A fundamental question discussed in all forms of media is "Can I have it all?". At the micro level, the answer can be best illustrated in the Pickwick household through the topic of cake. The Pickwick family are fans of cake, setting upon it like a pack of hyenas around a decaying carcass, wherever it can be found. Mrs Pickwick however is a woman for whom cake and guilt are regular bed fellows, convinced that cake will be her downfall but at the same time enjoying the descent.

In our new ‘Having It All’ section, HuffPost UK Lifestyle asks successful women to step off their pedestals for a few minutes, and tell us what ma...

Not only is it true that we men need to man up and start contributing more both outside work and to the debate, but everyone needs to accept the hard truth that regardless of sex we're all trying to do too much. Nobody can have it all.

We are living through a time of endless choice and unlimited convenience. Whether we're deciding on cars, mobile phones, holidays or simply which sandwich to have for lunch, the range of available options can be genuinely overwhelming. Yet with so much effort dedicated to giving us what we want, and enjoying unprecedented levels of income, entertainment, and calories as 21st century Britons, we don't appear any happier for it. In return for having Everything Now, we have to work harder and longer. According to the TUC, UK employees work some of the longest hours in Europe, so it's no surprise that unhappiness at work is often cited as a major cause of this broader discontent.

I sit in my office chair and wonder why this question has us (woman) at each other throats again. I question, should I, could I be a stay at home mum?

The concept of not being able to "have it all" is frequently framed as the natural consequence of the fight for gender equality, a signifier that women will never run with the big boys because the world won't change.