Do You Wonder How Women Manage Work and Family?

“The dawn of globalization has opened up great avenues for business models and they are no longer perceived as male or female-dominated. Today, the emphasis is given to what an individual has to offer and how his/her ideas contribute to the bigger picture without any focus on gender." This is India 2.0 for you! An era where abilities are preferred over academics and grind is preferred over gender classification. This is the India that our ancestors must have envisioned back then, although we are still far from the ultimate destination - women in our country have come a long, long way. From being a housewife to the breadwinner. Today, on the eve of International Women's Day - let's talk about the work life balance that's an important issue among entrepreneurs whether it be men or women, especially women who have to manage through the household chores as well, acing another responsibility to perfection seamlessly. It is tough being a women, indeed. Let's see what the women in the house have to say on this.

Apurva, Co-founder & CEO, Life n Colors
Nikita Harisinghani, Co-founder, Chrome Asia Hospitality
Smriti Tandon, Co-founder, Online Chikitsa Mitra
Shipra Bhutada, Founder, User Connect Consultancy
Aaradhna Dalmia, Founder, The Artemist
Kavitha Ramachandragowda, Co-founder & Executive Director, Routematic
Sujata Chitalwala Principal Designer at Designers Group
Ruchi Jhawar and Anju Modi, Co-Founders at Cogitus
Srishti Baweja, Director at E2E Networks
Nishtha Gupta, Co-founder at Rein Games
Saumya Kaushik, Founder at Growup Technologies
Vedaxari Joshi, Founder at All 'bout Communication
Sapna Khakharia, Director at The CANVAS Design
Dr. Pooja Chhabra, Co-Founder at Nuskay Skincare
Meha Bhargava, Founder at Styl.Inc
Geeta Ramakrishnan, ontological coach and Author
Sadiya Khan, Founder at Akund Communication
Karishma V Mangal Director and Trustee Thakur International School - Cambridge
Aditi Olemann, Co-founder Myelin Foundry
Kavita Mehta, Founder & CEO at Caymus
Kanika Trekriwal, Founder & CEO at JetSetGo Aviation
Tina Garg, CEO at Pink Lemonade
Dipali Mathur Dayal, CEO and Co-Founder at Super Smelly
Shobhana Sriram, Co-Founder and CTO of Quick Ride
Aarti Gill, Co-founder of OZiva
Ayushi Gudwani, Founder at Fabletreet
Sangita Desai, Co-Founder of Raw Nature
Mona Dahiya, Co-Founder and Director at Homefoodi
Pavithra Rao, Cofounder and VP at Growth and Revenue, WaterScience

Apurva, Co-founder & CEO, Life n Colors

I envision a future where women in entrepreneurship are equally respected and
rewarded, balancing work and life seamlessly. To achieve this, women need support from society. I'll contribute by mentoring and supporting women to pursue their dream careers without compromising their personal life or work-life balance.

Nikita Harisinghani, Co-founder, Chrome Asia Hospitality

I envision a future where women lead the charge in entrepreneurship, fostering
gender equality and diversity in leadership. As a woman entrepreneur, I'm committed to mentoring and supporting aspiring female leaders. Through networking and skill-building initiatives, I aim to create opportunities and empower women in entrepreneurship. Advocating for policy changes that promote inclusivity is also integral to my mission. By leveraging my platform and influence, I aspire to amplify the voices of women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, catalysing systemic change and creating a more inclusive environment for all.

Smriti Tandon, Co-founder, Online Chikitsa Mitra

As a woman entrepreneur for over a decade, I envision a future where women in
entrepreneurship thrive with empowerment, equality, and boundless opportunities. Integrating more women into my workforce and offering growth and leadership opportunities are key. Initiatives like mentorship programs and specialized training equip women for leadership roles. Despite challenges in male-dominated industries like the automobile business, witnessing women excel reinforces my belief in their transformative power. I am committed to championing their success to shape a future where women entrepreneurs flourish unhindered.

Shipra Bhutada, Founder, User Connect Consultancy

On Women's Day, I want to share my approach to balancing work and family through diligent effort and strategic planning. Building a strong team at work is crucial; I carefully select and trust my colleagues, fostering mutual support. By prioritising tasks and carving out personal time, I ensure I attend to both work and family commitments. Seeking help when needed and maintaining self-belief, passion, and positivity are key to overcoming challenges. Let's celebrate our collective strength and support networks on this Women's Day.

