Health warning to women of the dangers of 'doing it all'

 

13 June 2002

 

British women are putting their health at risk as theystruggle to cope with the exhausting and constant demands of juggling work andhome. More than three-quarters of the 5,000 women questioned in a nationalsurvey of work and lifestyle attitudes said that overworking was damaging theirhealth and nine out of 10 feel worn out by their stressful lifestyles.

 

The Top Sante Women and Work survey in association withBUPA found that more than 73 percent of the women questioned work full-time,while 88 percent feel that they are expected to perform too many roles. Morethan 80 percent of women say it is they, rather than their partners, who haveto take time off work to care for their children when they are ill and almostthe same figure take responsibility for doing 'most of the chores in the home'.

 

This stressful lifestyle means that more than half of thewomen questioned cannot find time to take a lunch break at work and find itimpossible to fit exercise into their lives. To wind down after a stressful dayat work, almost half of the women questioned usually rely on a glass of wine.

 

Dr Paula Franklin of BUPA says: "Women just aren'tfinding enough time for themselves and, in the long term, that could bedisastrous. This survey shows that women are not only holding the familytogether, but are also invaluable in the workplace: if they fall ill, therewill be a knock-on effect on others too. At the risk of repeating whateveryone's heard many times before - one of the best ways to reduce mental andphysical tension is to take regular exercise."

 

Dr Franklin continues: "Poor eating habits and asedentary lifestyle are also factors in the alarming rise in obesity which couldtrigger conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. While statisticsshow that we are tending to live longer, it's up to us to stay healthier forlonger too - as well as making sure we set a good example to ourchildren."

 

The survey also found that 88 percent of working women saythey frequently feel under stress trying to balance their lives and almost onethird of working women admit that they take time off work due to stress. Morethan half are concerned that they pass on this stress to their children.

 

Juliette Kellow, editor of Top Sante, says: "Thestress of juggling work, home and children is seriously damaging women'shealth. They have so little time to mentally and physically relax which isvital for health."

 

More than half of all companies still make no allowancesfor working women with children, with only five percent offering a companycreche and only four percent help with childcare. Less than a third of allcompanies offer female employees the chance of a job share and only 43 percentallow flexible working hours.

 

Dr Paula Franklin says: "Now that women are havingchildren later on, when many also have an established working life, giving upwork may not be a viable option. Companies benefit from the skills andexperience of loyal employees, so it makes good business sense for employers tooffer the facilities and flexibility to make it easier for women to return towork after having a baby. Flexible working hours, job sharing and working fromhome are some simple, low-cost ways in which companies can make a valuablecontribution to women's work-life balance."