How relaxed is your relaxing time?

This is an article that my friend Margo in Michigan sent me.  The source is the Democratic Party WLF Vote Center, November, 2007

WOMEN WANT SHORTER WORK DAYS, MORE FREE TIME, AND ARE IN NEED OF A VACATION.  Results are in and the U.S. Department of Labor's review is not looking too good for women.  One in five women only take a vacation once every six years, which is predicted to contribute to depression.  In addition to promoting good mental health, women who take frequent vacations reported better sleep, better marriages, and were less likely to be tense or depressed.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Monthly Labor Review notes that women would prefer shorter work days, even if it meant less pay.  Almost six percent of men would like to work fewer hours, and 10.1 percent of women would prefer the shorter work days.  Twice as many women feel they would like less time in the office, which may be due to women's disproportionate share of household responsibilities.  Other researches attributed the gap to a desire among women to spend more time with their children.

Another study conducted by the Sociology Department at Ohio State University found that women feel more rushed than men.  While men report feeling relaxed when they had free time, women still feel rushed.  Mothers seem to experience the most pressure from housework and children.  Liana Sayer, co-author of the study said, “The meanings of free time for men's and women's lives are quite different.  Especially for wives and mothers, it appears free time is still combined with other activities or responsibilities.”

Interestingly, married women with children were twice as likely to feel rushed than single women without children. But men who are married with children do not feel any more rushed than single men without children.

Re: How relaxed is your relaxing time?

Hi Martha,

Your post about being more rushed reminded me of some research by Shelly E. Taylor et. al. about Biobehavioral Responses to Stress in Females: Tend-and-befriend, not fight-or-flight.from 2000. So if our stress behavior as women shows up differently, I am not surprised that our relaxing might be different as well. Maybe our pressure from “housework and children” has as much to do with managing our stress response as it does with the fact that the work must be done?

Whatever the reason, nothing can make me more annoyed than someone sitting down “relaxing” while I run in 7 different directions trying to get a meal on, laundry in, kids bathed, stories read, make a cup of tea, finish writing an article, and return a phone call to my mom!

 Thankfully meals have become less of a production for just two; the laundry is only a couple of loads a week; the kids are grown; stories are now sometimes read to me; I get to drink a cup of  tea while it is hot; there is time for writing to be a pleasure; and, I can relax and really visit with my mom when I phone:)

Terrill

Re: How relaxed is your relaxing time?

Well, since Zaadz is a place I can be honest without as much checking and shifting, I'll come right out and admit that I let my husband watch TV while I work.  It's just not worth it to kvetch with him.  He is not about to understand me.  25 years with this man, and I know this by now.  Would I like more free time?  Yes.  I'd spend it on Zaadz!  :)