It may seem like high-flying business types are constantly on-the-go and juggling multiple task, but according to a new survey from the family baker, Warburtons, mums do more running around in the morning just taking care of family wellness.
Whether it’s tactical strategies to get their children and partners up and brushing their teeth and hair, or orchestrating the family breakfast, getting outfits ready and managing the school run, the findings show that every weekday morning, between 7.17am and 8.30am, mums face a constant series of domestic tasks and chores. During this busy 73-minute window, the average mum has to tackle 9.8 challenges, though the scope of tasks and outcomes may differ. This is number is even more impressive when you compare it to the average of just 4.2 tasks that senior business people carry out in their first hour and a quarter at work.
According to neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis, who analysed the research findings, ‘There are three key reasons why mums typically excel at multi-tasking; firstly biology may play a part. Some studies have identified important differences between the sexes, in a part of the brain known as the corpus callosum. This enables the logical and creative sides of the brain to ‘talk’ to one another. These differences could enable women to deal with some multi-tasking challenges more effectively than men.’ This may be why dads face an average of just 3.3 daily domestic chores in this 73-minute period.
He continued, ‘Secondly, studies suggest that although many mums admit to finding multi-tasking stressful, they have developed superior coping strategies. Children are very sensitive to a mother’s mood, so it’s important not to reveal signs of the stress that multi-tasking often involves, ensuring they’re sent off to school in a relaxed and happy frame of mind. Like swans they must appear serene and calm whilst paddling madly just beneath the surface.’
‘And finally,’ he concluded, ‘because practice makes perfect, an experienced multi-tasking mum will have become expert at meeting conflicting demands on her time and patience, demands that could cause others to throw their hands up in despair.’ However, as the study also revealed that just over a quarter of mums say they find the daily morning ritual of the Breakfast Rush Hour and school run more stressful than a visit from the in-laws or parents’ evening, perhaps a little despairing hand-throwing is in order after all.
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