With a more liberated society, it is no longer uncommon for women to hold full-time jobs. The glass ceiling that has been a barrier for women in the area of wages are showing clear cracks. Even in the area of management strategy, some of the best thinkers are women academics.

However, working women still have to grapple with the multi-roles that they play - these are traditional expectations of society. An example is in the area of looking after the welfare of their young children and domestic upkeep.

This article will provide tips for working women with a young family and without a full-time domestic help:

Communicate With Your Husband
It is important that you communicate with your husband about sharing household and domestic chores. This should not be a difficult process as your income also helps pay the bills and your husband must be a team player. A high priority should be the area of the children's well-being and study supervision.

Time Management
Time management is an under-rated virtue. You should draw up a weekly chart to manage your time. This weekly chart must be realistic and take into account your children's tests, extra-curricular activities, household shopping needs. Remember to get the active involvement of your husband.

Getting External Help
If you and your husband have busy schedules, it is also good to source out for part-time external help to assist in the cleaning and cooking. Alternatively, you can seek the help of your parents to supervise the welfare of the children or register your children to a nearby student care centre. However, it must be remembered that no amount of external help can substitute for quality time with your children. Try to set aside at least the weekends to spend undisturbed time with your family.

Concentrating At Work
Since you are working for a company, you must ensure that your full concentration should be on your work. Do not use company time to handle domestic administration unless it is of utmost importance. You are also entitled to take emergency time-off if needed so it is crucial that you keep your superiors informed.

Working Long Hours
It is not uncommon to work long hours, as workers are sometimes required to multi-task. It is important for you to strike a balance and important to inform your husband about your late hours so that your children are not neglected after their normal school hours. You can also request to finish some of your work at home if it requires computer processing. Most families have at least a computer desktop at home.

Interaction with Male Colleagues
If the nature of your job requires constant interaction with male colleagues after working hours, it is good practice to inform your husband. You can easily send an SMS to him to inform your whereabouts and he can arrange to fetch you home.

Attendance of Official Functions
Inform your husband in advance if you are required to attend an official function - Office D & D etc. This will allow your husband to get to know your working colleagues and fully appreciate your job responsibilities. Your husband will also be more cooperative if you are required to work beyond the normal hours.

Further Studies - The Dilemma
Being a workingwoman, you have to consider about upgrading your skills. This may require pursuing further studies after working hours. Yet again, you should express your decision to study with your husband and loved ones so that logistical/financial arrangements can be arranged in advance.

This article has been contributed by Colin Ong TS, Managing Director of MR=MC Consulting Pte Ltd (http://www.mrmc.com.sg) which provides Customized Training for Organizations and Educational Institutions in the area of Knowledge Management, Workplace Issues & New Technology Empowerment.