As Mother’s Day around the corner, we bring you in connection with women who are managing both their motherhood and careers. And we definitely need some inspiration to juggle various roles in our life.
We caught up with Ami Bhat. She’s a multitasker and dons various hats in her life. She has been a marketing consultant. Now she’s a full time and brilliant travel blogger (seriously, you should see her pictures!), photographer, and a mom. Looks like Ami definitely has cracked the code to balance different things in life. So, on the occasion of this Mother’s Day, we caught up with her and got to know how she does it all.
So, Ami, tell us about yourself and your family.
I was born in Gujarat but moved to Abu Dhabi as a kid. I completed my initial education there and then moved back to India for the rest. After my post-graduation, I met my husband – Ashwin who is an IT professional. Like most other working couples, we spend the first few years of our marriage trying to earn the bucks, until our bundle of joy came along. Ayushi, our daughter brought in a lot of balance to our life. A teen now, she too, shares our passion for Badminton and outdoors.
Sounds lovely! How did you get into travel blogging??
Traveling was always a part of my life. Whether work or pleasure, I have always enjoyed my journeys. With a crazy corporate life, there was always this need to escape the madness and spend some quality time with my family. Every long weekend was the perfect opportunity to embark on a new adventure. In addition to that, we earmarked at least two longer vacations in a year.
That’s amazing! How do you manage your travels and also able to spend time with your family?
Now that I am full-time in travel writing and blogging, I get a little more flexibility than earlier. Of course, that also means an additional chore of ensuring that things are in place for the rest of the folks at home. Maids roped in, drops and picks up coordinated, clothes dried and stacked, my own work and deadlines wrapped up, the list is endless. Sure I miss my family when I travel but thanks to technology, I am able to keep in touch with them. There was a time when my daughter used to WhatsApp her homework to me. Now that has turned into long conversations about her day.
Okay, so how would you say that motherhood has changed you as a person?
Motherhood brought in a lot of balance in my life. I learned how to be stronger, discovered patience and selflessness. It taught me to see the world in a different way – a more compassionate manner. Along with being a mom, I learned to be a better manager – both at home and at work!
How do you feel our society can be more encouraging of working mothers?
It is never easy to juggle it all. Working mommies literally work on 10 jobs at one time. Through my career, I have seen that working mommies are actually achievers at the workplace. They tend to work double hard in everything they do for they always live with the guilt of not having done enough. It is time that society recognizes this and rewards them with a better work-life balance. It is more of a mindset change that is required. As long as your deadline is met, one should not really question her. There are a lot of HR policies in place but sadly, a lot of individual managers disregard the same and make it hard for working mommies.
True that! What is the most important piece of advice you have for mothers who are balancing both career and home?
Stop feeling guilty for everything! There is only that much that you can do. Take out at least one hour in a day for yourself – do something that you want – not what your child, husband, family or office wants you to do. You deserve that!
What does Mother’s Day mean to you?
Mother’s day reminds me of two big things – One is to be thankful about my own daughter. The 2nd – appreciate my mom and thank her for the most. She is the reason I am what I am today. Being a mom, makes me appreciate her sacrifices a lot more. The values she instilled in me is what I share with my daughter. I am not really big on celebrating it but Mother’s day reminds me to be grateful for a lot of things – as a daughter and as a mother!
That’s a beautiful thought! And how do you feel working moms can bond better with their kids?
Talk to your children. Speak to them about their day. Even if you get half an hour, make it count. Use your long weekends to travel or do an activity with them. Create memories for them and yourself. After you are done with the career, it is these memories that you will always cherish!
All the mommies out there, we hope you have got some deets from this conversation! Wish you all a very happy Mother’s Day!
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