sheknows.com
In our after-hours feature today (that by chance I actually have the time to write because luckily I had a lighter than usual “second shift” today), as I was washing dishes and running after my youngest one who happens to think eating dirt is cool, we’re thinking about all the corporate sisters/mamas/aunties who have just started or are just getting ready to start their “second shift”. What do we mean by “second shift”?
Well, for those of you readers who don’t know, the “second shift” is our second job, otherwise known as the sum of all our family and house-related responsibilities, tasks and chores. Basically, all the fun stuff we have to tackle as we barely come in the door from a grueling day at work, from picking up the kids to washing the dishes, cooking dinner, giving the kids a bath, cleaning the kitchen, possibly catching up on laundry, preparing lunches for the next day, etc…right before plopping on the couch, make-up and all…
It’s the not-so-secret life of many a corporate sister everywhere, as they work at work and come back to work some more (albeit for a labor of love) at home. It’s the many colossal challenges that many of us consider to be the norm for women at work, yet fail to recognize as part of the ever-enlarging gender divide. And yes, to all our husbands, boyfriends and significant others out there, as grateful as we are to you, the reality still remains that there is a heavy expectation (both from society and ourselves) to perform on both personal and professional fronts at maximum capacity.
So, to all my corporate sisters out there, whether you’ve started your second shift or are plotting some way to make those dishes magically disappear in the dishwasher, we salute you and wish you all a good night (please don’t forget to remove your make-up, the last thing we need is wrinkles now…).
Have you started your second shift yet?
The Corporate Sister.
