The biggest problem faced by women who work long hours

The working women who no longer live with their parents, especially those who have children of their own, know firsthand that work never ends in twenty-four hours: Upon returning from the office, a host of other duties await them at home, such as cooking , sweeping and shopping at the supermarket.

However, as a new study by the Australian National University showed, this "marathon" takes a significant toll on their physical and mental health. Experts have discovered that the total working hours for a woman should not exceed 34 per week, otherwise her schedule begins to negatively affect the functioning of her body as well as her psychology. However, we know that for most working women this goal is a midsummer night's dream.

Men can work up to 47 hours a week before their own health starts to suffer, according to the same study. One explanation could be the unequal distribution of household responsibilities between the two sexes: women spend an average of 4.5 hours of unpaid work at home every day, while men only spend half as much, according to figures from the International Organization for Economic Cooperation and (OECD) for 2016.

"Working long hours wears down mental and physical health as it leaves us less time to eat well and take care of ourselves," hypothesizes lead researcher Dr Huong Dinh, adding: "Women, given the additional demands they face, unable to work the long hours often expected by their employers, unless it undermines their health.'