These days with most women working, the act of juggling a family and career is a challenging task. Competitive work place, coupled with ambition, result in most women being at  crossroads with regard to choosing between family and career.

Women experience tussles at home with regard to division of work in the household. Lack of support at home have forced women to make choices that are not always conducive to their career. Metrolife asked women in Bangalore on what gets higher priority, having a family or becoming financially independent and climbing the corporate ladder.

Anju A M, an MBA student, is very clear about the fact that family takes higher priority. “Definitely family, because at the end of the day that’s where one needs to go back. Success in terms of career wouldn’t have any meaning to it, if not for the family. Who would you share it with if not your family? Besides, a good family life automatically implies balance at workplace too. Concentrating on family should be a woman’s biggest priority as contribution starts at home first,” she added.

However, there are others who believe that in life, it is always important to strike a balance. Aditi Gowda, a BBM graduate, says, “I think career is very important. In today’s competitive world, a woman should have financial stability and independence but family plays an equally important role in a woman’s life. A balance of both is what makes a woman complete.”

Selfishness is imbibed in each one of us. As much as we would like to deny, it is the truth. Jovita Estibeiro, a model, hits the nail on the coffin when she says, “Career any day! Only when you have a career can you have a family and maintain it. The Indian mentality is such that most women are asked to quit working after marriage, which is ridiculous. A woman is not under a man’s control and she should be allowed to make her own choices.

Everyone lives for themselves now, why should a woman be making all the sacrifices?”
The choices we make in life are highly situational. In some phases, getting that raise at the workplace is important, in some others being part of your child’s school play takes a higher priority. Maria Alapatt and Yukti Gupta, both textile designers, say, “it is highly subjective really. The very definition of having a career could be different.  For instance, a good career need not necessarily mean monetary compensation. Similarly, priority in terms of family may also be viewed differently. What one considers as sacrifice may actually be a thought out strategy for the other. It is hard to say what is more important because at different points in life different things are!”