In part, I think this is due to the expanded, multi-role lives they lead as mothers, wives and professionals. Actually, it is not the number of activities in your life but rather a lack of variety among activities that causes burnout, says Faye Crosby, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and author of Juggling . Burnout does not occur by having too many pots boiling on your stove. Many times it occurs because you have only one pot boiling constantly and can never take it over to the sink to fill it up. Eventually, all the water boils away.
Any woman can get burnout, from housewife to corporate president.
But those who tackle the responsibilities of both seem most liable. Too often the career woman still ends up acting as the primary nest builder in the home. This means the rejuvenating time she might spend cuddling with her family in front of the fireplace is squeezed out by household duties such as making sure that the kids have clean clothes and that the den doesn't become a permanent resting place for dirty dishes. So while a woman may jump between roles, she still ends up doing goal-oriented activities and has little time for the social, emotional ones, says Dr. Crosby. In essence, it's still a one-track life.