Since the middle of the last century, women have been entering the workforce. At the same time, they have been gaining a series of rights that have helped to gradually balance their position with respect to that of men. However, we are far from real equality. Often, this inequality translates into a mental overload that can lead to the development of problems such as burnt out woman syndrome.
What is (and what is not) the burnt-out woman syndrome
When we talk about the exhausted woman syndrome we refer to a state of tension and mental overload that women experience when they try to respond to the demands of their environment.
Its origins begin with the incorporation of women into the world of work. This milestone, which represented an important advance in terms of women's rights, also had its negative side. Women achieved greater independence by being able to develop professionally and earn their own income, yes, but They continued to take care of household chores.
From that moment on, they no longer had to deal only with the mental burden of having to structure family life, take care of the family and manage the household finances. In addition, they had to start coping with the stress derived from their jobs.
And while their work at home was overlooked because it was assumed they had to do it, their professional achievements were rarely given the same importance as those on their shoulders.
This has caused generations and generations of women to embark on a constant pursuit of excellence which has led them to develop problems such as anxiety, depression or mental exhaustion.
Today, the situation seems to be improving: women's achievements in the professional field are increasingly taken into account and there are more and more homes where the division of tasks is carried out equitably.
However, burnt out woman syndrome remains a very common problem.
Symptoms of burnt out woman syndrome
The exhausted woman syndrome affects both the mental and physical level. Most common symptoms are:
- Constant fatigue, especially at a mental level.
- Discouragement and irritability.
- Large amounts of stress.
- Frequent forgetfulness.
- Shortness of breath and chest tightness.
- Apathy.
- Frustration.
- Stomach aches and headaches.
- Changes in the menstrual cycle.
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Consequences for women's lives
- Craving for perfectionism.
- Lack of time for leisure and rest.
- Development of stress-related problems, such as skin diseases.
- Overload of obligations.
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.
- Absence of sexual desire.
Mental workload at home, in figures
The concept of burnt out woman syndrome arises from another developed in the workplace: mental burden.
Mental load is the tension caused by the mental and emotional effort made to achieve a specific goal. From Próxima a ti they extrapolated this concept to the domestic sphere and investigated the intricacies of mental workload at home.
The results of the research, published in the study For a shared responsibility, They point out that:
- 63% of mothers are faced with an endless list of tasks to do every day. For fathers, the figure drops to 25%.
- 87% of mothers feel they are primarily responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly at home.
- 91% of mothers say the rest of their family is not aware of their daily household responsibilities.
- 45% of women have never talked to anyone about their mental burden.
- 69% of women say they have to ask their partners for help with household chores.
- 73% of women and 82.5% of mothers feel they have to leave instructions to keep the household running when they are not there.
How to deal with burnout syndrome
- Question gender roles. Whether you are a man or a woman, ask yourself if you have the same responsibilities as your partner and, if not, do something about it. Think about your well-being as well as that of others and try to share responsibility for household chores.
- Modify limiting beliefs. If you suffer from burnout syndrome, you probably feel like you have to do everything all the time and that when things don't go well, it's your fault. These thoughts lead to stress, frustration, anger and sadness. Be kind to yourself and understand that you can't do everything.
- Practice assertive communication. If you are suffering from an overload of household chores, the best thing you can do is take charge and sit down with your life partner. Explain how you feel and let him or her know that you want an equal distribution, also on a mental level. Do this by focusing on your own feelings, not on the other person's actions.
- Trust your partner. There's no point in sharing out tasks if you're constantly checking to see if they're doing it right. Learn to delegate, and that's the only way you can free yourself from worries.
- Tackle household chores one by one. Recognize your own limits and accept that you can't do everything at once. Plan your day, if necessary, and follow that structure to avoid overloading yourself.
- Leave time for leisure and rest.
- Seek professional help. A psychologist can help you cope with the stress and anxiety that can arise as a result of burnt-out woman syndrome.
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