Happy belated Mothers Day! This post was intended to be pushed live before Mothers Day Weekend, but to be honest May has gotten the best of me (as it tends to do) and I've found myself pulling back from writing these last few weeks. Which I think is actually a testament to how important these survey results are, and why I wanted to make sure I put this post out there. I've been lucky enough to partner with Motherly on a few things and if you didn't catch my article 5 Productivity Hacks to Make You Feel More Energized and Organized, then check it out.
In advance of Mother's Day 2023, Motherly launched their 6th Annual State of Motherhood Report. Nearly 10,000 mothers completed its sixth annual survey, conducted from Feb. 26 to March 13, 2023. To ensure results represent today's mothers accurately, we weighted the data to align with US Census demographic data. The report focuses on the findings from millennial and Gen Z mothers, but we also provide some insights from Gen X mothers who participated in the survey. Findings continue to validate that today’s mothers are parenting without adequate structural support.
Motherly’s annual survey of nearly 10,000 mothers reveal:
Rate of SAHMs has nearly doubled at 25%, compared to 15% in 2022
49% of women are burnout by the demands of motherhood.
52% of working moms say the cost of childcare has made them consider leaving the workforce.
Eight-in-ten (80%) mothers are concerned about a possible recession and 71% report they are planning to cut back spending.
58% of moms report they are primarily responsible for the duties of running a household and caring for children
54% of moms reporting that they are having less sex than they were a year ago
Nearly half (46%) of mothers are currently seeking therapy
“As a woman, and a mother, you are essentially one person, who can only be 100% in one area at a time. Shamefully, women are brought up in society with the notion that they must ‘do it all,’ and that alone brings weight and guilt that can be crippling at times.” — Sarah K.
I ended up on anxiety medication about a year ago because I got to the point where I could not handle (the mental load of motherhood). My sleep was horrible as I was constantly in a state of worry about keeping everything in order, I was losing weight and was quite moody/irritable. Since then, I have also gotten into therapy which has helped. -Amy S.
So what are the answers and solutions? Shifting attitudes and changing unconscious biases in the workplace towards working parents and mothers will take time and require a collective effort from our government, private employers, C levels, leadership, and individuals, but we can all take small steps to ensure mothers are being supported including:
At the employee level:
Adding more employee sponsored benefits and programs that promote workplace wellness employee wellbeing, work life balance, and support to caregivers.
Adding a wellness stipend benefit that gives employees the freedom to choose how they use it.
Using flexibility as a tool and benefit to recruit smart high achieving women who also happen to be mothers.
Review employee sponsored mental health benefits. With almost 5000 women reporting the need for therapy do your mental health benefits cut it?
Provide female leaders and especially middle management access to better executive coaching programs.
Use your parent focused ERG groups to gather feedback and to beta test workplace wellness programs.
Provide empathy training to your senior leaders
At the individual level
Set better work boundaries, the work will always be there- burnout is cultural.
Use any/all wellness benefits that are provided to you by your employer.
Get involved with your ERG groups and be vocal to senior leaders about how your workplace can better support your needs.
If you can afford therapy do it- everyone needs the time to self reflect and an outside perspective. Figure out what tasks you can outsource in the home- cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, child care, etc.
To reach gender parity, we need to involve our male partners in managing our caretaking responsibilities in the home. This is not just a "female" problem. Read the book Fair Play if you haven't already and start implementing some changes in your home if you find yourself carrying the bulk of the mental load.
Lobby congress and other local representatives to create more government sponsored universal child care programs.
Ensure you are finding time to take care of your physical and mental health- are you sleeping enough, getting enough exercise and nourishing your body with the right foods?
Find a new hobby or something you feel passionate about