Negative Effects of Double Burden to Women

Double Burden
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Double Burden
The "double burden" or responsibility for completing a 'second shift' of unpaid domestic work in the home after working for wages outside the home was a "historical" problem for the World War II-era "Rosies." The "double burden" meant that women had to work both inside and outside the home, and often their work outside the home was unpaid. This double burden resulted from the historical gender roles that assigned women to the private sphere of the home and men to the public sphere of work. These roles were reinforced by the ideology of separate spheres, which held that women and men were fundamentally different and that their proper place was in various spheres of activity. The "double burden" was a significant contributor to gender inequality today.
The double burden had some negative effects on women's lives. First, it led to fatigue and burnout. Working a full-time job and then coming home to a second job of taking care of the home and family can be exhausting. During World War II, the increased demand for labor in the war effort increased. Many women left their homes and jobs to work in factories, but they still had to complete all the domestic work in their homes. Women were often seen as being responsible for the domestic work in the house, and their work outside the home was often seen as being secondary. The Institute for Women's Policy Research analysis states, "Women do nearly two hours of unpaid household and care work more per day than men" (Hess et al., 2020, p. 5). Besides their routine paid work, women's extra hours lead to fatigue and burnout.
Equally, the double burden led to a lack of time for self-care for women. When women constantly work and take care of others, they often do not have time to care for themselves. It can lead to physical and mental health problems. According to Kin Brooks (2020, p. 5), "Whether you're a nurse, a lawyer, a teacher or a chief executive, if you're a mother, your relationship to your children and your home has taken center stage in this crisis." The statement explains the magnitude by which the double burden affects women.
Similarly, the double burden led to financial problems. Women working two jobs often do not have time to earn extra income, leading to difficulty making ends meet. Rosie's schedules were relatively rigid and did not give flexibility. According to Kossesk, "Jobs that provide little flexibility in work hours and limited control over one's work schedule and location add to the stress for workers with caregiving responsibilities." (Hess et al., 2020, p. 9). Therefore, the women cannot make time to work part-time jobs that will help them boost their income. Kim Brooks states, "In our country, staying home to raise children is one of the most devastating financial decisions a woman can make. Without any sort of child care system in place, it's often not a choice at all" (p. 2).
Finally, women had to deal with balancing work and family commitments. For example, women who worked full-time jobs and had to take care of the house and children had to juggle their work commitments and family responsibilities. The juggling act led to problems in their work-life a...