearing disappointed during this race,” Fisher-Yoshida writes. “I had to deal with the fact that I made the choice to be at work instead of with my daughter.”
However, Fisher-Yoshida affirms that work/life balance for working moms is, at best, “a constant juggle.”
To avoid second-guessing oneself and feeling guilty, she offers the following suggestions. Think of the big picture: “Be proud of the fact that you are a working mother—you have the best of both worlds.” In addition, focus on making choices that are right for you: “Understand that you cannot directly control other people’s thoughts and emotions—focus on managing your own instead.”
Work/life balance is “a dilemma to manage” rather than “a problem to solve.” Although the juggling act is difficult, remaining true to one’s priorities at a given time – be they work-related or family-related – is a professional woman’s own prerogative. “After all, working mothers are fortunate enough to have access to both worlds,” Fisher-Yoshida says, and that comes with its own unique set of challenges – and rewards.
Read the rest of the piece in Fortune.
