McKinsey&Company
Desperately seeking connection and catharsis
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Isolation IRL. Loneliness in Gen X women (ages 41 to 57)—and, in particular, Gen X mothers—rose more sharply than any other group during lockdown, a 2020 survey reveals. Much attention has been paid to the social and digital lives of millennials and Gen Z, but the women of Gen X find themselves struggling with a unique brand of COVID-19 loneliness. The lack of available in-person social outlets has led more women to spend more time on social media. For those who struggled to find friend groups even before the pandemic, it’s no surprise that social media can exacerbate feelings of isolation. [WSJ] |
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Field of screams. Most mothers can relate to the endless cycle of work, childcare, ever-changing COVID-19 guidance, a lack of vaccines for the under-5 crowd, and the invisible mental load of mothering. For a group of Boston moms, the simmering frustration called for catharsis: a primal-scream session held on a local high school football field. Releasing some of the desperation built up over the past two years may help some women keep going as the pandemic slogs on, said a New York City psychiatrist. [NYT] |
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Stepping up, falling behind. One of the positive side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been employer-led efforts to support mental health. Unfortunately, women still suffer burnout more often than men, at all levels of organizations, even as they are trying to help fellow colleagues reduce burnout. Women are stepping up to be supportive leaders and improving their performance at work but often at the expense of their own well-being. |
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Women on the brink. McKinsey’s annual Women in the Workplace research shows that one in three women (and 60% of moms with young children) spend five or more hours a day on housework and caregiving, in addition to taking on more responsibility for successful DEI initiatives at work. Learn what leading companies are doing to reward women for the work they do, rather than the hours they work. |
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| — Edited by Gwyn Herbein |
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