In my role leading the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI), I am privileged to work with thousands of women who are actively engaged in making their communities better. These women are CEOs, professionals, educators, caregivers, volunteers and mentors. They are driven, dedicated and often deeply exhausted.
The root of that exhaustion? The pressure of juggling multiple, demanding roles with limited support or flexibility.
What Is Role Strain?
Role strain occurs when the pressures of fulfilling multiple roles collide, creating unmanaged stress, reduced performance and emotional fatigue. For women, this has become a chronic, systemic issue. Today’s expectations, whether internalized, social or professional, require women to excel as employees, partners, mothers, caregivers and community leaders, often all at once. It’s not a matter of choosing one role over another; it’s the pressure to do them all well, simultaneously
