Half of all working women have less than an hour to themselves a day.

Almost eight out of every 10 women (78.89%) admit they feel the pressure of having to perform at work and at home ‘overbearing’.

MORE than half (50.83%) of British women admit they feel more pressurised at home than work a national study reveals today. 

And instead of winding down when they leave work after an eight-hour day, 44% of British women begin a five and a half -hour shift of domestic duties at home. After a 13.5 hour working day women of all ages eventually get to have an hour or less of ‘me’ time at about 10.30pm in the evening when they have finished cooking dinner, loading the dishwasher, ironing clothes and preparing lunches for the rest of the family for the following day, according to the report by laundry specialists Dr. Beckmann.

Six out of 10 women who work say keeping the house clean and tidy while maintaining a full or part-time job is ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’.

Half of those questioned were not in full time employment, either working part time or not working and they admit keeping up with household tasks can be difficult.

79% of those questioned said that they had more qualifications than their mothers, and so had taken on more pressurised jobs as a result – whilst also trying to keep up domestic standards in the home. Yet, only 5% of working women employ a cleaner to help around the house and reduce some of their workload and almost seven out of 10 (68.11%) say they perform all the housework without the help of their partner.

Dr Beckmann spokeswoman Susan Fermor said:

“Despite the fact that we are in the 21st Century and much has been made of the role of the new modern man, it seems women are now expected to do more than they have in generations past.   Women are saying to us that their dual responsibility – to perform in the workplace and to be a domestic goddess at home – is ‘stressful’ or ‘very stressful’ as well as women who don’t work finding their domestic duties hard going.

Our findings suggest that today’s female generation are cracking under the pressure of their combined work and home lives, and not asking for help with their household tasks, despite working the equivalent of a 13.5 hour day.”

Rachel Morris of Brazn PR also added:

“These statistics suggest that the modern woman doesn’t so much have it all as do it all.  Women are work-horses; we work till we drop and that’s the problem. If we don’t accept our limitations we could end up failing at everything we’ve worked so hard for.

Our children and our relationships require time and effort from us if they are to thrive. If we’re too tired to give them what they need, then we have to ask ourselves the question – what, or who are we working for?  If we want more equality in the home, we have to be prepared to give up control.  Equal opportunities supposedly give women the chance to compete with men on a level playing field but starting the race already run ragged with domestic exhaustion hardly feels like fair play.”