From Boardroom to Basketball Court: The Real Life of a Working Mom

It’s a strange thing to live two lives at once. During the day, I’m a Delivery Director, handling teams, leading strategic conversations, and keeping client operations smooth. By evening, I’m a basketball mom — the one shouting encouragement from the bleachers, carrying spare socks, and reminding someone not to forget their water bottle again.

It’s not always graceful. My days often start with back-to-back calls and end with dirty jerseys in the laundry. Somewhere in between, I try to be present — for my clients, my team, my child, my partner, and, on rare days, myself.

Remote work sounds dreamy on paper — no traffic, home-cooked lunches, flexible hours. And yes, those things are real benefits. But remote work as a mom? That’s a different game entirely. It means answering emails during school drop-offs. It means logging on again after bedtime stories are finished. It means muting your mic while your child yells from another room that they can't find their shoes.

Before I became a mom, I measured productivity by completed tasks and polished presentations. Now, I also count a day as successful if I remembered to defrost the chicken and send that end-of-day report. (If I also caught a full basketball game without checking Slack? That’s bonus points.)

I’ll admit, I used to try and do it all. I wanted to be perfect — the kind of mom who brings homemade snacks to practice, and the kind of leader who never misses a beat. But perfection is exhausting. And more importantly, it's unrealistic.

So, I adjusted. I learned to say no when I needed to. I delegated more. I made peace with takeout dinners and messy rooms. I realized that showing up — really showing up, even if tired or flustered — mattered more than getting everything “right.”

There was a moment last month that hit me hard. I was finishing a presentation when my son peeked into my room and whispered, “It’s okay if you miss the game, Mom.” My heart sank. I wasn’t going to miss it — not this time — but the fact that he even felt the need to say that made me pause. Was I giving the impression that work always came first?

That day, I shut the laptop early and made it to the game. He didn’t score a point. His team didn’t win. But he smiled every time he looked my way. That made everything worth it.

Mother’s Day just passed, and no, there weren’t balloons or a spa day waiting for me. What I got was a sleepy “Happy Mother’s Day” before a 7 a.m. practice and a hug that smelled like gym socks and sunscreen. But to me, that’s more than enough.

I’m sharing this because I know I’m not the only one trying to juggle it all. Whether you’re a single parent, a full-time caregiver, or someone just trying to get through the week — I see you. I feel the chaos. I know the guilt.

But I also know the joy. That strange blend of exhaustion and pride when you wrap up a project on Friday afternoon, only to spend your evening on a sideline, cheering for someone who means the world to you.

We talk a lot about work-life balance, but maybe we need to stop chasing balance and start embracing the blend. Life doesn’t separate neatly into “work” and “family.” Sometimes they overlap, and that’s okay.

Some days I’m a great leader. Other days, I’m a great mom. And once in a while, I manage to be both — kind of.

So here’s to the women who are doing their best in both boardrooms and basketball courts. To the ones who show up, even when it’s messy. To the ones who love deeply, lead boldly, and rest when they can.

You are enough. And so am I.