Work-life balance out of reach for many American women

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

ACHIEVING THE PERFECT WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS IDEAL FOR MOST EMPLOYED U-S ADULTS… BUT FOR MANY WOMEN, THAT’S EASIER SAID THAN DONE – ESPECIALLY WORKING MOMS.

A NEW GALLUP POLL SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF WORKING WOMEN SPEND MOST OF THEIR DAY FEELING STRESSED… COMPARED TO JUST OVER A THIRD OF MEN.

ONE IN SIX WORKING WOMEN SAY THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS PERSONAL OR FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AT LEAST ONCE A DAY WHILE ON THE JOB – THINGS LIKE SCHEDULING DENTAL APPOINTMENTS FOR THEIR KIDS.

THEY’RE ALSO MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO THINK ABOUT WORK DURING THEIR PERSONAL TIME.

AND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT SAY THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS JOB-RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE OFF-THE-CLOCK DAILY.

AND WOMEN WHO DEALT WITH DAILY INTERRUPTIONS LIKE THESE WERE 81 PERCENT MORE LIKELT TO FEEL BURNED OUT. 

WOMEN WITH CHILDREN ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES AS LIKELY AS MEN TO BE CONSIDERED THE DEFAULT RESPONDER TO THEIR CHILD’S NEEDS – MEANING THEY’RE THE ONES EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH UNEXPECTED CHILD CARE ISSUES.

WOMEN ARE ALSO TWICE AS LIKELY AS THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS TO CONSIDER REDUCING THEIR HOURS OR QUITTING THEIR JOB ALTOGETHER BECAUSE OF CHILD CARE ISSUES OR BEING PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTIONS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL OR FAMILY OBLIGATIONS.

THE GALLUP POLL ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP WOMEN STAY IN THE WORKFORCE.

IT FOUND THE TRADITIONAL 9 TO 5 IS A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM.

GALLUP DIFFERENTIATED WORK STYLES BY “SPLITTERS” AND “BLENDERS”.

SPLITTERS HAVE CLEAR BOUNDARIES BETWEEN WORK AND PERSONAL TIME…

WHILE BLENDERS PREFER TO ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE TWO FLUIDLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE POLL FOUND MORE THAN HALF OF WOMEN ARE “BLENDERS”…

BUT THREE OUT OF FOUR SAY THEY’RE ON A “SPLITTER” WORK SCHEDULE.

THAT MEANS ONE IN THREE WOMEN ARE WORKING JOBS THAT DON’T REALLY WORK FOR THEM – WHICH, GALLUP SAYS, NOT ONLY LEADS TO MORE STRESS AND BURNOUT… BUT MAKES WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO LOOK FOR A NEW JOB.

ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF WOMEN SURVEYED SAID THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR JOB ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING.

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