Work-life balance: 'I feel both guilty and proud'

We'd asked you, our readers to tell us how you strike a balance between your personal and professional lives.

Here Shrimati V from Nashik tells us how she balances work and family.

I read the article wherein Ms Indra Nooyi has point blank told that women just cannot have it all.

I am a working woman and have been working since the last 14 years.

Of course, though, not at such a high post, I have achieved a respectable position in the company I work in.

Like every other Indian woman, I also suffer from the same guilt of leaving the kids home and staying at work for almost 10 to 12 hours.

But, my question is why do we feel guilty?

I seriously feel that this could be due to the society in which we live in -- where women on one hand are considered a symbol of power and sacrifice but at the same time fails to recognise these facts.

If the man was supposed to be the sole bread-earner of the family, why do you think women ventured out?

Today, I know many women who are career-oriented and have achieved themselves positions that men envy.

I feel proud.

But if you ask such high achievers who are women they will always say 'I wish I had a family to go to.'

After you reach a certain level, it's all about kids you think of.

Yet, I feel a woman can have not all, but at least something, if you have a partner who is supportive and understanding and of course compromising.

Is that a distant dream?

Are you a career woman too?

Do you, feel the guilt of not being around for your kids?

How do you cope with it?

How do you strike a healthy balance between your professional and personal lives?

Tell us! We want to know!

Share your experience and advice with working moms and moms-to-be.

Write in to getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject: Work-life balance) and we'll publish the best ones right here on Rediff.com!