Do you often feel overstressed to the point of forgetting to breathe? Its no wonder new university research has shown working mums 18 per cent more stressed than other employees and it makes no difference whether you work from home or not!

Manchester University Researchers and the Institute for Social and Economic Research at Essex University in the UK examined at 11 indicators of chronic stress, including blood pressure and hormones, in 6025 women and found that working mothers of two children record 40 per cent higher levels on those stress indicators than their co-workers.

I’m pretty sure it’ because from the moment we wake up the multiple lists of things to do for our kids and work just overwhelm us. Lots of employers are flexible and allow women to work from home but then you have increased stress and anxiety I feel because your kids are demanding your attention and you have a growing list of tasks for work that you think how on earth am I going to get this done? When you finally do get work done you think, wow, how did that happen, it’s like some sort of miracle.

I think that’s why we need to schedule time in our calendar even one hour every few days for a run or swim or yoga or some me time away from work and the kids. Without it life gets very hard I feel and the ‘to do’ lists in your brain take over.