Women to Women

Working Mom in Modern Era

In today's era, we see women not only taking on the role of mothers but also excelling in the business world. Many mothers are balancing their family life and business responsibilities. Among them, we feature Mya Phone  Sint, who is the founder of Growth Session Myanmar - Maternal Care & Support and also a mommy blogger, in this week's women to women program.

Question: Firstly, introduce your name and business?

Answer: I’m Mya Phone Sint. I’m a mother who shares knowledge and experiences on social media regarding child care. I cherishe and take pride in my role as a mother and, recognizing the importance of community support for mothers, I established and leads Growth Session Myanmar - Maternal Care & Support. This organization aims to empower mothers from various backgrounds to progress and receive support in their journey. 

Before becoming a mother, I was solely focused on my business career. I only had a background in business, and it was during my PhD studies that I got married and became a mother. I had to learn everything about child care from scratch at that time. After giving birth, I stayed at home to take care of my child. It was a period of great change, and I often felt disheartened. I had to confront feelings of low self-esteem, thinking I was no longer useful or had no clear path in life. It was a time when I lost my sense of self-identity.

I tried to open up about these issues, but I couldn't find anyone who truly understood what I was going through. It seemed like other mothers had faced similar situations, and I felt even more guilty hearing them say that it's much worse when it's your turn. From there, in 2019, I started a blog under the name Mya Phone Sint as a way to write for myself and rebuild my confidence.

From this experience, I realized that there are many mothers in my community who share similar life experiences. Knowing that I was not alone in this journey, and that others were also going through the same challenges, gave me strength and a sense of solidarity in motherhood. This realization inspired me to start sharing my experiences, tips, and motivational content through vlogs and writings for expectant mothers, parents, and young children.

As I continued to write, I found that I could connect with other parents, especially mothers, who were eager to share their strengths and experiences. This dialogue helped me understand more deeply what parents, particularly mothers, need. What we all need in our journey of parenthood is a supportive community where we can help each other, and access to the right knowledge and resources that guide us on the correct path. This understanding has been pivotal in my efforts to provide support and information to parents, reinforcing the need for a community that aids each other in the parenting journey.

Therefore, in 2022, I established Growth Session Myanmar - Maternal Care & Support. The goal is simple: to create an inclusive community that offers knowledge, resources, emotional support, and opportunities throughout the journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.Our workshops and programs are designed to empower mothers with learning opportunities, boosting their confidence, especially when it comes to nurturing their children. The ultimate aim of our initiatives is to continually create opportunities that contribute to the personal and emotional growth of mothers across Myanmar. We strive to develop a supportive network that helps mothers realize their individual potential and flourish in their unique parenting journeys.

Question: As a woman, how do you balance family life and a career?

Answer: Personally, I believe that in motherhood, nothing is perfect and imbalance is a natural occurrence. Even I experience moments where focusing on one aspect leads to a slight neglect of another. It's impossible to perfectly handle household chores, cook well, constantly devote time to my child, and excel in business simultaneously.

I think it's more about mindset than balancing. It’s about considering what’s best for my lifestyle rather than achieving a perfect balance. The first thing I had to change was my expectation of perfection in everything and the guilt I felt when I couldn’t provide everything perfectly for my child. Working from home has allowed me to be present with my son since his birth. However, there are times when I'm engrossed in work and feel distant from him.

In essence, it's about continuously adjusting and understanding that perfection isn't the goal, but rather doing the best in our given circumstances.

The ideal mindset involves not dwelling on unfinished work when spending time with my child. I value the quality time I get with my family, seeing it as precious. Similarly, on days when I am focused on work, I view it as a success for my personal development.

Question: What are the main challenges of maintaining a work-life balance when working with family?

Answer: Women, by their nature, tend to care for others. When we become mothers, we want to nurture our families and take on all responsibilities as our own. Over time, juggling work and family responsibilities can lead to a complete lack of time for oneself.

The consequence of this prolonged situation is often exhaustion and burnout. Once I reached the stage of burnout, I found it impossible to focus on either my family or my work effectively. To overcome these challenges, it’s crucial to remember the importance of self-care and to allocate time for oneself. For mothers like me, there's often a struggle with feelings of guilt and selfishness when we prioritize ourselves. However, I believe it's vital for women and mothers to love and care for themselves in order to better care for their families and be more productive in their work.

Question: How do I manage time for your business?

Answer: Time management is also very important for mothers. Balancing children on one side and work on the other means that 24 hours a day just isn't enough for mothers. Previously, I thought that I would be productive after finishing all my work in a day. However, by the end of the day, I realize that I have only completed about one out of the ten things I planned to do. At night, just before sleep, I feel even more pressure thinking about all the things I haven't been able to do or finish. After participating in a training program called Wedu, focused on enhancing the leadership skills of women, I gained a clearer understanding of what I want to become. I have delineated my goals into personal and professional categories. Knowing my short-term and long-term goals makes it easier to manage my time. When something important comes up, I prioritize it and try to complete it first. We mothers are excellent at multitasking, but I try not to multitask when focusing on important tasks to maintain better focus.

In the evenings, instead of listing all the tasks I have to do the next day, I input only realistic tasks that I can actually complete into my calendar. At the end of the day, I reflect on what I have accomplished rather than what I haven't, and I take a moment to appreciate myself.

 Question: What would be the most effective way to achieve a work-life balance?

