For actor-businesswoman Shilpa Shetty Kundra, juggling her work along with the two loves of her life — son Viaan (12) and daughter Samisha (5) — comes “naturally as a woman”.

Currently busy with the launch of her new restaurant, which will be all about Udupi food, she celebrates Mother’s Day today with handmade cards from Samisha and a heartwarming message from Viaan. “I love being a mother more than an actor,” the 49-year-old professes, adding: “It’s like your heart is outside your body when you have your first child. I learnt (how to be a mum) on the job, like I did when I became an actor. I may not be the best actor, but I am very hard-working.”

This was a “360-degree change” in her after welcoming her firstborn in 2012: “People get paid maternity leave in many professions; but in our industry, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. I barely worked for seven years after he was born — it was a conscious decision.”

Now, she has about 20 brands in her kitty, goes for events and motivational wellness sessions, and so on. “I try not to do a month-long outdoor project, but if I do, my kids come over on the weekend. Viaan doesn’t rely as much on me, but my daughter does. As a mother, I have to be conscientious about that,” she shares.

As for how she manages it all, Shilpa quips, “There’s a method to the madness. My team has 95% women, they all understand how to work around my schedule. Neither my kids nor my work suffers.”