Balancing Corporate Ambitions with Motherhood: My Journey to Finding Work-Life Harmony
It's 3 AM, and while the world sleeps, I'm starting my day. The quiet roads welcome me as I make my early morning commute to the office, arriving by 3:30 AM. These pre-dawn hours are my most focused time, before the beautiful chaos of motherhood begins. By 7:30 AM, I'm back home, where my husband handles our 6-year-old son's school drop-off but not before I get to give him a big hug goodbye, and my day transforms into a delicate dance of corporate responsibilities and constant mothering.
My 5-year-old daughter is my constant companion, my little shadow who makes sure I never forget that I'm a mom first, professional second. While many imagine hybrid work as uninterrupted focus time, my reality includes responding to emails with a little voice asking "Mommy, can you play with me?" and managing video calls while doling out snacks. She floats between independent play with her tablet or coloring supplies, but inevitably gravitates back to me, seeking connection, attention, and love.
Corporate meetings now come with a side of childhood curiosity. I've become an expert at muting and unmuting, managing to contribute meaningfully to discussions while acknowledging my daughter's latest artwork or responding to her whispered requests. My home office isn't just a workspace – it's a mother-daughter sanctuary where work and love intertwine, sometimes seamlessly, sometimes chaotically.
Image Credit: Midjourney AI
At 2:55 PM, my daughter and I embark on our daily pilgrimage to pick up my son from school. Don’t worry, I’m on my lunch break and It's a one-minute walk, but it's our special time together. She insists on being there, making it clear that this is a non-negotiable part of our daily routine. Of course, it could have to do with her excitement that this school is only months away from her new daily routine. Kindergarten is so close but so far away for her.
After pickup, I watch them play and reconnect after their time apart along with the many neighborhood kids that enjoy our little park next to the school. Living so close to the school is a blessing – I'm back at my desk, actual lunch in hand, ready to tackle afternoon meetings while the kids' laughter filters through my home office door. Yes, they have snacks in hand because this mama never leaves her kiddos without everything they could ever need.
While my husband's day is filled with his own meetings, the bulk of childcare falls to me during working hours. It's a constant juggle – being present for my children while meeting deadlines and maintaining professionalism. Some days, success looks like completing a presentation while my daughter colors beside me. Other days, it's managing to soothe a tantrum between meetings or finding creative ways to keep my kids engaged while I finish urgent tasks.
Running my personal company, GBRLIFE, happens in the spaces between – during lunch breaks when play is disrupted by rain or cold, after the kids are settled, in those precious moments when my daughter is absorbed in her own activities. It's not just about time management anymore; it's about energy management and making the most of every available moment.
Our choice to live near the school has been a game-changer. That one-minute walk means more time for both work and family. It means being able to transition quickly between school pickup and afternoon meetings. It means my daughter can feel secure knowing we're close to her brother, and I can maintain my professional commitments without sacrificing those important family moments.
The lines between professional and personal life aren't just blurred – they're completely intertwined. My daughter's artwork decorates my office walls, and her presence in my workday reminds me that success isn't about perfect separation, but about perfect integration. Those interrupted moments, the constant requests for attention, the midday snack breaks – they're not distractions from my work, they're the essence of my life as a working mother.
Let's address the elephant in the room – the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) judgment that working parents face. There's a pervasive misconception that we use our children as "excuses" or that we somehow contribute less to our teams. The reality? We're often working harder and longer than our colleagues, just at different hours and under more complex circumstances.
While others might leisurely enjoy their coffee before work or take uninterrupted lunch breaks, I'm starting my day at 3 AM, powering through early morning meetings, and using every spare minute efficiently. Those without childcare responsibilities might not understand that when our "workday" ends, we transition straight into our second shift of parenting – no peaceful evening unwinding, no luxury of spontaneous after-work plans.
The truth is, parents in the workforce aren't doing less; we're doing more with less. Less sleep, less downtime, less flexibility. We're masters of efficiency, cramming 12 hours of work into whatever windows of time we can find between snack requests and school pickups. We don't have the luxury of procrastination or the ability to push tasks to tomorrow – because tomorrow brings its own unique set of challenges.
When I'm up at 3 AM heading to the office, it's not because I'm trying to prove something – it's because this is what it takes to excel in both my roles. When I'm responding to emails while helping with homework, it's not a lack of focus – it's the epitome of multitasking mastery. The assumption that having children makes us less dedicated to our careers couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, our family responsibilities have made us more efficient, more determined, and more skilled at juggling competing priorities.
Starting my day at 3 AM might seem extreme to some, but it gives me those crucial hours of uninterrupted focus time. The early morning sacrifice due to Return to Office Requirements means I can be present for my children during the day, even as I navigate corporate responsibilities. It means I can say yes to both my daughter's request for attention and my boss’s urgent email – maybe not always simultaneously, but always with intention. Especially since this is the end of our time together all day. She enters school in just 6 months. Which means I will turn into a normal commuter but until then, 3-7 AM are my office hours. Available and work until 4 PM, but graciously at home after 7AM.
To other mothers walking this tightrope: your path might look different, but the challenge of being everything to everyone is universal. Whether you're presenting to executives with a child in your lap or scheduling meetings around school pickup, you're showing your children that love and ambition can coexist beautifully.
The secret isn't in achieving perfect balance – it's in embracing the beautiful mess of it all. It's in finding joy in those interrupted Zoom calls, in celebrating the small victories of completing a task while keeping two children happy, and in knowing that every day won't be perfect, but it will be perfectly ours.