Answer: Just as I mentioned before, it's not feasible to always have a smooth balance between work and family life. For me, the most effective approach is to engage in heartfelt conversations with close friends who share similar life experiences. Spending time talking with them can reenergize me for other tasks. When we're alone, we often get overwhelmed and start thinking, "Is it all up to me?" However, when we join a warm community of mothers and listen to their stories, we gain strength. We help each other and learn to enjoy a more balanced life between work and family. Similarly, when family members understand and support us, listening to our problems and providing encouragement, we regain our strength. That's why, for me, having a supportive network is the most effective way to gain emotional strength and maintain a balance.

Question: What are the important factors for improving time management and productivity? What should be done?

Answer: Besides what I've already mentioned, for time management and productivity, it's crucial to focus on oneself. In this era of social media, it's easy to get distracted by our phones and start comparing our lives with the seemingly perfect lives of others. This leads to unnecessary stress when we don't meet our own expectations, and we lose track of our time and productivity. It's important to remember that everyone's pace and goals are different. Measure your success and productivity by your own standards, not by comparing with others. Instead of comparing, it's more beneficial to learn from others' successes and take inspiration from them.

Another key aspect is consistency. It's not just about having bursts of high productivity on the path you're following; it's also about maintaining a routine at your own pace. Even small progress made consistently over time can lead to significant development.

Question: How important is it for a woman, especially a mother, to work?

Answer: Whether a mother chooses to work or to stay at home and take care of her children, both are equally valid and independent choices. However, in today's era, many mothers also strive to contribute financially to their families, and I admire that in a mother. I myself have experienced feeling down and useless during times when I had no income after having children. I believe it’s more correct to say that I went back to work not just for financial support for my family, but for my own self-confidence. When income starts coming in, no matter how small or big, it brings back self-belief. With this confidence, one not only becomes happier in life but also more attentive and caring towards the family.

Another thing I firmly believe in is that working is a continuous effort in life. Our children watch and learn from us. They see us as role models, striving constantly. I want to show my son that his mother is always working hard in life. Success is not always guaranteed at work; there are times of failure and mistakes. But, from these mistakes, we learn how to do better next time. This is a life lesson I want to practically show my son. That's why persevering in work is crucial for me.

Question: Do you have a mentor? Is it important for a female entrepreneur to have a mentor in her life?

Answer: In my life, I've often faced times when I felt lost. The best thing a mentor can provide is empowerment. Women, especially when starting a business, face many challenges. How to confront these challenges and what preparations are needed aren't things you find in degrees or books you've read. Real-life experiences, the difficulties faced, and the lessons learned from failures can only be guided by mentors. A mentor, to me, is like someone who has already run the path you're about to start, warning you about the difficulties and obstacles they encountered along the way. They can help you strategize and minimize mistakes for your journey, which is why I believe women should have mentors.

It's not just about business. Even in personal life, when you feel a lack of confidence or direction, having a mentor is essential. I am fortunate to have admirable women as my mentors, who give me strength and inspiration. Being close to them motivates me to succeed and thrive like they have, constantly reinforcing my belief in my abilities.

Question: What advice do you have for female entrepreneurs who are mothers?

Answer: More than just giving advice, I’d like to share from my experience. The most important thing is to believe in yourself. You must have deep, unwavering confidence in your abilities, even when no one else is affirming you. Secondly, turn what you're genuinely interested in into your profession. When your business stems from your passion, work becomes meaningful. Even in tough times, you don’t get disheartened but instead look for solutions. Another crucial aspect is networking. It’s important to surround yourself with people who you can look up to, who are supportive. Lastly, never stop learning and adapt to new challenges and experiences as they come. This ensures you stay relevant and resilient at all times.

I am grateful for the opportunity to empower and share experiences with other women and mothers in programs like women to women.

Question: How do you learn?

Answer: Often, when women get married or become mothers, they tend to immerse themselves completely in their family lives. They might want to provide their children with learning opportunities they didn't have, but often they think their own learning is not necessary anymore. However, I believe that continuous learning is important for everyone, regardless of age. Even after becoming a mother, it’s important to know what your dreams are and what you're passionate about learning in life. When I was closely involved in raising my children, I couldn't focus much on my own learning interests. But I make sure to understand thoroughly what intrigues me and then look for opportunities for myself. Continuous learning allows us to progress and pave a better way for our children and future generations.

In today's era, mothers also have a plethora of resources to learn from while taking care of their children at home. There are free courses available on websites like Coursera and Udemy. Whether it's learning a craft online to generate income or studying business-related topics, learning in the digital age is not difficult.

Personally, I can’t stay without learning something new now. Recently, I completed the She Innovates Program by FNF and Impact Hub. I'm also a part of the global network of Wedu as a Rising Star. I continue to learn and want to create learning opportunities for other mothers like me.

Question: Do you have a mentor? Is it important for a female entrepreneur to have a mentor in her life?

Answer: In my life, I've often faced times when I felt lost. The best thing a mentor can provide is empowerment. Women, especially when starting a business, face many challenges. How to confront these challenges and what preparations are needed aren't things you find in degrees or books you've read. Real-life experiences, the difficulties faced, and the lessons learned from failures can only be guided by mentors. A mentor, to me, is like someone who has already run the path you're about to start, warning you about the difficulties and obstacles they encountered along the way. They can help you strategize and minimize mistakes for your journey, which is why I believe women should have mentors.

It's not just about business. Even in personal life, when you feel a lack of confidence or direction, having a mentor is essential. I am fortunate to have admirable women as my mentors, who give me strength and inspiration. Being close to them motivates me to succeed and thrive like they have, constantly reinforcing my belief in my abilities.