Why Mothers Aren't Happy: Burnout, Mental Load and the Second Shift. 153

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Women's happiness has been in decline since the 1970's despite increased freedoms and opportunities, says Dr Giselle Goodwin. 

I've you've ever felt burnout out and the sense that you're somehow failing at being a woman and a mother you'll have a sense of it happening, but you may feel guilty, particularly given the opportunities we've been given compared with what our own mothers had. 

She says that when women were told we could have it all, it seems what we really heard was we must do it all. It's been dubbed The Female Paradox and in this episode Dr Goodwin shares her personal struggles balancing career and motherhood. 

She talks us through how societal expectations haven't really changed, even while women are expected to go out to work, resulting in what's been dubbed the "second shift" of domestic responsibilities. 

We also explore the Paula Principle, where women often take jobs below their skill level for flexibility to fit in with home life, contrasting it with the Peter Principle where men are promoted above their competence. 

In spite of the problems, Giselle emphasizes it's vital for women to be in high-level roles for societal representation and equity and the real work needs to be done in discussions about how we divide up the mental and physical labour of or lives.

She advises young people to view their careers as a portfolio, adapting to life's seasons, and encourages midlife reassessment.

Dr Giselle Goodwin: https://gisellegoodwin.com/

BOOK: Can Women Really Have it All?: A Happiness Handbook for Working Mothers 

Research shows that working mothers experience up to 40% more stress and that women’s happiness has been declining since the 1970s. How do we fix this? Backed by compelling research and packed with actionable suggestions, this groundbreaking book answers the burning questions of working mothers today:

Why do so many mothers feel chronically guilty?
What actions can women take to improve their own happiness?
What changes do we need from society to improve women’s lives?
Does working outside the home make mothers happier?
Is part-time work the answer, or does it bring its own problems?
What advice should we give to our children?

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