Double Shift: the everyday balancing act of working women

For 43-year-old Megha Mann, district public relations officer in Bathinda, the transition between roles happens almost instinctively. “Often this quick change of apron is perhaps inbuilt in women,” she says with a smile. “We keep our workplace hat just outside the house and enter the house as a pure homemaker.”

Mann began her career in journalism, working with two English national dailies before joining the Punjab government as an assistant public relations officer in 2014. She was promoted to district public relations officer in 2020 and has since served in several districts, including Mansa, Moga, Barnala and Sangrur.

The early days of the Covid-19 pandemic were particularly challenging. Soon after her promotion, she was posted in Barnala, about an hour away from her home in Bathinda. With transport services halted during the lockdown, she travelled the distance daily on a scooter for nearly four months.

Her routine during that time began before dawn. “When you have to reach office at 9 am and travel more than an hour each way, you start your day early — cook, prepare the children for school and then leave for work,” she says.

On days of major national events such as Independence Day or Republic Day, her responsibilities expand further. “My day would begin as early as 3 am,” she recalls.

Mann believes that while working women’s professional roles are visible, their work at home is often ignored. “Cinema and television have glamourised the life of working women. The behind-the-scenes effort rarely gets noticed,” she says.

A mother of two, Mann says returning to her hometown after eight years has brought happiness at home as well. Her 18-year-old son is now in university, while her nine-year-old daughter is delighted that her mother can spend more time at home.

Dr Ajit Dua, chief executive officer of Punjab Biotechnology Incubators in Mohali

Her work often requires international travel, especially to European countries for collaborative projects. But the responsibilities of home rarely pause. “There were times when I helped my son prepare for exams over video calls while I was travelling,” she says.

Even now, her day begins around 6 am and continues until midnight. “Office hours may end in the evening, but the homemaker’s work continues,” she adds.

Despite the demanding schedule, Dua sees the dual role as a natural extension of responsibility. “Women perhaps have an innate ability to balance both,” she says.

For Gagandeep Kaur, a 34-year-old English teacher posted in Lakha Haji village in Ferozepur district, the daily routine also includes hours on the road. Living in Fazilka, she spends nearly four hours commuting to and from school every day.

Samita Kaur, a 34-year-old English teacher

“My day begins at 5 am and by 5 pm I am back home,” she says.

She travels in a pooled van with 11 other teachers, most of them women posted in different villages in the region. The long journeys can be exhausting, but Kaur sees it as part of her commitment to the profession.

“Travelling daily does take a toll on your health, but it is my own choice and not a compulsion,” she says.

During the commute, she often notices the struggles of other women teachers. “Many women travel these distances even during pregnancy,” she adds.

For Sangeeta Kalia, senior coordinator at Drishti Dr R.C. Jain Innovative Public School in Narangwal near Ludhiana, perseverance has been central to her journey.

Sangeeta Kalia

Married in 2000 while she was still a graduate, she continued her education after marriage, completing postgraduate degrees in history and political science along with a B.Ed. She joined the school as a primary teacher in 2006 and gradually rose to the position of senior coordinator.

In 2011, however, she faced a major setback when doctors diagnosed a benign tumour in her foot. Surgery and recovery forced her to reconsider her career.

“There was a time when I almost decided to quit my job,” she recalls.

Instead, she returned to work on crutches, supported by the school management during her recovery.

Even today, her day begins at 4 am so she can catch the school bus by early morning. The school is about 20 kilometres from her home, and the day’s responsibilities do not end when classes finish.

“Even with the help of domestic workers, there is still much to do at home,” she says.

Kalia believes that small changes—such as sharing household responsibilities—could make a significant difference for working women. “If families divide work at home and reduce unnecessary expectations, it would ease the burden,” she says.

For Samita Kaur, a 51-year-old environmental activist based in Mohali, the journey into public life began later than most. A single mother of two teenagers, she spent years as a full-time homemaker before founding the Vattrukh Foundation, an NGO focused on environmental awareness in Punjab.

Samita Kaur, 51 year old founder of NGO Vattrukh Foundation

Last year, when devastating floods hit several districts in the state, she quickly mobilised volunteers and relief materials, travelling to affected villages in Amritsar and Gurdaspur within a day of issuing a public appeal.

Despite her growing role in environmental campaigns, family remains at the centre of her life.

“My son is appearing for his Class 10 board exams and my daughter is in university,” she says. “During the growing years of children, a woman naturally ends up wearing many hats.”

Interestingly, she entered social activism only five years ago. The transition helped her discover new strengths.

“I realised that I can be a good orator, an activist, a loving mother and a home manager all at once,” she says.

These stories reflect a quiet reality unfolding in countless households across the country. Behind many accomplished professional women lies another full shift of work that begins the moment they step back home — one driven not by recognition, but by responsibility, resilience and care.