Mainstream Research:

Screen 27 of 52

That theme echoes all through the corps of executive women. Lauri Shanahan doesn't fret about who's driving her daughters to play dates and piano lessons. "I'm more balanced and productive because I know they are with Brian," she says. "It makes a huge difference." Another executive mom agrees: "I can make multibillion-dollar decisions at the bank far better than I can face chaos at home-like handing off children in airports, where if one thing goes wrong, the whole thing blows up." Adds Sarah Fitts, the Debevoise lawyer: "My life is so much more manageable. A lot of the stress is worrying about things that might happen but actually don't," such as whether Simon's early-morning crankiness will mean that dreaded midday trip to the pediatrician's office. "I don't know how people with two full-time, unforgiving careers manage the small stuff," says Fitts.

For better or worse, it is possible for these executives to be on call 24/7全天 — all day and every day-which is still what it takes to get to the top at most companies. If Giora Dublon had not been home with the children, says Dina, she could not have stayed at all those bank meetings that were supposed to end at 7 p.m. but lasted until ten. "Would I have reached the same position if I had gone home? That's a question I can't answer," says Dina. "But one of the criteria was your willingness to stay and do whatever needed to get done, irrespective of anything else in your life."