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Kruti Shah
Kritika Nayar

A working-woman's day continues through the evening; but when she does find time, music and reading are on top of her R&R list.

Nine to Five or is it Five to Nine? Or both? For women executives, especially those who want to compete with their male counterpart in the marketplace, it's both — nine to five at work, or often much later... and five to nine when they come back home, mostly to face the endless demands of kids, in-laws and even spouses, if they're not lucky enough to have an understanding support structure.

While in several western countries both men and women have options for working on a per week hourly basis or using the flexitime alternative or, better still, being recruited on a job sharing basis, in India this option is absent.

For some unfathomable reason, employers do not believe that job-sharing or hourly work schedules can also yield the desired result.

Hence, while both men and women sweat it out for long hours, and mostly seven days a week, women have the rougher end of the stick — they also have gender stereotyping to contend with. It is still the woman who runs the household, even if her corporate work schedule is as heavy as that of her husband.

So then, does she have time for rest and recreation? In her terminology, what is rest and recreation? Well, it's very different from what her male counterpart perceives it to be.

For him a get-together at the pub or an evening playing either tennis, squash or golf is a way to unwind and get ready for the next 24 hours. But for the woman it is the `musts' that she must complete if she wants her head above water the next day.

"When I get home, I wish I could put my feet up, close my eyes and have everything done for me. But it's never so. I have the kids' homework to check out and organise the next day's meals and tiffins for the kids," says exporter Payal Singh.

Her idea of relaxation is doing yoga in the morning and walking in the park nearby after dinner. Weekends are better. She manages a visit to a friend or an outing with the family.

For Jaspreet Kaur, Assistant Manager, Domino's Pizza, a long drive with a friend helps her unwind. "My work shift changes frequently and I hardly get time for rest and amusement, but I manage to squeeze in long drives with friends sometimes," she says.

But time with the family seems to be a priority for several women executives. More so as a lot of them feel a sense of guilt for being out long hours and hence not being able to give enough time to their families.

In contrast, only few men feel they have any such commitments. "When they go out with the boys or are stuck at work for long hours, they take it for granted that the home will be looked after. For them it's chores they have to do around the house to `help', not because it is their responsibility," explains Payal.

Rimpy Nischal, an office assistant at S.P. Publications says, "I love to spend time with my son and family; if I do get any free time I like to listen to music or have a good sleep to refresh myself."

Music and reading seem to be most popular with women who can steal a few moments for themselves. Vinita Vishwanathan, producer, Jhankar TV, says, "I really don't get any time for rest or extracurricular activities but when I do, I listen to music or read or help my mother in domestic work".

Weekends can provide a welcome break but only to those women who have no visitors or social obligations. For the younger ones it's time out with friends, which helps them pull the cork off the week's tension.

Shilpi Sharma, computer operator at ad agency Innovative Media Ltd, prefers being with friends. Music too keeps her in the right spirit. She says, "Most of my time is consumed by my work routine, but to refresh and restart myself I like to listen to music or hang out with friends."

The more lucky, who have reached the pinnacle of their career and can afford more time for themselves, choose theatre, parties, sports and a visit to the club. "I go swimming every weekend, and that's the time I have with my daughter too. We play around in the water, later watch a movie and go for dinner to our favourite restaurant," says Urmila Khanna.

But then for all of them it's back to the board on Monday morning — with very little time for all else.

Picture by A. Roy Chowdhury

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