A successful woman is one who can build a firm foundation on the bricks that are thrown at her. In the current context, women all over the world are succeeding in ground breaking activities. Women have always played a crucial role in the ups and downs that Nepal has gone through. Women had a strong presence in the peoples’ movement, and the number of female martyrs in Nepal is remarkable. Women are emerging in all sectors of society, whether its politics, social work or business. 

For most people, juggling the demands of their personal life and professional life is an on-going challenge. Achieving work-life balance often seems to be an impossible goal. In today’s competitive world, managing one’s career and family, while feeling satisfied with both is a difficult task. 

Therefore, one of the most contentious cultural debates of the modern age is: Can women have it all? This pertains to a balance between work life and personal life. Work life includes a great job and a perfect career, whereas personal life includes a house, money, kids, and a supportive circle of friends and family. We have witnessed that some women can, indeed, have it all. 

Industrialist Bhawani Rana has become the first woman president of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FNCCI) in its 51-year history. Sushila Karki was elected as the first female Chief Justice at the Supreme Court of Nepal. Kamini Rajbhandari has been appointed as the managing director of Nepal Telecom. This is the first time in Nepal Telecom’s history that a female engineer has been appointed to the position of managing director. The accomplishments of these women have become a milestone for many aspiring girls. 

There are a number of factors that are helping women find a balance between work life and personal life. Globalisation has made the transferral of human resources across national boundaries possible. Due to globalisation, job creation has increased around the world; different countries are outsourcing. There are various types of jobs that are becoming available due to rapid development in the field of technology. Some jobs can be performed even from within peoples’ homes. Additionally, nowadays, women are also allowed freedom of movement. Women are moving from one place to another in search of better opportunities. This has created immense opportunities for women to grow in each and every sector of society.  

The access women have to education is also on the rise. There has been a change in the trend of education; parents now feel that daughters have an equal right to education. The number of girls going to school is growing every year. This makes females more capable in realising their aspirations. Another issue of note is the quota system. The Nepali government has created a 33 percent reservation system for women. The quota system helps women gain access to various facilities like health care, education, economic equity and political participation. 

How one can achieve a balance between personal life and work life is a big question for many. There is always a way forward, it just takes a little push to get started. 

We need to stop comparing and start empowering. One of the best ways to be successful in life is to be ourselves. Comparing ourselves to others will always cause regret, as we have a tendency to compare the worst of what we know about ourselves to the best assumptions that we make about others. There are many wonderful things about all our lives; each one of us needs to focus on the wonderful attributes in ours. 

A supportive network can also do wonders to help us. A supportive network includes friends and family. We hold so much power within ourselves but we fail to identify that power. In this circumstance, the role of a supportive network is great. A little support, a little coaching and a little push from our supportive network will help us to achieve the greatest things in life. For this, we should surround ourselves with those that revive our inner spirit and help us reach our destination. We should avoid the company of those people who consistently make us doubt our achievements and capabilities. 

Nepal is a Research Assistant at Uniglobe College