Nisha Saigal

'There should be no shame in making clients aware of the boundaries set between work and home life'




As a mother of two young girls, trying to juggle home life with a busy legal career in real estate finance has certainly been challenging at times.

Managing the expectations of clients in a demanding, fast-paced industry alongside the basic and emotional needs of your children can often leave you ridden with guilt and, at times, make you feel as if you are not fulfilling either role.

In a desperate attempt to conform with the industry ideal, I would go out of my way to ensure that clients knew I could still be contacted not just during the day but also out of hours, constantly trying to prove that having children did not mean I was any less accessible. I learned very quickly that this was not the way forward and decided that I needed to set some boundaries.

I can honestly say that this is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my career; there should be no shame in making clients aware of the boundaries set between work and home life and – to my surprise – most clients are in fact respectful and supportive of this.

My advice to women embarking on careers in the specialist finance industry is to try not to be your own worst critic! Be realistic about what you can achieve in a day both with yourself and your colleagues and clients — once you do, you’ll find it a lot easier to strike that perfect balance between home life and career success.

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