Have you ever heard women around you complain about how tired they are? Chances are, you have. This is because innumerable women, not just from our generation but from our parents’ generation as well have been doing it all – having a full-fledged career, looking after the family, raising kids, looking after the household, paying bills, cooking, cleaning, making presentations, networking and what not. There is no end to this list. And as a result, several women are overworked and underslept.
This sentiment was wonderfully captured by a woman named Revathi who took to X to share how women who are millennials and belong to Gen Z have it the hardest.
Have met so many women with high profile jobs and young children in the past few days and I really think this generation of women (the millennials and Gen Z) has it the hardest.
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
She explained how in our grandmother’s generation, a majority of women were told that they only had to do one thing – take care of the household and its members.
In our grandmother’s times women were told they were only supposed to do one thing and that is taking care of the house and the kids. Education was not necessary, going out of the house wasn’t, your life began in your house and ended in your husband/children’s home
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
In our mother’s generation, women were told to get basic education and a basic job while also taking care of the household.
Our mother’s generation of women (the boomers) were told to get a basic education and a job that would allow you to do everything for your family, house and kids. So teachers, bank clerks. Say no to promotions or transfers. Do everything your mother did and hold a basic job.
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
However, in our generation, women were told to aim high, be the best at studies, work and take care of every other aspect of their lives. While we had more opportunities than older-generation women, there was also too much pressure to be perfect.
Then we have us. We were told to have the aspirations, study well, work hard, score great marks, study in the best colleges, get a job on day 1 of placement.
Oh but also everything your grandmother did you have to continue to do. Cook, clean, wash, childcare, manage a house— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
So women not only had to manage a stressful job, but also look after every family members’ needs. They not only had to travel for work, but make sure there was enough food in the fridge while she was gone.
But also manage a stressful job and manage the finances and be ambitious but also don’t forget to wish your mother in law on her birthday or order a gift for your husband’s sibling’s child’s birthday. Travel for work but make sure you plan meals for your kids and order groceries
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
Make the fanciest presentations but also message your help or your cook what to do, how to do, how much to do and when to do. Hold the title of the executive but pack dabbas in the morning and oversee homework in the evening and buy green color cardboard for school tomorrow
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
Taking care of multiple things at once comes with consequences – those that take a toll on one’s physical and mental health.
So the only choices women have are – absolutely kill yourself at work and home at great cost to your own physical/mental health or compromise at work like your mothers and quit your jobs or do lower level jobs to have time to manage your family and never realise your potential
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
Women are also tired, lonely, angry and downright exhausted all the time. And this is the reason why.
And we are all so exhausted and tired and angry and lonely all the time. There is always work at office or work at home or work with kids. And even if we have the privilege of having help, managing the help is also the woman’s job
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
We have repeatedly been told women can have it all in this day and age. The career, the family the children, the vacations
But God, no one told us women can have it all but will have to DO IT ALL too
— R (@Full_Meals) November 4, 2024
This thread resonated with a lot of people online who shared their own stories of going through similar experiences. Have a look:
In terms of expectations yes but we r the few who hve the choice. None of the earlier ones had it. With choice comes accountability and the gumption to say no or push back. By becming self sacrificing martyrs we are betraying the efforts done to get us here. This one is on us!
— Sapna Katti (@dreamysap) November 4, 2024
It’s exhausting to just read this. Imagine being a women and doing all these things. Also to add- be presentable and soft for husbands to still find them desirable.
— kawfeeandkaram (@kawfeeandkaram) November 4, 2024
It’s incredibly difficult for this generation of women, no doubt. My GF has it extremely hard, and post our getting married we’re trying to consciously see how to do this right. This requires a solution.
However, comparisons with another generation are quite difficult. Very…
— R Hargreeves (@HargreevesR) November 4, 2024
Saw this with my mom growing up, and that was with my dad helping her with sarkari reporting and patients at times. She just had so much on her plate that even with my dad and the help for cooking, cleaning she used to be visibly exhausted by the end of the day
— Chaikovsky (@theusualmisfit) November 4, 2024
Hmm..I think all women who are wives and moms along with pursuing a career will resonate with this. It just gets harder when your kid is a young adult and you realise they hate you. And you subconsciously refused promotions and travel at work too and now you are nowhere
— mom@wimpykid (@Neha99435887) November 4, 2024
It’s time we recognize that women shouldn’t have to wear exhaustion as a badge of honour. Balancing career, family, and personal responsibilities shouldn’t come at the cost of their health and well-being. For real change to take place, society, workplaces, and families need to support and share these burdens. Women must have the opportunity to thrive, not merely survive.