Improved
6112 HealthChanged
3786 LivesSaved
3568 Lives0 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More
A recent study published in the American Sociological Review this month has found that working moms are more often multitasking and feeling stressed than their working male counterpart.
The study gave 368 working moms and 241 working dads a watch that would beep seven times throughout the day. Each beep would require a data entry of every activity that the parent was doing at the time, in addition to whether they felt stressed, happy, or simply wished they were doing something else.
The study concluded that mothers spent an average of 10.5 additional hours a week multitasking than fathers! While the fathers often multitasked by doing work-related things, moms were found multitasking doing household chores, possibly working or helping with homework.
Moms however, more often reported feeling overwhelmed and stressed, while dads felt contented.
Long hours of multitasking, as seen with the mothers, is quite different than short-term multitasking, as seen with fathers. Biologically, we are designed to multitask only so much. Chronic multitasking leads the body to have chemical responses similar to the stress response, limiting the amount of information the brain can retain.
Many of us are aware that females are simply better at multitasking than males (yes, studies prove it). Bottom line however, is that females are reporting more stress because of this extra multitasking.
From a holistic health point of view there are a few things a stressed-out mommy can do to ease their pain:
Communication- talk to your husband if you’re feeling stressed. If he still doesn’t get it, listen to a simplified version of the study through npr’s blog.
Stress outlets- There are many ways to relieve your stress. At the top of the list would be to get a good workout! Getting exercise is a great way to release tension and stress (not to mention the hundreds of other health benefits, including being a confident hottie mom).
Meditation is another great stress reliever. Because our brains are constantly going (especially being a multitasking mommy), meditation can help to clear our minds and calm us down. If you’re new or unfamiliar with meditation, check out a guided meditation here.
Yoga is another wonderful and popular way to relieve stress, often integrating both exercise and meditation.
Plan- Divvy up chores and responsibilities. Start with the hubby and then with the kids. Household chores don’t have to be boring. Try to make chores into a game, or have a scheduled rotation so everyone gets a turn at their favorite chore — I mean game.
Make time- Yes, it sounds silly since all you super-moms are multitasking all day. However, making time for yourself can do wonders for clearing your mind and recharging you! There’s always ten minutes in the day that you can take for yourself!
Sources:
Gray, R. (2011, July 17). Scientists prove that women are better at multitasking than men - Telegraph. Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph - Telegraph. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7896385/Scientists-prove-that-women-are-better-at-multitasking-than-men.html
Neighmond, P. (2011, December 2). Working Moms Multitask, And Stress, More Than Dads : Shots - Health Blog : NPR. NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12/02/143045721/among-working-parents-moms-multitask-and-stress-more-than-dads
Offer, S., & Schneider, B. (n.d.). Revisiting the Gender Gap in Time-Use Patterns. American Sociological Review . Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://asr.sagepub.com/content/76/6/809.full.pdf+html
Reviewed December 5, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith
Add a Comment3 Comments
That would be an interesting study! It could also tie into the control perspective of a relationship - maybe more men are in control of finances and women feel that the house is more their domain? Interesting........
December 7, 2011 - 10:03amThis Comment
Wow, this is extremely interesting and very true at least in my home. The weird thing is, sometimes I enjoy doing everything. It probably has a lot to do with control but I don't mind cleaning and cooking and when I do it I know it's done the way I want it. So, even though my boyfriend may not do technically "as much" around the house, it's not because he won't it's because I don't ask, which might be a problem. Hm... food for thought.
December 5, 2011 - 8:19amThis Comment
This Comment