Aaradhna Dalmia, Founder, The Artemist

As a mother of a 3-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter, having a reliable
support system enables me to focus on work. Establishing a solid routine for my
children ensures stability. Balancing work and family, I prioritize quality over
quantity, striving for consistency in both realms. Adhering to schedules optimizes
productivity at work and allows cherished moments with my family. I recognize
the importance of flexibility, understanding that sometimes life requires shifting
priorities. Ultimately, it's about finding harmony between professional aspirations
and nurturing a fulfilling family life, embracing each moment with grace and
resilience.

Kavitha Ramachandragowda, Co-founder & Executive Director, Routematic

At Routematic, our commitment to employee transportation services ensures not only punctuality but also actively fosters stress reduction and improves work-life balance. We believe a content and relaxed workforce leads to increased productivity and employee satisfaction, establishing a mutually beneficial scenario for both employers and employees. Prioritizing women's safety during transit, aligns with our broader goals of empowerment and workplace security. Furthermore, our Electric Vehicle (EV) fleet adoption aligns with our vision for safe, reliable, and affordable daily commutes for the global workforce, actively
contributing to environmental sustainability and reducing the overall carbon footprint.

Sujata Chitalwala Principal Designer at Designers Group

It’s a common perception in India that it is solely a woman’s responsibility to look after her children and other members of the family. Especially in the case of married women, she is expected to strike a fine balance between her business and family duties. Both men and women must understand that an equilibrium has to be established to empower women and make sure that nothing holds her back. With the support of her family, a woman can achieve the zenith of success. My family has been extremely encouraging and favoured every decision , guiding me from time to time and providing me with extreme support at all times. My husband and kids have been the pillars of my strength and have stood up for me through thick and thin. Parent entrepreneurs have dual responsibilities to their businesses and their families; finding ways to devote time to both is vital for securing an elusive work-life balance.

Ruchi Jhawar and Anju Modi, Co-Founders at Cogitus

Thinking ahead, Better planning, making a calendar of events and being open about taking help from people around you without feeling shy! A lot of times, women spend times on activities which can be done easily by families pitching in. Also women need to know that sometimes it’s ok to not be around if work takes priority. Following your passion can be a way of life while maintaining a work and home balance. In our case we also see our kids taking pride in their moms work!

Srishti Baweja, Director at E2E Networks

Failure seems obvious, sometimes. Pressure and stress will be inevitable. It’s hard to stop these things from happening. You should build relationships, mental strength, and coping mechanisms to deal with these issues better. As far as I could see, there is no clear-shot solution that can work. After all, we’re all different in our own ways. It’s a work in progress to manage and improve how you do at home and work. Perfection is a mirage. But you can become better than yesterday through constant effort and progressive learning.

Nishtha Gupta, Co-founder at Rein Games

I recently finished a book - Mother of All Jobs by Christine Armstrong. I loved it so much that I gifted to my sister-in-law who was expecting.
After reading that book I was filled with gratitude and I thanked that I got the right support from my family and my company after having twins. As a mother of twins and an ambitious career-oriented woman, I can tell you that managing both home & work is not an easy task and it never gets easier.
You can't choose your family, your partner but choosing the right company in advance can be a boon. Just like you do in your relationships, look for the signs on whether the company cares or not.
Is your input valued, are your given regular feedback, is your appraisal done is time, are individuals favored more than the collaborative teamwork - well these are some signs to look out for! Build your equity with a company that trusts and respects employees.

Saumya Kaushik, Founder at Growup Technologies

Every day, I see to it that in my organization, women who work from home or from anywhere in the world are able to get monumental results by the means of remote working. This concept of remote working has been introduced through the advent of my organization. I believe this concept is here to stay and in today’s era, it is revolutionary.
Remote working gives women an opportunity to work. It does not make them compromise on their career but provides an alternative and efficient solution that can help manage their work and personal life. These women that we hire, I believe, bring credible experience from their own corporate journey. We give them the chance and means to apply it to real-time experience, here at Growup Group by working for the various breadth of times that we offer here.

Vedaxari Joshi, Founder at All 'bout Communication

Well, unlike men, women do have to decide if they want to continue with their career or not. When it comes to men, they are never expected to quit their job because they got married or had a kid. It is hard for women comparatively to have a family and a career going hand in hand without them feeling guilty about it. However, PR & journalism have a lot of women having both aspects going well for them simultaneously. In general, women even today are constantly given a choice to drop out of their careers. I feel if a girl is passionate about her work, in urban settings she still will find her way. In rural settings on the other hand, the first step is education. Only an educated woman can be well informed of her choices and will be truly empowered.

