Women have never been more visible in the workplace. Between 2015 and 2023, the proportion of women in executive‑level roles climbed from 17 % to 28 %, and more women than ever are serving as vice presidents and senior vice presidents. Yet those hard‑won gains often come at a personal cost. Many working women are navigating an “always‑on” overlap of career and family responsibilities, leading to emotional exhaustion and burnout. In one survey, nine out of 10 women reported mental‑health issues linked to poor work‑life balance; at least 43 % experienced stress, anxiety or burnout, and more than half felt frequently overwhelmed by their workload. Women also spend an average of 4.5 hours a day on caregiving and housework—more than three times what men typically do.
This imbalance isn’t just inconvenient—it can erode physical and mental health. Burnout, defined as mental and physical exhaustion from chronic stress, brings low mood, sleep problems, muscle aches and other concerns. Burnout risk tends to peak in the early 30s when career and family demands are both intense, then rises again for women over 55 as caregiving responsibilities for elderly relatives increase.
Strategies for Rebalancing Your Life
While societal change is essential, there are practical skills you can adopt to reclaim some balance. Consider these evidence‑based strategies:
- Clarify your priorities: Make a list of the activities that energize you and those that drain you. Focus your time on what supports your health and career, and try to minimize or delegate less meaningful tasks.
- Set healthy boundaries: Clearly communicate your limits at work and at home—whether that means not replying to emails after a certain hour or sharing household chores. Boundaries protect your time and energy.
- Share responsibilities: Involve partners and children in household duties. Assign age‑appropriate tasks and hold everyone accountable.
- Nourish your body and mind: Chronic stress and poor nutrition can deplete key nutrients. Some research suggests that essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA), magnesium, vitamin E and folate support brain health. Talk with a healthcare provider about balanced eating or supplements.
- Build resilience skills: Mindfulness practices, breathing exercises and brief movement breaks can help regulate stress throughout the day. Even five minutes of mindful breathing can reset your nervous system.
- Ask for help: Whether it’s arranging childcare, outsourcing chores or speaking with a mentor, seeking support is a strength, not a weakness.
Why Therapy Can Help
Sometimes self‑care strategies aren’t enough. A qualified therapist offers a safe, confidential space to untangle the pressures you face and uncover patterns that may be contributing to burnout or perfectionism. Evidence‑based approaches—such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR and sensorimotor psychotherapy—help you process stress, heal past wounds and build new coping skills. Therapy also encourages self‑compassion and teaches practical tools like boundary‑setting, emotional regulation and mindfulness.