Women and burnout: 2020 was in a league of its own. How can we make 2021 better? 

By almost any measure, women are bearing the brunt of the pandemic. One in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce altogether due to burnout. Managing child care, remote schooling and caring for aging parents while working is draining a generation. And the burdens of housework and caregiving are even heavier for women of color and single mothers. 

All that leads to physical symptoms of stress: Women are more than twice as likely as men to experience signs of severe anxiety, like a racing heart. And more than half of women report sleep issues, compared to about a third of men.

So what are women to do? MPR News host Kerri Miller turned to Emily Nagoski, who co-authored a book – pre-pandemic – on women and stress. Does her advice still hold true in the harshness of 2020?

Guest:

• Emily Nagoski is a sex educator and author, including “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle”

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS