Working outside the home may not be as stressful as worrying about getting weekly chores like shopping, cooking and cleaning done, according to a new study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
U.S. scientists tested more than 100 working men and women and found those who took on most of the responsibility for running the home had significantly higher levels of blood pressure than their counterparts.
But it isn’t a case of doing the work, but a matter of planning and worrying when and how it will get done – specifically shopping, cooking and cleaning. Following a close stressful second to household chores were car maintenance and repairs, and paying bills and maintaining a balanced budget.
Interestingly, caring for children or animals had no adverse effect on blood pressure. Researchers added that it is usually women who are most affected by the stress since they are often responsible for running the household smoothly. This stress affected poor families more than well-off families.
With many dual-income, time-crunched families, it is not surprising the report concluded that it is the burden of responsibility for running a household, rather than performing the actual chores, that is the root of the stress.