I Asked 700 Women About Work-Life Balance—Their Answers Were Alarming

A century ago, most women were expected to keep their ambitions within the walls of their homes. If they worked, it was often in underpaid, undervalued roles, and rarely—if ever—were they considered for the top jobs or decision-making positions. Fast-forward to today and the picture looks very different.

Women are not only in the workforce; they're leading teams and running companies. In 29 percent of marriages today, both spouses earn about the same amount, according to the Pew Research Center. But with progress has come pressure. Juggling professional success with family life, personal goals, and societal expectations has created a perfect storm—and it's taking a toll. To understand how this shift impacts women today, Gia Lacqua, a women's leadership expert, surveyed 750 women across industries, income levels, and life stages. She told Newsweek that the results were both "shocking and unsettling."

The Survey

The survey included women aged 18 to 65 earning under $20,000 to over $200,000. Lacqua explained that the purpose was to uncover the hidden struggles high-achieving women face under the weight of the "do-it-all" mentality. The CEO of Elevate, based in New York, told Newsweek: "The question that drove this work: How does the pressure to excel in every area of life—work, family, social obligations—impact women's well-being, fulfillment, and sense of self? I felt compelled to explore these often unspoken challenges because I lived it and watched too many women silently suffer through it. "As an empowerment coach and former corporate executive, I kept seeing the same pattern: high-achieving women burning out while chasing a version of success that was never truly their own," Lacqua said.

Key Findings

• 69 percent of women reported feeling that no matter how much they achieve, it's never enough.
• 75 percent admitted they often feel forced to "grin and bear it" or "suck it up" in challenging situations.
• 72 percent believe they earn less than they deserve, highlighting the persistent undervaluation of women's contributions.
• 61 percent feel pressure to be perfect in multiple roles—mother, wife, and professional—which creates unattainable expectations.
• 46 percent frequently feel anxious, underscoring the mental health toll of relentless demands.
• 54 percent frequently overwork or struggle to disconnect from their jobs, perpetuating burnout and limiting personal fulfillment.

The Most Unsettling Finding of All

Lacqua told Newsweek: "I expected to find that women were overwhelmed, undervalued, and quietly burning out. But I didn't quite expect the intensity. "The most shocking—and frankly, unsettling—finding was that 47 percent of working women in America have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment or unwanted advances. Nearly half. These aren't isolated incidents; they're part of the unspoken cost of being a woman in environments that still reward silence over safety." According to a 2024 study from consulting firm McKinsey and advocacy group Lean In, sexual harassment in the workplace remains common. Roughly 4 in 10 women have experienced it during their careers. "Working women are stuck in survival mode—and it's taking a toll on their well-being. This isn't just about stress or burnout at work. It's emotional. It's physical. It's psychological," Lacqua said. "Chronic stress and unresolved trauma manifest in your body. That can often show up as insomnia, anxiety, gastrointestinal issues, migraines, adrenal fatigue, autoimmune flare-ups, and more. "When women are stretched too thin, they become diluted. Disconnected from themselves. Unable to fully step into their power. That's not just a personal crisis; it's a cultural one. "What's even more alarming? So many women are settling, and they don't even realize it. They've normalized the dysfunction. They've adapted to the exhaustion. And because they can still perform, no one questions it—including themselves. But high-functioning doesn't mean thriving."

Do Women Feel Pressured to 'Do It All'?

"We believed in the idea that we can do it all, which was born from empowerment—from a generation of women who were finally breaking barriers and claiming space. But somewhere along the way, that promise morphed into a mandate: You have to do it all. Perfectly. Without help. Without rest," Lacqua told Newsweek. The aforementioned Pew Research Center study found wives consistently do more housework than husbands. In egalitarian marriages, wives spend about 2.5 hours more per week on housework. Even when wives are the primary or sole earners, husbands' contributions to housework remain largely unchanged, increasing only slightly when wives are sole earners.

How Can Women Learn to Slow Down?

Lacqua said: "Societal conditioning, cultural influences, and personal life experiences taught us that rest is lazy, busyness equals productivity, and our worth is tied to how much we achieve." She encourages women to unlearn these beliefs—to pause, reflect, and reevaluate what they want their future to look like. Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.