When Asher Keddie began filming her latest television project, Fake - in which she both stars and produces - something unusual happened.
It wasn't her first producing role that had happened the previous year with mega-hit Binge series Strife.
Nor was she a stranger to being the central character in a show that demanded long hours on set: Offspring (which ran from 2010-2017) had seen to that. She was used to juggling constant travel with kids, home, husband and the minutiae of maintaining all aspects of life beyond the set on a multitude of jobs. But for the first time, Asher found herself uttering three words that she'd never thought would leave her lips: "I need help".
For decades she'd bare-knuckled her way through the demands on her time and attention, and felt proud of herself for doing so. Like many women, she'd felt there would be a sense of shame in asking for external help to lighten her load - especially when it came to her home life.
"But I stretched myself too thin," she tells The Weekly of her tipping point. "I got to the point where it was getting silly trying to manage everything, and the pressure on us [as a family] was too much and just not necessary.
"So, I finally got some help at the end of last year and I have to say it's been a game changer - to have someone assist myself and [husband] Vincent, and the family as a whole.
I'm breathing a bit more and feeling so much more energised by what's ahead.
"This year is feeling like there's more room for everybody to enjoy each other and less running around. Vincent [Fantauzzo, an artist] can still work the hours he wants to.
"I feel lucky that it doesn't have to be a strain to want to work but also be with your children and each other.
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