Sapna Khakharia, Director at The CANVAS Design

Dividing your time equally for your business and family is very important for a working woman. Set aside 30 minutes each week and 15 minutes each day to plan your time and schedule, including the most important goals, tasks and appointments. Situations change, and new opportunities can be both urgent and important. Be flexible and willing to change your schedule and reprioritize it to accomplish something that is most important.

Dr. Pooja Chhabra, Co-Founder at Nuskay Skincare

Working women find themselves pulled in multiple directions. There are work and home, and a multitude of things in between – with roles as diverse as being a wife, an entrepreneur, or a leader. I see so many women entrepreneurs delaying their family plans or becoming so engrossed with their businesses that they don’t nurture other essential relationships. There will never be a “right time” to try and have it all. My suggestion is to never neglect relationships be it family or one’s own self. I’ve had my business for almost a year, and I always try to set work hours and sticking to them. I never fail to give myself a little me time where I do a little self-introspection. It helps me in understanding aspects I need to focus on and plan things accordingly.
My advice to all working women is to have an understanding of their strengths and how to play them. Prioritizing things and effective time management helps a lot in striking balance between home and work.

Meha Bhargava, Founder at Styl.Inc

When the mind is set right, we can overcome all obstacles. We maintain a very healthy atmosphere at the office, and advise them to have the same at their respective homes. Being organised, time management, stress management is what we educate other corporates that we work with, and hence having all those qualities instilled in our own company is very imperative.
When I’m conducting workshops or seminars, I maintain the fact that as a woman we need to have our priorities right.

• Priority number one being, to understand ‘why do you want/have to work
• Prioritizing work with respect to home, family and kids.
• Accepting the fact that the guilt will never leave you.
• Being 100% present to wherever you are, be at work or be at home with your family or with yourself.
• Why do you think there must be at least one female co-founder?

Geeta Ramakrishnan, ontological coach and Author

Without any doubt its a challenge for our society. Planning your day, enrolling your family in the household chore, learning to say ’No’, defining your boundaries and most important accepting love and care makes this an easy juggle.

Sadiya Khan, Founder at Akund Communication

Let me be upfront here - it’s not easy. Working women face a sharper critique from both the industry and the home environment as they struggle to conquer both. The ideal way to do this is to sharpen your focus on a few core areas.
For example, I had read entrepreneur Randi Zuckerberg’s piece on picking three things that one wants to work with on a day-to-day basis and then focus on those, rather than running after everything. For me, these things are Akund Communications, my family and my health - which is why I can do it well.

Karishma V Mangal Director and Trustee Thakur International School - Cambridge

Ask for help! Seriously we need not be doing everything. The system where a woman had to balance both work and home is a bit jaded. But we all know it is a very complex task and it is also mentally draining. At work, I feel it is a practical choice to recruit the best, groom them into the appointed roles so they may perform efficiently, delegate tasks that do not necessarily require my decisions. Managing a home is about being there, actively present with family members and not bringing work related stressors and picking new adventures and fun. But follow a schedule for both home and work, plan your mindfulness and plan for your productivity.

Aditi Olemann, Co-founder Myelin Foundry

I think working women – from business to research to all other fields they are in, have been doing a phenomenal job in balancing work and home. There are key aspects according to me that help with this balance:

• The ability to compartmentalize work and home
• The ability to multi-task without getting stressed out

It is, ofcourse, very important for working women to have supportive partners and family members who are ready to share the responsibilities at home.ways to devote time to both is vital for securing an elusive work-life balance.

Kavita Mehta, Founder & CEO at Caymus

Accepting that neither side of the equation (home and work) will ever be “perfect” (actually, what is in life?) is the first step to managing a holistic life. Beyond that, building support systems and processes helps a lot.
For example, my husband and I have a deal: Monday to Thursday the kids look to me for any questions that need to be answered but come Friday to Sunday, dad is the one who manages schedules, questions, homework help, and so on.
Also, if you have children, enlist their help in meal planning, making calls for appointments, writing cheques and so on. With a little oversight and some training, they can be great support for the entire family and in the process, feel empowered themselves.

Kanika Trekriwal, Founder & CEO at JetSetGo Aviation

Effective goal-setting and an uncluttered mind always lead to a productive day. Plan ahead so you always know what to cross off your list next. It helps in identifying what work is on priority and what can be planned for-the next day. It is always better to avoid taking multiple goals without any specified plan, this can often lead to frustration and guilt. It cannot be wrong to advice keeping the house work on weekends and dedicating weekdays to work without overlapping. Also, Multitasking and lots of self – confidence can do wonders!

