(The Burnout is Real) – You’re not imagining it, Mama. The burnout is real. There’s nothing easy about climbing the ladder and raising babies.

Over 50 percent of women claim to have felt burnout and stress recently at work. This is higher than 12 months ago. Of the 5,000 working women surveyed across 10 counties, nearly one-third have taken personal time for their mental health. (Deloitte Global)

What’s the Cause?

These alarming levels of stress are mainly caused by the uncertainty of the pandemic, depressing and triggering news cycles, and the blurred lines between home and workplace due to more women working from home and overseeing childcare.

With more moms working from home, the commute from office to kitchen or nursery is drastically reduced, often blurring the lines of personal and professional. Women are pressured to be online or available “24/7.” With little separation from the workplace, it’s easy to see how job stress becomes home stress and vis versa.

Women are failing to “log off” or clock out at the end of the day, taking their work into bedrooms and livings in an attempt to not be excluded from important meetings and decisions. While working from home can provide flexible opportunities, many report that the pressure to stay involved and reachable trumps those positive opportunities.

Percentage of women who rated the following aspects of life as poor/very poor:

Other Challenges and Struggles for Women in the Workplace

Burnout and general work stress are not the only issues women face. A Global Outlook study also found that:

• Four in 10 women are currently looking for a new job
• Only 10% of women say they will stay with their employer for 5+ years
• Fearing it may affect a promotion, many women will not ask for more flexibility
• Male harassment and microaggression toward women in the workplace is up nearly two thirds
• Women report having been talked over, physical advances, sexual comments, and condescension

Employers who respect and support women should be cautious to hire talented and respectful employees who share and exemplify the values of their company.

Audrey Mattevi, Reporting