A recent University of Washington study found that some working moms who try to do it all are also juggling depression.
Researcher Katrina Leupp surveyed 1,600 40-year-old married women who were either stay-at-home moms or working mothers. She found that the working mothers who adopted the “Supermom” mindset were more likely to be depressed than those who let go of certain aspects of either their personal or professional lives to achieve balance.
“Women are sold a story that they can do it all, but most workplaces are still designed for employees without child-care responsibilities,” said Leupp in a report on The Behavioral Medicine Report. “You can happily combine child rearing and a career, if you’re willing to let some things slide. … Employed women who expected that work-life balance was going to be hard are probably more likely to accept that they can’t do it all.”
The study also found that stay-at-home moms have higher overall rates of depression than working mothers, which correlates with previous findings.
“Employment is still ultimately good for women’s health,” Leupp said. “But for better mental health, working moms should accept that they can’t do it all.”