In today’s connected world, where personal and professional life often blur together, one truth is becoming harder to ignore: working mothers are effectively managing three full-time jobs – one at the office and two at home, as a caregiver and handling the house chores.
For mothers working in high-pressure sectors, from communications to consulting, the demands are constant. Tight deadlines, packed calendars, late-night emails, and the requirement to deliver with clarity and creativity are often the nature of the work.
Add to that the responsibilities of parenting and running a home, and the weight becomes far heavier than what appears on any job description. Yet, many women still continue to show up, deliver, lead, and thrive.
“There isn’t a switch-off button,” says Reham Bakry, Head of Corporate PR at Seven Media. “I can go from reviewing a press release to settling a tantrum with my children in minutes. But these experiences help you learn to adapt and grow stronger as a working professional and a mother.”
Women are juggling a lot of tasks with no day being the same – whether it’s working on strategy decks, preparing for pitches, doing the school runs, or organising playdates. Behind the admirable resilience is an undeniable pressure, one that can gradually take its toll.
The reality is that many working mothers, despite outward success, are stretched to their limits. These are moments when things simply feel unmanageable – nights of little sleep, a child having a fever, a tight deadline, and a calendar that leaves no room to breathe. The emotional and physical fatigue gradually builds up, leading not only to exhaustion but also to a sense of drowning in tasks – none of which can be dropped.
“I’ve heard of women so consumed by the mental load, thinking about what’s next, what’s forgotten, and what’s urgent. Even the simple tasks such as driving home become overwhelming,” Reham adds.
“It’s not always the big things that break you. Sometimes it’s the build-up of the little ones. These moments aren’t signs of weakness; they are reminders of the invisible labour so many women carry silently, and still, they lead,” she explains.
Despite the pressure, working mothers aren’t just coping. In fact, they’re excelling with new research confirming that mothers bring unique value to a workplace. According to a report by Gallup, employees with colleagues who are mothers say there’s a 23% more positive workplace experience than those without. They’re also 35% more likely to stay with their employer for the next five years – a strong indicator of how they value retention, morale, and team cohesion.
This kind of impact doesn’t happen by chance. Mothers often lead with emotional intelligence, strategic foresight, and long-term mindset – all of which are invaluable in high-pressure environments. Their ability to multitask, remain empathetic, and problem solve is a reflection of real leadership.
“Motherhood taught me how to lead in ways no other job ever could. Through patience, intuition, and attention to detail, these qualities have become second nature, and they show up in my work every day,” explains Reham.
Companies that truly want to empower working mothers need to look beyond performative gestures and adopt policies that drive real impact. This includes realistic parental leave policies, flexible hours that don’t come at the cost of growth opportunities, and work cultures that see caregiving as a strength and not as a limitation.
The question is no longer whether working mothers can lead, because they already do, and they do it remarkably well. The real question is ‘Are we doing enough to ensure they’re supported, recognized, and elevated for it?’
