#67: Balancing the Scales - Addressing Unpaid Care, Stress, and Burnout in Women’s Health Week
OVERVIEW
In this episode of the So You Work in Aged Care podcast, the focus is on Women’s Health Week as part of our six-part series on community care. This topic is particularly of interest to those working in aged care as the latest research shows that the aged care workforce is made up of approximately 87% women.
According to the UN, women do 2.6 times as much unpaid care and domestic work as men. This includes things like childcare, cooking, cleaning, picking up kids from school, taking elderly parents to the doctor, and much more … all tasks that fall disproportionately to women.
The mental load of these responsibilities can lead to stress and eventually burnout. In this episode we are looking at the stress continuum, what contributes to burnout and the types of problem-solving approaches we can use in day-to-day life to minimise the risk of chronic stress.
KEY TOPICS
The stress continuum [5:54]
Females, like everyone, experience stress – and this is normal. It is an automatic response when we sense a threat. Things that can activate stress include deadlines, unexpected changes and life pressures. While a little bit of stress is actually good, as it helps keep us motivated and safe, it becomes a problem if we experience too much stress, as it can eventually lead to burnout.
Strategies to reduce the risk of burnout [13:45]
There are many strategies available to help manage stress and minimise the risk of burnout. What works for you will depend on your unique needs. For some, it might be getting your nails done, stepping out of work for lunch or getting a massage. While these are all good, you should also aim to include some free and easy self-care practices that don’t take a lot of time. This could be to go for a walk, have a cup of tea in the sun or listen to music – the list is endless.
Another useful strategy is to delegate, either at work or at home … or both! Mindfulness and grounding activities are also beneficial. Find what works for you, that you can practise regularly on a daily basis to help you feel rejuvenated and recharged.
Problem-solving approaches [23:41]
It’s a good idea to consider whether your thinking style is leading you to misinterpret the cause of a problem, as this can then lead you to pursue the wrong solution. While we can’t always change the problem, we can change how we feel about it. For some, practising gratitude and self-compassion can help put things in perspective and improve wellbeing.
What is trending [26:36]
The Australian Government has published the ‘Priority area 2: Unpaid and paid care’ report, which is part of a wider focus on gender equality. The report notes that women continue to shoulder the majority of unpaid care in Australia, and that paid care work is also dominated by women workers (and is also often undervalued and underpaid).
There are some much-needed actions underway as part of the plan, including a commitment to establish an expert panel within the Fair Work Commission to help address low wage and workplace conditions in the care and community sector, and to implement skills and training initiatives to increase the diversity and profile of aged care workers.
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COMING SOON
Resilient Worker – new workshop coming soon
Our new workshop will cover the burning issues affecting aged care workers today. Head to our website to find out more – Resilient Worker
