'I took the plunge and went back to work full-time, leaving a baby at home ... that was the start of the 20-year experiment with every different type of working arrangement possible in my quest to try and do justice to my children, my education, my ambition.'

Fiona Millar, journalist and education campaigner, knows first hand that being a working mother involves managing childcare, work, laundry and countless other tasks, while striving to find the perfect work-life balance for her family. And she is not alone. Over 70 per cent of mothers with school-age children are in some form of work.

In The Secret World of the Working Mother, Fiona Millar draws on the experiences of women from all walks of life and circumstance, as well as her own, to examine the many challenges faced in the workplace and home. Sharply analytical, entertaining and informative, this is an in-depth look at how real women manage their chaotic lives - not how perfect women should.