Work Life,WHAT?

You know what really gets under my skin? Being a working woman in this country is like being a magician. You have to pull off the impossible—at work—and then come home and pull a full dinner out of your hat! 

But here’s the kicker: No one cares about the impossible things you do at work. You can get a promotion, close a major deal, or even save someone’s life if you're in medicine, but the moment you walk through that door, it's all like, “hey, what’s for dinner? Why’s the house messy?”

Like seriously, I don’t know, maybe because I’ve been at WORK for the last 12 hours?!

[Family Expectations]

Oh, but families love to pretend they support you. “We’re so proud of you!”—until you have a work commitment. Then it’s, “But beta, who’s going to take care of the house?” 

Oh, I don’t know, maybe the people who actually live in it besides ME? Just a thought. But no, I have to be Wonder Woman—fighting sexism at work by day, fighting guilt trips at home by night.

What makes me mad is how quickly families are to assume that your job is disposable. Like the second something comes up at home, it’s “Can’t you just take a day off?” Yeah sure, I’ll just go tell my boss I’m needed at home to watch over a fully functioning adult household. I’m sure they’ll understand!

[The Double Standard]

And the double standard? Unbelievable! A guy says, “I’m working late tonight,” and suddenly he’s Superman, sacrificing for the family. A woman says, “I’ll have to take a zoom call in a few minutes ,” and all she gets is, “Who’s gonna look over the maid?”

Oh, so when he works, it’s for the “good of the family,” but when I work, I’m neglecting it? Got it.

Tell me, why is it always my work that’s negotiable? Why is it my time that can be “adjusted”? Why is it always the woman who has to juggle ten things while everyone else just stands by, pretending to help?

[The “Work From Home” Trap]

And don’t even get me started on this “work from home” scam! It’s like, “Oh, you’re working from home? Great! Now you can also handle lunch, do the laundry, and look after grandma!” Like I’m sitting here with one hand on the keyboard and the other folding clothes.

Let me make something very clear—work from home doesn’t mean free-for-all! I’m not just “at home,” I’m at WORK! But no, they’ll never get it, because apparently a woman’s time is just a never-ending free buffet for everyone to take from.

[Career vs. Family]

And let’s talk about how families treat your career like it’s some side hobby, some little cute thing you’re doing to pass the time. “Oh, your job is important, but not as important as the family.” Right. Because clearly, making money, pursuing goals, and building a life doesn’t compare to peeling potatoes and folding bedsheets .

And then they’ll come at you with that old line: “Beta, family comes first.” Oh, does it? Does it, though? Because what they really mean is my career comes second. My dreams can wait. Because, apparently, a woman's job isn’t to chase her ambitions, it’s to make sure everyone else’s lives are running smoothly.

I’m sorry, why is it always my career that’s sacrificed? How come my work is seen as less important?

And they’ll smile at you, like they’re doing you a favor: “But you’re so strong, you can handle both!” Oh, I can handle it alright—handle it like a hurricane! Because I’m done bending over backwards to meet expectations no one else has to live up to.

And you know what? I’m done hearing, “But what about the family?” I’ll tell you what about the family—what about my life? What about my work, my future, my peace of mind?

It’s time to stop treating women like we’re some kind of household multitasking robots that can be turned on and off at will. I’m not here to “adjust.” I’m not here to compromise. I’m here to live my life.

And the next time someone asks me, “What about the family?” I’m gonna look them dead in the eye and say, “What about my life?”

In a world that celebrates progress and modernity, the struggle of working women remains as old as time. Whether they are corporate executives, teachers, or entrepreneurs, their efforts, contributions, and career aspirations are often belittled, not by society at large, but by the very family they care for. The subtle, sometimes not-so-subtle, dismissal of their work stems from an age-old expectation: no matter what a woman achieves, at the end of the day, her true responsibility lies within the home.

This societal pressure weighs heavily on every working woman. Their accomplishments are sidelined, their time treated as secondary to the needs of the family. The demanding work hours, the challenges they face at their jobs, the promotions and achievements—they are often deemed trivial in comparison to household duties. Whether it's handling the kitchen, caring for children, or managing family relationships, their career takes a backseat. 

This dynamic invalidates their struggles and ambitions. Women who push themselves to excel in their fields, to carve out a space for their identities, are constantly reminded that none of it truly matters. "At the end of the day, you're still a daughter, a wife, a mother," they are told, implying that these roles supersede everything else.

The question arises—why are men rarely asked to compromise? Why is their work sacred, untouchable, while women's is negotiable, easily sacrificed?

In many families, if a woman is late from work, it's seen as neglecting her primary role in the household. If she misses a family gathering or a festival because of work commitments, her dedication is questioned. But for a man, these same scenarios are understood, even respected.

This invalidation creates an environment where a woman feels torn between two worlds, constantly stretched to meet expectations on both ends, without truly being appreciated for either. Her ambition, her goals, her drive—diluted to mere "hobbies" because, at the end of the day, the family must come first.

But isn’t this outlook regressive? Families should empower, uplift, and appreciate their daughters, wives, and mothers, not cage them into traditional roles that diminish their identities. A woman's career is as much a part of her identity as her family role, and it deserves equal respect.

We need to redefine the meaning of family support. A woman who works, who strives, who sacrifices her time to achieve something for herself, needs more than a cursory nod of approval. She needs her family to recognize that her career is a vital part of her life—not something she should "adjust" or "compromise" for the family.

Her work matters. Her dreams matter. And until that is acknowledged by the very people who claim to love her most, she will remain the "Girl Invalid," trapped in a never-ending cycle of proving her worth.