The kids are sick but the boss needs the presentation on her desk by ten. The parent-child kindergarten brunch can't be missed, yet the business meeting beckons. When the only thing she knows for sure is that her day will bring a new set of challenges and priorities to be juggled, how does a stay-at-work mom do it all?Wendy Sachs, stay-at-work mother of two, has interviewed women from every walk of life-- from celebrities like makeup maven Bobbi Brown, designer Vera Wang, CNN's Soledad O'Brien, the Today Show Ann Curry to everyday moms from all over the country--and has uncovered some inspiring answers. For starters, some stay-at-work moms have given up striving for balance; for true happiness and sanity, integration is the real key. Others have discovered that compartmentalization--wearing different hats at different times of day--is the only way to thrive. For all, the psychological, emotional, and financial payback of work is what keeps them feeling alive; even if they could afford not to work (and many can afford the choice), they wouldn't have it any other way.Demonstrating that a byproduct of having career ambition is a happier marriage and family, How She Really Does It will validate the millions of women now attempting to "have it all," or at least some of it all the time. Revealing the keys to staying-at-work, staying sane, staying satisfied, and staying at the heart of her family as well, How She Really Does It is a modern working woman's handbook. Movie titles pose the question. Book after book attempts to find the answer. And legions of psychologists and psychiatrists grapple with the issues hourly. Broadcast journalist Sachs does not even try; instead, she interviews more than 100 stay-at-work mothers to uncover tips, tricks, and techniques. Many celebrities grace her pages, all with very personal stories, including designer Vera Wang, who adopted two late in life; Soledad O'Brien and Ann Curry, brilliant TV anchors and loving moms; and even Sex in the City' s Cynthia Nixon. Every aspect of "having it all" is explored, from pregnancy and maternity leave (163 countries--but not Australia and the U.S.--offer guaranteed paid leave in connection with childbirth) to women entrepreneurs and the new opt-out revolution (a five-year hiatus from the workplace). The consensus? It's up to the individual, with no neat and tidy answers. Or as former secretary of state Madeline Albright explains: "Women's lives don't go in a straight line, they zig-zag all over the place." Barbara Jacobs Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "A book that many mothers just returning to work after maternity leave might find to be a lifesaver. -- USA Today 5/5/05 "A great read for moms who are considering leaving or re-entering the work force." -- Los Angeles Daily News 5/23/05 "A strangely refreshing and apolitical read...Sachs, like many writers before her, is addressing the greatest dilemma of modern motherhood." -- Weekly Standard 7/18/05 "Fresh and hit[s] harder than [its] predecessors...Inspirationaland positive." -- Albuquerque Tribune 7/26/05 "Gives women strategies for remaining sane and satisfied while staying in the workforce-and at the heart of their families." -- Child May, 2005 "Reveals the secrets of successful multitasking moms...a great read for moms who are considering leaving or reentering the work force." -- San Diego Union-Tribune 5/24/05 Yes, some women are opting out of their careers, taking an "off-ramp," and heading home to raise their babies. But millions of us cannot afford to make that choice. And millions more choose to work because we love our careers. So how are women doing it? How do we hold on to our financially necessary or stimulating and rewarding careers and still be engaged mothers? Wendy Sachs, journalist and mother of two, set out to find what's really happening at the intersection of motherhood and work today. Based on her in-depth interviews with mothers from diverse backgrounds, How She Really Does It explores the creative and courageous ways in which stay-at-work moms are making it happen. Here are the moms next door-as well as lawyers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, fashion designers, politicians, journalists, and television personalities-who are navigating the everyday work/home conflicts, managing the time crunch, and, yes, dealing with the guilt. Through it all, they are empowered, confident career women and caring, present mothers. Revealing the keys to staying at work, staying sane, staying satisfied, and staying at the heart of your family, How She Really Does It is a modern working woman's survival guide. Weaving together candid stories and practical advice, it will give you hope that even if you can't have it all, you can have at least some of it all of the time. Wendy Sachs is a freelance television producer. Previously, she was an associate producer at Dateline NBC . Her stories have earned an Emmy and an