This study attempts to understand how Emirati women, whether self-employed or salaried, face pressure to balance the demands of work and family and how these conflicts impact their life satisfaction. Based on a survey of 84 self-employed women and 103 salaried women, the study revealed that self-employed women face more psychological stress than families towards their work. However, when compared to women who eat salary, they experience less interference from the work aspect of family affairs compared to women who eat salary. The findings also revealed that work disruption to families hardly affects the life satisfaction of the self-employed. These findings open our eyes to the realities faced by Emirati women, especially in the world of entrepreneurship. Contrary to what is often seen in Western studies, self-employed Emirati women are also actually vulnerable to the pressure of work disruptions from their own families, a far cry from what we have long assumed that those who are self-employed are those who manage their own time independently. This study not only helps us understand the real challenges faced by Emirati women, but also provides an important indication of how policies can be formed to support them, particularly in increasing women's involvement in entrepreneurship in the UAE.