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Working in the startup world is definitely fast-paced and challenging. But let’s be honest, being a mother is probably the toughest job on earth. Pitching to investors or sealing a deal with business partners can be tough, but trying to convince a stubborn child to eat their vegetables could just be worse!

There are probably a lot more parallels we can draw between the two experiences and both can be equally fulfilling with the right mindset and support.

We spoke to Smriti and Juan – the working mums in our Singapore office, to find out how they juggle between the demands at work and duties at home.

Q: Tell us more about your role at Neuron

Smriti: I manage, plan and track all financial transactions for the company as well as look after budgeting and fundraising.

Juan: I wear multiple hats in the company, but I focus mainly on business development and partnerships at Neuron.

Q: How’s your daily routine?

Smriti: The day starts at 7.30am. While getting my son ready for school, I have a quick check through on my Slack messages and skim through the morning headlines.We then have breakfast together and discuss the day.

Juan: I usually wake up by 8am to prepare, send my kid to school and work remotely after that. Some days I would also need to head out for meetings with potential partners.

Q: How do you balance both family and work commitments?

Smriti: Being organized. It helps a lot to be able to work from home on some days, I often work at night once my son is in bed and all is quiet. And my husband and I always make sure at least one of us is back in time for dinner and bedtime.

Juan: Thanks to the bosses’ understanding and help from my team, I do have the flexibility to work from home and that really helps a lot. There are sacrifices that have to be made, but I will always make it a point to spend our family time together.

Q: Any parallels between parenting and working?

Smriti: Thankfully, my boss at work is a lot less demanding than my boss (my 4 year old) at home! There’s almost no hope of managing timelines or expectations back at home. Everything has to be done immediately! 🙂

Juan: People management in the office is very similar to managing my kid at home! I currently have 3 interns with me, guiding them along and seeing them grow is just as fulfilling.

Q: Any advice for other working mums?

Smriti: To take each day as it comes – it helps a lot when you work in a culture where getting work done is a priority rather than hours spent in the office.

Juan: List down your own priorities and make sure you keep to it. As a working mum, you would definitely need to manage your priorities for both work and home, otherwise there will be compromises.

Q: As a supermom, what superpower would you want to possess?

Smriti: So many – I wish I had super healing powers with kisses and hugs! And of course to be able to multitask perfectly, to run on no sleep, to be able to get your toddler to do what you want the first time you ask, to make fruits and vegetables as tasty as chocolate and candy – all in one!

Juan: It would definitely be the ability to teleport! I could save so much more time on my morning commute, and spend time more efficiently at work and with my family when I’m back.

To all the supermoms out there, we wish you a happy mother’s day!

#NeuronMobility