Half of British women say the bulk of ‘invisible labour’ falls to them
From career pressures to caregiving roles, many modern women are spinning more plates than ever — and it’s having a serious impact on their health.
A national study, commissioned by Optibac to mark the launch of their new Women’s Wellbeing supplement, reveals the full scale of the pressures facing women across the UK. The number of men and women in work is closer than ever, with a majority of men (73%) and women (71%) in paid employment. Yet, it’s the unpaid load that paints a different picture. The majority of women work full time, yet 14% still spend up to 20 hours per week on domestic tasks and household responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and admin, versus only 9% of men.
Nearly half (49%) of women say the bulk of ‘invisible labour’ – things like planning meals, managing the family schedule (e.g. children’s activities and clubs, school admin, family trips) and remembering birthdays – falls to them all of the time. Just 1 in 3 (36%) men say the same.
With this cumulative mental and physical load, it’s perhaps no surprise that nearly a third (32%) of women admit to feeling constantly stressed or on the verge of not coping.
Despite doing more, women are sleeping less, with on average British women get just six hours of sleep per night (29%) compared to men who average 7 hours sleep (30%). Worryingly, the NHS advises women should get at least 7 hours sleep per night, yet the data shows on average women are losing a full night’s sleep per week.
Data uncovers sleep disrupters for British men and women
Sleep habits
British Women
British Men
Experiencing fatigue and tiredness
59%
44%
Frequent wakings, difficulty falling asleep and waking too early
50%
35%
Hormonal symptoms like night sweats and insomnia
29%
10%
The research also found women are shouldering a higher burden of health concerns, with more than half (52%) report experiencing anxiety, while 2 in 5 (41%) struggle with brain fog and difficulty concentrating. Digestive issues: including bloating, irregularity and IBS are reported by 29%, with 22% citing skin issues and breakouts and 1 in 5 (21%) reporting hormonal imbalances.
Despite this, women are more likely to dismiss their own health concerns, 69% say they’ve downplayed symptoms due to feeling too busy – compared to just 60% of men. And worryingly, almost half (49%) of women believe men are more likely to be taken seriously when raising a health issue, yet 69% of men don’t believe that’s true.
The Women’s Wellbeing report further reveals that more than half (55%) of women say they feel guilty when they do take time for themselves, while nearly 2 in 5 (39%) men say they ‘never’ feel guilty. With a combination of work, home and family, and societal pressures, it’s perhaps no surprise that more than half (58%) of British women fantasise about quitting or pausing work and family responsibilities due to burnout compared to 45% of men.
