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“When I joined the InterContinental Muscat in 1988, I was the only Omani lady working in the private sector. To say it was a comfortable ride would be to lie. I was a single mother, managing both a three year old daughter and a fledgling career in a male dominated job scenario. Of course I had a job I loved, but I also had to battle the mindsets, and I had a child at home, with whom I was unable to spend as much time as I would have loved to. There were no glass ceilings for me to break, but as a woman it took me ten times more effort to get myself recognised as a professional. But I have always been the kind who enjoys challenges; they keep your mind alert and agile. If you don’t enjoy challenges, you end up being a boring person.

When I started out, I used to deal with the ministries myself for clearances etc. Being the only lady around, I used to be a little too conspicuous. It was challenging but I was confident that there would come a time when they would look at me as a professional than as a lady. I dealt with people in a professional manner and gradually they started appreciating my work and respecting me for what I do.

My job is a very demanding one. When my daughter Zahra was small, most of the days by the time I got back home, she would be in bed. My daughter and I were really lucky to have had an emotional anchor in my mother who was with us. One day, when Zahra was about ten, her school organised a parents’ day which I attended. And suddenly there was Zahra on the stage, playing the flute – I never knew my daughter could play any instrument. That evening I realised I have to slow down a bit, spend more time with her to watch her grow and get more involved in her activities.
The time I got to spend with Zahra was at a premium so I made sure that whatever time we got together was quality time. Five years ago I got married again. My husband, as a pilot with Oman Air, has an equally packed schedule. Both of us are busy but that has made us realise how precious the time we get to spend with each other is. We treasure our time together and make the most of it.”

Art of balance

“There is no perfect recipe for balancing work and home. When you are a working lady, many times the responsibilities are such you end up spending a lot of time at work. But you don’t want to miss out on your children’s growing up years either. You want it all, and sometimes in that effort, one person gets sidelined – that person’s needs and desires take a back seat – and that person is none other than you yourself.

When my children were young, I was lucky in having had the support system of an extended family; my parents were always there to stand in for me. Plus, I had just started out and my job responsibilities were not so much that I needed to spend extended hours at work. By the time my responsibilities on the job front increased, my children had also grown. They are teenagers now, they don’t need me by their side as much as they needed me when they were very young. But I know the need to be a part of their growing up years, the need to be part of their interests, friends, academic and after-school life. Dinner time is always time to share interesting things that happened in each one’s day. My husband and I also share a few of the interesting things that happened in our work day; we know those will help the children in the long run as one day they will also be pursuing a career.

Technology has helped me a great deal in being able to spend more time with family. I’m able to do a great deal of work from home as well, something impossible a few years ago. But each working lady will have to find out her own way of achieving a balance – what works for one may not work for another. In the end it is all about what you make of your life, of the choices you make and priorities you assign.”