‘To Be A Successful Working Mum, I've Had To Sacrifice My Social Life'

Beauty entrepreneur Maria Hatzistefanis explains why she’s made peace with the idea of giving up her friends

- Maria Hatzistefanis

WHEN I TELL people that I see my friends w once a year, I’m often met with blank stares and confusion. But since setting up the skincare brand Rodial in 1999 and having my two sons, now aged 15 and 13, I’ve had to make choices that I wouldn’t necessarily have made before. I believe that, in life, there are three main areas of focus – work, family and a social life – and at any single point you can have two at most: either work and a social life, work and family, or family and a social life. I’ve had all of those things in the past, depending on where I was in my life, but right now I can only prioritise work and family. Friendship just isn’t something I can devote time to.

Things weren’t always this way. I used to be incredibly sociable before I had children – I’d regularly host dinner parties and arrange weekends with friends. I loved being surrounded by people at all times. But after my sons were born, my business took off and I just couldn’t do it. There was a time where I’d return from work at 7pm having not seen my children all day, then rush out to meet friends for dinner at 9pm, coming home completely exhausted. I was so tired and grumpy at work the following day, and I realised I couldn’t keep it up. I was unhappy and anxious, trying to tick all the boxes – be a good wife, mother, boss, friend. It was impossible.