Multitasking Moms: Juggling Business, Politics, Art, and Motherhood

Today is the 8th of March – International Women's Day – a celebration of all women, mothers, business ladies. What's better than inviting someone who is a professional in all three directions. We present Elisaveta Belobradova – Member of the Parliament, co-founder of "Maiko Mila" and "Ole Male" and the person behind the attractive persona Letiashtata Kozzila Erato. We talk about what it's like to be a woman in politics, how to juggle several professions, is being a mother a job and what it's like to be a woman in Bulgaria.

Happy Women’s Day to all the ladies! Enjoy.

We look at your portfolio of endeavors and the first word that comes to mind is "multitasking". How do you manage to balance endless work commitments and a fulfilling personal life?

I can't handle it. Anyone who says they are coping is either not telling the truth or has extraordinary potential beyond ordinary human capabilities. In my official capacity, I understood that if an MP approaches his work conscientiously, his duties are endless. Attending meetings, drafting laws, participating in committees, meeting with citizens, NGOs, providing assistance to individuals, solving individual problems. One does not have time to even boil an egg. Now I am starting to appreciate the time I can give to my loved ones even more. The hardest thing for me is that I don't have time to do sports and it is affecting my health.

From “Letiashtata Kozzila Erato” and "Maiko Mila" to Elisaveta Belobradova in politics - how was the love for both born and what are the touch points that allow you to be successful?

I've always loved politics and thought politicians had supernatural qualities. When I was little, in my eyes, politicians were like Angelina Jolie or Marie Curie, and I used to come to the entrance of the National Parliament to collect autographs from the then MPs. I have always been extremely politically engaged as a citizen and my entry into politics was a natural extension of everything I have done so far.

My love for the “Maiko Mila” Foundation is of a different kind. My connection to the cause is a conscious responsibility to the people we help. As in politics, children are the main focus of my work, and you can't help a child without helping their parents. There were months when we worked around the clock, moving boxes, loading bazaars, labeling toys and what not. This is the kind of love that consumes all your time and energy to produce something (hopefully) fulfilling.

You play many roles in your life, so we're asking you if there are jobs and activities that are off-limits to women and vice versa - ones where men don't belong?

I truly believe in the emancipation of the individual regardless of gender and, when it comes to work, I don't think much in the male-female direction. Everyone has the right to try what is interesting to him, with time it becomes clear whether he will fail because of his emotionality, laziness, excessive empathy or lack thereof. I must admit that I have observations that men do not do very well in rhythmic gymnastics.

Is being a woman a profession?

No. Being a locksmith is a profession. The truth is that since the founding of the country, the Bulgarian woman has never had a day when she did not work. And by worked, I mean, she was side by side in the field with her husband, and she always added to the wellbeing of the family, and at the same time she took care of the children and the home. We do not know a culture in Bulgaria where a woman sits at home and only looks after her children. At the same time they are mothers. I try to be a good mom, but sometimes it's hard, I admit. It's not that being a woman is easy, especially at 9 in the morning in the plenary hall of the National Parliament. A mother is not a profession, but an MP is. It is extremely challenging to be able to do both. I really hate to use the word 'balance'.

I think especially today we should rethink the cliché that being a wife or a mother is a profession. As long as we continue to express these opinions, we confuse the different roles of the female personality in life and do not stimulate women to develop as professionals in real professional fields. It is a profession to be an MP - this is my profession, and at the same time I am both a wife and a mother.

You have been communicating with many women from different parts of the country, with various histories and life paths. How does a woman measure her success?

Quite a few of the women I interact with don't have time to apply a scale or metric to measure success at all. Maybe it's because they're tired. I think success for both men and women is a matter of gut feeling. But women are more likely to underestimate what they've accomplished so far, and that's why the feeling of success comes hard to them. Personally, I prefer to keep it that way - I have always preferred in my work and in my free time to communicate with people who do not think of themselves as stars in their profession, nor in their personal life. In today's world it is very fashionable to preach philosophies about how we should point out how successful we are, believe in ourselves and think of ourselves as unique, but I'm more of a fan of common sense and real evaluation of one's achievements.

On today's special day, tell us what it's like to be a woman in Bulgaria today.

It's great to be a woman in Bulgaria right now, things have changed a lot in the direction of sharing household responsibilities. Women have the opportunity to develop professionally, freely, we live in a democratic country. We have all the rights we need to be full-fledged members of society. Of course, in some areas we are still catching up, but these are processes that cannot happen suddenly. Rather on today's day I would like to reflect on what it is like to be a woman in Ukraine right now. There, everything that women have built for years - profession, family, home - everything is broken, so I appeal to all Bulgarian women on today's holiday - support Ukrainian women, support the Center for Bessarabian Bulgarians, do it with financial aid or any other way. You can find more information in my last post on the ONE NIGHT STAND Facebook event.