We sat down with RTÉ Sports broadcaster Jacqui Hurley to find out how she navigates her much-loved busy career in a male-dominated industry with a young family at home.
"The biggest challenges with being a working mum, particularly in sport, is the weekends," says Jacqui Hurley.
The Struggle to Juggle for busy Working Mums
The RTÉ broadcaster is gearing up to speak at The Little Museum of Dublin on Thursday, July 26th, alongside model and mum-of-four Alli McDonnell and WellNow Company coaches Suzanne and Jessie to discuss the 'struggle to juggle'.
The Hourglass series live podcast event, Thursday, July 26, 6-8pm
The live event will be recorded to air on Bank Holiday Monday, August 6 on RTÉ Radio 1. Tickets are available now for €5 with all proceeds going to Autism Ireland.
Jacqui is looking forward to the event...once she manages to get it into her diary!
Having it all is possible but not the way some people think...there are sacrifices
"When you go into something, you're thinking 'I'm doing this because I love it' but you're not necessarily thinking about what the practicalities of that are and suddenly you're realising it's every Saturday and every Sunday and you do it because you love it but I think when you have a family, that's when you start to see the other side of life and what you're missing out on," says Jacqui.
According to the broadcaster, having a strong support system is key.
"We make it work because my husband is hugely understanding, he's great with the kids and he loves his time with them but effectively he's single parenting at the weekend and that's a big challenge for both him and for me because there is the guilt for me and there is the extra load for him and that's pretty tricky on a relationship."
Speaking on working in the sports industry, Jacqui says that she would encourage anyone to get involved as long as they have a passion for it: "Weigh up the pros and the cons. For me, the pros far out-weigh the cons but you have to consider the cons if you're going to be a working mum.
"I would imagine that there are other jobs that have similarities there as well, there are a lot of people who work shift work who have the same ideas as I do.
"For me, I'm passionate about sports so I allow myself into space where I can say, 'Do you know what, I can give up that time at home because look what I'm getting on the other side'."
Earlier this month, renowned tennis player Serena Williams reached out to Wimbledon organisers for better maternity policies after having her daughter, Alexis Olympia. We asked Jacqui for her thoughts on the situation.
"The whole maternity leave around athletes is crazy. We're in a situation now where you're asking people to have a baby and come back like nothing has changed.
"What are we really looking for from female athletes?"
"People are nearly afraid to talk about babies, they're afraid to talk about the menstrual cycle - these are real problems that women face and I think if we could be more upfront and head on about it, we could do an awful lot better.
"If it takes something like Serena Williams getting to a Wimbledon final after having a baby and then speaking out about it, that's progress but I wish she didn't have to be made an example of and to have to so publically talk about it to be recognised as a problem," she said.
One things for sure, the conversation on Thursday will be very interesting plus there are giveaways, live music and a refreshment, or two - it'll be a celebration of busy mums.
