Gendered connotations of burn outs

In one of the previous editions of the newsletter, I talked about women's mental health. I talked about how sometimes women's mental health is disregarded and their struggles are just seen as mood swings and hysteria.

So let's talk about burnout this time. The burnout that follows the burden of fighting inequalities to prove yourself again and again on a daily basis. The burnout that follows the imposter syndrome that we have to tackle to fight the thoughts of whether we truly deserve that promotion or?got it just because they wanted a token woman representation.

Why am I talking about burnout, you might ask?

That's because I have been personally facing it for the past few weeks. And I would be lying if I said that it didn't take a toll on me. It, indeed, has taken a massive toll on my mental health, daily work life, as well as my life as a gender rights advocate and content creator. I personally haven't been able to write enough on LinkedIn and other platforms. So I felt the need to talk about burnout in this week's newsletter edition.

Multiple studies have shown that women are more prone to burnout than men. For instance, UNICEF states, "For multiple reasons, women, particularly mothers, are still more likely than men to manage a more complex set of responsibilities on a daily basis – an often-unpredictable combination of unpaid domestic chores and paid professional work."

More often than not, the issue also lies in the fact that women are dismissed when they talk about being stressed and feeling burnt out from the extra responsibilities they often have to handle as primary caregivers. Statistics show that stress and burnout are affecting more women than men, particularly more working mothers than working fathers.

Experts largely agree that there is no single cause of female burnout, but they all believe that the intersection of cultural institutions and gender conventions plays a substantial influence. Inequalities in the workplace, for example, are closely tied to established gender roles.?

According to the new Women in the Workplace report from Lean In and McKinsey, which names the phenomenon the "Great Breakup," women leaders are opting out at historic rates, mostly due to stress and tiredness. Women in positions of power are not the only ones signing off. Women are leaving their jobs at an unprecedented rate all across the world.

Burnout is defined as physical and emotional tiredness, as well as a loss of motivation and performance at work. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), it “results from performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll”.

LinkedIn survey shows that nearly half of all working women in India reported burnout, compared to 41% of men. Women in senior positions are particularly vulnerable, with 60% reporting burnout, indicating a gender burnout divide.

What can be done to address this?

I am no mental health expert. But the most basic way to address burnout in women is to first recognize the double whammy of workload that they mostly face, paid and unpaid work. Recognizing that they are more prone to burnout and not dismissing their mental health concerns is the first and foremost step.

Here are some helpful resources that can act as a guide in addressing burnout in women.

The Wannabe Economist Recommends

If you like what you are reading, feel free to share this newsletter with those who you think might be interested.

Feel free to reach out to me for any conversation that you would like to have or for anything that you would like to know about gender, public policy, and writing.