The reality is that women want to be all those things and more, but what many women don’t realise is that you have a lifetime to achieve it. And as Shriver rightly said, there is no reason to have to try and be everything at once.

An increasing amount of women reconsider their position in the workplace when they become mothers. They may yearn to return to their careers but deal with the guilt of leaving baby behind, they may happily want to put their careers on the backburner to care for their child(ren) or they may want to have the best of both worlds – pursue a business from home while being their for junior.

Working from home is both exhilarating and challenging. On the one hand, you become your own boss and can be flexible to care for your baby. Loneliness, on the other hand, can take its toll if you are used to a busy and vibrant work environment.

Consider the pros and cons before you take the leap.

The advantages of working from home

• No travel time, which saves time and money.
• Office politics become non-existent.
• You are flexible in terms of time.
• You can control your time.
• You are your own boss!

The challenges

• It can be lonely and boring.
• The kitchen is just around the corner, making snacking an easy temptation.
• You have little technical support, and have to pay to outsource that function.
• If you are not organised, the lack of structure could result in you not separating your work life from your home life.
• You need to constantly market yourself as you are responsible for your bottom line.

But you can succeed

• Be organised.
• Structure your day and be in work-mode.
• Create a website and print business cards.
• Attend trade shows and networking meetings.
• Ensure that your office layout is comfortable and well-lit.
• Keep up to date with industry developments by subscribing to newsletters.
• Hire a nanny to look after your children while you work.

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