We don’t go through our 20s, 30s or 50s with the same mindset or life goals. But women also experience a variety of stressors throughout their adult lives. A recent survey* conducted for Tessy’s Brunches (a London-based women’s mentoring and support network) even created a specific age range for various stressors and sources of anxiety, called the “worry age.” Most of them are associated with the mental burden that women often face.
With the exception of money (which is a concern for all ages of respondents in equal proportions), the survey identifies three distinct periods of life. For example, women between the ages of 21 and 34 are most worried about their mental health, career and friendships. Between the ages of 45 and 54, relationships take precedence over their concerns. And after the age of 65, respondents said that they are worried about their families.
The survey describes the important stages in women’s lives: career and the desire to advance when afraid of not succeeding (the famous glass ceiling), the desire (or some pressure) to start a family… Then, later, divorce or a mixed family can become a key aspect of life to manage. It is also not uncommon for a woman to be the caregiver for one of the family members (according to some studies, the majority of caregivers are women).
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Connecting these important moments in life with the stress women feel puts the myth of the “wonder woman” into perspective. In other words, “strong social pressure” for women to “succeed” in all areas of life (professional, family, friends, romantic relationships), despite the psychological pressure that weighs.
“This research shows how the pressures faced by modern working women are constant and constantly changing… Trying to meet these expectations causes a huge psychological burden, which, if not dealt with, can ruin their lives. If we want to improve this, so the first step is to understand that the barriers to women’s success and happiness exist,” said Tessy Ojo, founder of Tessy’s Brunches.
When this survey was conducted in the UK, we knew that the mental burden on women knows no bounds. It affects women everywhere: at home, at work… and even on vacation!
*OnePoll survey of 1,000 women in the UK