Tina Garg, CEO at Pink Lemonade

Organization, support, and the right mindset are the key to some order here.
First, plan to be organized. Pre-order and subscribe to services that allow you to remove mundane tasks off your list. Weekly supplies of vegetables, staples to the house or menus for the meals and tiffin boxes during a working week can help maintain some order. Set a routine and follow it.
Support from neighbors, friends, family and domestic helpers is critical. Work this support out for yourself and life can be easy enough. Thinking you can do without some help and adding that burden to your day is a no-no. Plan for peace of mind and leave the support system to take care of it.
Build a mindset that's attuned to reality. You can't be the best in every sphere of life. It pulls you in all directions. Prioritize work or home depending on the life stage you are at and plan to accelerate or slow your career basis that. If work is your priority, don't sweat the small stuff where the home is concerned. Pick up the pieces when you have time and see what's manageable.

Dipali Mathur Dayal, CEO and Co-Founder at Super Smelly

Not just co-founders, I believe that for every male CEO, there should be a female CEO, for every male CFO there should be a female CFO, and so on. Today, women are nearly 50% of India’s population, but only 20% are a part of the workforce and a minuscule 7% of them make it to c-suite jobs. It is not possible for India to grow at a rate of 9-10% with only about half of its population contributing to the economy.

Shobhana Sriram, Co-Founder and CTO of Quick Ride

Managing both home and work is not easy but a good work-life balance is essential and requires cooperation from all sides, including family and colleagues. My family has been supportive throughout my professional life and I have to say I have an incredible team that supports me. This allows me to work from home from time to time, thereby giving me quality time with my family and saving me from spending valuable time commuting to work.
The role of Indian women in the past has revolved around the home, thereby making most women adept at multitasking. This multitasking ability is reflected in our professional lives and while managing work and home might not be easy, our fortitude helps allow us to find a balance between the two.

Aarti Gill, Co-founder of OZiva

It’s easier said than done. But here are two things that really help - first is about clearly defining priorities & second is investing in your health. If you are healthier & fitter - both physically & mentally, you are able to work more efficiently and manage different tasks.

Ayushi Gudwani, Founder at Fabletreet

As women, perhaps our greatest trait is multitasking. There is no 9 to 5 for us - we are always working, from managing deadlines to running errands. At times, work takes precedence over our personal lives and vice-versa. I suggest you find a balance around that. Taking a step back and switching off for a while also helps. I personally do CrossFit or indulge in Thai food when I need to take a break.

Sangita Desai, Co-Founder of Raw Nature

My belief is that “the more you endure, the more you can perform, and the more you perform, the more is endowed upon you". It’s a juggle, defining priorities, time management and discipline. "What you gotta do, you gotta do". It has its own challenges, but there is no escape. Work empowers you, gives you satisfaction and a sense of achievement which drives you to juggle both the roles with equal passion. My belief is that “the more you endure, the more you can perform, and the more you perform, the more is endowed upon you". It’s a juggle, defining priorities, time management and discipline. "What you gotta do, you gotta do". It has its own challenges, but there is no escape. Work empowers you, gives you satisfaction and a sense of achievement which drives you to juggle both the roles with equal passion.

Mona Dahiya, Co-Founder and Director at Homefoodi

To start with, one should set their priorities. Secondly, plan to meet these priorities and calendarize them as much as possible. Thirdly, accept and acknowledge that you can’t do everything and hence delegate some things to others. Thanks to the technology, knowing the well-being of your loved ones isn’t a challenge anymore as we are connected at all times.I urge every woman to take some time out for themselves and do things that they really love. It is the only secret to maintain a perfect work-life balance.
Ease of management both at home and work is at the heart of Homefoodi. Our chef application allows every Home Chef to manage their businesses with the comfort of a few clicks, be at home or at work. All Home Chefs have the freedom to decide the days of operation, timing, listing, pricing and even promotions. Our Chef Application was made after extensive feedback received from Women to address their challenges both at home and work.

Pavithra Rao, Cofounder and VP at Growth and Revenue, WaterScience

My first recommendation is to have a job you like. When you have a job you like, you are a much happier person at home too. The second recommendation is to prioritise- We tend to get caught up in things that take up a lot of time and don’t really provide much value- this is true not just for work. It becomes much easier if one has a good support system.

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Conclusion

If you are looking for tips on how to manage work and family as a women entrepreneur, I'm sure this article was helpful! Now there's one less reason not to take the plunge and enter the entrepreneurial world.