Is Work-Life Balance A Total Myth?
Communications strategist and storyteller Aida Al Busaidy wonders if it is possible to truly have a work-life balance
Just the other day, Shonda Rhimes popped up on my Explore feed on Instagram. The American television producer and mother-of-two was giving a speech on how working mums always have to put on a balancing act. When asked how she manages to do it all, she responded: “Whenever you see me succeeding in one area of my life, just know that
another one is failing.”
This struck a chord with me. Honestly, she couldn’t have replied to that question any better. We can try to be do-it-all kind of people, but it comes at a cost. There’s a trade-off that we, as mums who also have careers, make daily. Her statement resonates with us all, because it is based on choices that we have made—and can make—to work, grow and contribute.
During a recent Bazaar Arabia event at Dubai’s Marsa Boulevard, a similar question was posed to me, but in terms of the career choice I had made. The honour of serving my country by working in government means I am able to give back to my nation and the leaders who fight day and night to make the UAE a great place to live, work and visit.
Additionally, my exposure to new things, places and people—par of the course given my role—means my children get major bragging rights when they get to hang out with their favourite celebrities, try out just-opened spots in the city or be the first to tick off new experiences. We also have a lot to talk about after a long day at work and school.
The beautiful thing about having a focus outside the home is the satisfaction of being connected and integral to other processes. You utilise skills learned during that four-year university degree you worked hard to get. The independence—both financial and creative—is immense. My realisation? Independent women raise independent children.
So how do I do it? I’m stricter—and better—with time management. I focus on the quality of time spent with my kids rather than the quantity. But the truth is that yes, I have missed football matches, forgotten to register for a school trip, or been 15 minutes late in picking them up. I have given them more screen time that I would like because I had early morning meetings or late-night calls, or was at an event that dragged on. I have been on guilt trips—often initiated by others who really have no business in getting involved but amplify my self doubt.
Still, I am grateful for the good, the bad and the inconsequential because it makes me human. It also helps my children understand that in every area—home or work—my best on that day is already at 100 per cent, even if I haven’t ticked off every task or made it on time to every appointment. When it matters and where it counts, I am there.
Lead Image Credits: Abaya, Dhs1,865, 1309 Studios. Shoes, Dhs2,410, Malone Souliers. Jewellery, all Aida’s own
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia May 2025 Issue.