3 Reasons Women Are More Likely to Experience Burnout

A recent study that followed 2,026 people found that women are much more likely to develop workplace burnout than men. Although the study mentions that stress and exhaustion routinely impact both groups, there are factors unique to women that put them at a higher risk of the condition.

Have you noticed this phenomenon in your own experiences? If so, you are definitely not alone.

The relentless demands placed on today’s women lead many to develop workplace stress. As a result, burnout can quickly manifest itself, leading to added problems at work and at home.

What are the specific factors that may be putting you at a significantly increased risk of suffering from burnout symptoms? Below are three of the most common factors that make it more likely for women to experience the condition when compared to men:

The pressure to balance work and life is more challenging than ever before — The societal pressure placed on women to balance all aspects of life is never-ending. Social media in particular drives women to believe that they must be exceptional at meeting all of the needs and wants of their children and partner, that they should have a regular workout routine, that they need to prioritise personal development, volunteering, their job — and the list goes on. It is now more common than ever before to feel unfulfilled, underachieving, and inadequate due to these pressures. When a woman consistently feels as though she is not meeting personal and work expectations, her perception of herself will become negative. She may also feel the constant need to prove her worth and value, which is often counterproductive. When behaviours like these are left unaddressed, workplace burnout can easily develop.

Job roles and promotions are not yet equal to men — One conclusion that the study revealed is that women are more likely to develop burnout because they “are less likely to be given positions of power, which causes them to become overwhelmed with frustration.” Even in 2020, pay, job duties, and promotions among men and women are not equal. Oftentimes, women find themselves in job roles that offer fewer opportunities to make decisions, that are perceived as having little authority, and that occasionally involve bullying and gender-based harassment. Even when women work in positions of authority, they are frequently paid less for the same job than their male colleagues. As a result of these issues, many women develop chronic stress when working to overcome these inequalities.

 Women are more likely to have a negative perception of themselves — In general, studies have found that men are more likely to have higher self-esteem when compared to women. When a woman’s perception of herself (i.e. the sum of one’s programming and the beliefs about the self) is negative, she will have a greater chance of feeling stressed, and of having workplace burnout. Our mindset and the things we believe about ourselves have a significant effect on how we feel. Therefore, with more women having negative perceptions of themselves in comparison to men, it is no surprise that this is an additional gender-specific factor that leads to burnout. 

Thankfully, there are plenty of strategies that women can use to combat factors like the ones above. To help you in your journey, I am thrilled to share my video series ‘The Art of Resilience for Women’

If you prefer 1-on-1 support for managing and overcoming your workplace stress and burnout, you can schedule a free 30 minute call with me here