Sleepless with kids
According to a recent study conducted in the UK, half of new mums are losing sleep because they stay awake at night worrying about their career.
This study was conducted because a female-specific recruitment firm in the UK; Women Like Us said it had noticed a growing trend of women registering with the company in the middle of the night. The firm also noticed that the women who registered in the middle of the night identified themselves as new mums or mums with young kids.
Up all night
The survey of 1,500 women found that just over half were being kept awake at night by work worries, including concerns about the age-old dilemma of juggling work and family life.
One in 10 said they started worrying about returning to work when they were pregnant. According to new data from the Census Bureau, more first-time mothers are working late into their pregnancy and then returning to the office soon after the baby arrives.
Among the women that worked during their pregnancy up until their due date, about 82% were first time mothers between 2006 and 2008. Compared to the 73% of first time mothers that worked from 1991 to 1995, there was a 9% increase. The rates have been continuously increasing. In fact, there was an increase of 35% seen between 1961 and 1965 too.
The come-back mum
According to the new study, a flexible work schedule helps employers retain mothers who have just returned to their jobs after giving birth.
”When confronted by one or more job demands, a flexible schedule provides working mums with alternatives for meeting those demands while caring for their newborns. When working mums are better able to control their work environment and adapt, work-related stress is less likely to become a family issue,” said study author, Dawn S. Carlson, a professor of management at Baylor University.
The study has also found that working mums with new babies were more likely to stick with their jobs if they have job security and can make use of a variety of their job skills. Effects of work-related stress on their physical and mental health however, increase the risk of them leaving their job.
Are you a working mum? Do career worries keep you up at night as a working mum? Tell us about it. We’d love to hear! For more on being a working mum, watch this video on Beyonce’s experience:
Source: thegrindstone.com