Today, a wide range of mothers are in the workforce or turning entrepreneurs for a myriad of reasons. For some, a career may be a choice, while for others a job is mandatory for fiscal survival. Needless to say, running your own business is never easy and neither is raising a family. But there are mothers who are doing that with a panache.

Here’s some tips from successful mothers for working mothers –

Sridevi Raghavan, Founder, Amelio

Sridevi shares “When I was working as an advertising professional in Bangalore, I found that a number of my senior colleagues found it extremely difficult to manage work and home. It seemed unfair to me that women have to make a choice between work and family. I wondered whether a childcare centre at or near the work place could actually help working mothers continue with their careers. I felt it was a simple but an effective solution, win-win for the woman and the company.” That’s how the idea came into her mind. And being a firm believer of having a balanced life with a thriving career for women, she  started Amelio in 2009 after graduating from Harvard Business School. And today Amelio prides itself on being the pioneer of on-site childcare operations in India.

Mallika Datt Sadani – The Moms co

“Time spent with my daughters is a fantastic stress buster. We have an activity a day planned through the week like dancing on one day, board game on the other, ice cream fun on one day, to do what you like on the other. We later tell each other about all that we did through our day and the way they never think any problem is big enough just pushes your mood up”.

Kanchan Mittal , Co-Founder Ipsaa

“Out of the two sentiments ‘pride’ and ‘guilt’, working women should hold on to their pride. Give your children a reason to be proud of you and your achievements instead of guilt that you gave up a career to look after them. Be proud of managing both responsibilities successfully. I believe in the power of women to multitask. To my mind every woman is a form of Ashthabhuja Durga.”

Hazel Siromoni, Managing Director Maple Bear South Asia

“I as a working mother was struggling in finding a preschool for my little one and that is when I personally felt this was such a tremendous need. The requirement of having a safe, loving, and child centered preschool and care-giving centre which is structured and has quality assurance is what we have tried to address through Maple Bear. Many women want to go back to their jobs without having to give up their career for which they struggle deeply especially on emotional level. My only advice is that as a mother your gut level will definitely guide you in making the best choice but also keep in mind the focus on areas that are beyond the optics but more focused on the child – choosing a program (Preschool or crèche) that is engaging children in a meaningful way with a purpose and structure & preparing them with a strong foundation.”

And these moms share their secrets about balancing work and life smoothly.

Kiran Manral – Author

“I’m at my desk every morning 7.30 am to end of day, unless I have an event or am out of town. I write in bits and pieces, between bread and butter work but writing is still a passion and an indulgence and doesn’t really pay the bills for me. The challenges I face I think are the challenges most work from home women face, your work time isn’t taken seriously by the rest of the home and interruptions galore which really affect writing. But the positives are that there is much more time available to work, and one can also be constantly around for one’s kid”

Ghazal Alagh – Cofounder, Mama Earth

“Time management, Time management & Time management. Ah, it’s a challenge for sure & let me be honest I rarely work when Agastya is awake & around me as his well being is top priority for me. I get 3 good hours when Agastya is at school which I use for all my social interactions which require me to be physically or telephonically present. Otherwise nights, early morning hours & black coffee are my best friends. I use that time to do all the thinking, planning, writing & emailing. I have realized if we have a strong purpose behind what we are doing we will find the time and energy to do it.”

If you are a Working Mother, struggling with work and family. Explore and chose the best daycare centre for your child and be part of the discount rally across preschools/daycares starting at ProEves soon. Register Now!