Stress, Families and Careers
The head of the Girls Schools Association is warning private girls’ schools that there is an unprecedented amount of pressure on their students to become both a perfect mother and a career woman. She is said to encourage girls to appreciate that it is alright to work part time or not at all when raising children.
Although the conflict between family and work is a serious problem it is part of a much larger issue. It is only by tackling the larger issue that women will be able to combine their families and careers in such a way as to enjoy and gain maximum benefit from each.
The pressure that their careers place on mothers is a consequence of the stress that is inherent in the contemporary workplace. Stress is the most frequent cause of absenteeism at work. It is caused by a variety of factors including long hours, poor management and unrealistic expectations.
Stress affects us all, but mothers of young families, who carry an extra burden, are far more likely to succumb to it. This can have a devastating effect on them and their families. But other than a period of statutory maternity leave, there are no structures in place to help them to manage this stress.
Workplace stress can be tackled in one of two ways. Stress management interventions can create a structured working pattern that allows people to avoid the pressures that afflict us all. But career management is a far better solution. Rather than just tackling stress, career management allows us to look at our careers in a holistic way, to make choices about the type of work we wish to do and the environment that we wish to work in. This allows us to construct a career for ourselves which comprises the work-life balance, challenge, motivation and even relaxation relevant to our unique, individual needs.
Career management can eradicate the conflict between work and family felt by most mothers. With its aid the head of the Girl’s Schools Association may not need to issue her warning.
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