Sunup to sundown—that’s the work day of a mother.
But wait—there’s more. What about those late-night bedtime struggles, the activities that run well after dark, and the wake-up calls in the earliest hours of the morning?
Add in the fact that moms work weekends, rarely get time to themselves, and are always on call, and what do you get?
According to a 2017 study conducted by Welch’s, the answer is a 98-hour “work week” for mothers. In case you’re keeping track, that’s the equivalent of working 2.5 full-time jobs!
Take another sip of coffee while you ponder that one, mamas.
The findings of this study, which examined the habits of 2,000 mothers with school-age kids in the United States, aren’t exactly surprising for many of us.
According to the moms surveyed, the average time their days begin rolling is at 6:23 a.m., and they don’t “clock out” until 8:31 p.m. What’s more, I would venture to guess that many of us look at these hours with skepticism as we mentally add up all of the time we put in outside of this range on a daily (and nightly) basis.
The truth is that moms, whether or not they work outside of the home, are no strangers to the multitude of tasks laid out before them. Mothers are often the main caretakers of all things related to children, housework, nutrition, school, and so much more—each and every single day.
Casey Lewis, MS, RD and Health & Nutrition Lead at Welch’s told Yahoo! News, “The results of the survey highlight just how demanding the role of mom can be and the non-stop barrage of tasks it consists of.” She goes on to say, “Busy moms may identify with the list of ‘lifesavers’, which highlights not just a rigorous workload but a constant requirement to feed and fuel the family, week in and week out.”
So just what are these “lifesavers” Lewis is referring to?
According to the survey, things such as wet wipes, drive-thru meals, grandparents, reliable babysitters, Netflix, and wine top the list of conveniences moms said they count on to care for their families while simultaneously keeping their sanity intact during their busy weeks.
While we appreciate the validation it provides, this study more or less tells us what we already knew: moms are just so. . . dang. . . busy!
So, the next time someone tells you just how tired you look (as if you didn’t already know!), go ahead and tell them about this research and watch as their eyes pop out of their head. You’ve earned those heavy eyelids, mama, with all 98-hours per week you’re putting into your all-important and cherished gig.
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