Identifying the influence of TikTok's "feminine desire to do everything" trend: Recognizing signs of potential negative impact on your life.
In the modern world, the drive to excel in multiple areas of life has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly among women. This trend, often referred to as the "feminine urge to do everything," is causing concern among experts due to its impact on stress and burnout rates.
The trend reflects a societal observation where many women feel compelled to take on multiple roles and tasks simultaneously. From professional responsibilities to personal and emotional labor, the urge to embrace doing everything or many things at once can have significant impacts on women's stress levels and burnout rates.
Impact on stress and burnout:
The drive to handle diverse tasks creates a heavy workload and mental load for women, contributing to higher stress levels[1]. Managing so many demands can exhaust physical and emotional resources, leading to a risk of burnout. One depiction points to the urge to “finally exhale” because of being strong for too long, suggesting that constant overextension leads to emotional and physical fatigue[5]. This ongoing strain increases vulnerability to burnout, a state of overwhelming exhaustion and reduced capacity to cope.
The urge also reflects the need to be seen and feel loved, which can be "painful, messy, terrifying" if unmet, intensifying emotional stress and potential burnout[4]. Social trends glorifying limitless passions and the embrace of numerous hobbies or roles may encourage women to overcommit themselves, inadvertently escalating pressure and stress[2][3].
Psychotherapist Lauren Young sees how the "feminine urge to do everything" can backfire due to the highlight reel effect, comparing hobbies instead of bodies or careers. She advises starting by noticing your "shoulds" and questioning whether the activities you are doing are things you actually want or if you are trying to earn worth through attendance[6]. Behavioural and Mindset Coach Lily Silverton agrees, stating that the motivation behind "doing everything" can have a negative impact on self-worth in the long term[7].
To redress the balance, Young offers tips such as practicing saying "no" without justification, conducting an energy audit, separating hobbies into achievement and comfort hobbies, and giving oneself permission to be bored[8]. Silverton also suggests leaning on simple sleep aids such as scented candles and using one-line-a-day journals to ground oneself and bring consciousness to one small thing they are grateful for each day[7].
The trend of the feminine urge to do everything has its roots in the cultural celebration of women who can "do it all," dating back to early conversations around gender equality. Social media trends contribute to a narrative that equates constant activity with fulfillment, with countless friends expressing feelings of falling behind despite working a 9 to 5, training for a marathon, and launching a side hustle[9].
The viral phrase "the feminine urge to do everything" has over 33 million views on TikTok, leaving some people, like Sasha, feeling conflicted and questioning their ability to do everything they want to do[10]. The phrase has showcased montages of influencers transitioning between various activities such as running, cycling, CrossFit, swimming, working, baking, traveling, and taking language classes.
However, both experts agree that the problem is not so much the 'doing everything', but the motivation behind it. As it can stem from a silent pressure on women to be everything to everyone and explore every possible version of themselves, it's crucial to recognise and mitigate these pressures to support women's well-being[1][5].
In conclusion, the "feminine urge to do everything" trend contributes to elevated stress and burnout rates among women by fueling an unsustainable juggling of multiple demands and emotional expectations. It's essential to question the motivation behind this trend and prioritise self-care to maintain a healthy balance and well-being.
References:
- The Guardian
- The Cut
- Harper's Bazaar
- Psychology Today
- The Independent
- Cosmopolitan
- The Everygirl
- Elle
- Refinery29
- Insider
- In today's world, the pursuit of careers, travel, fitness, health, and other aspects of personal growth has become a significant part of many women's lives.
- The drive to excel in multiple areas can lead to a heavy workload and mental load, contributing to higher stress levels.
- The pressure to be involved in health-and-wellness, mental-health, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and other activities can exhaust physical and emotional resources, increasing the risk of burnout.
- The notion of being a 'Jack of all trades' can be appealing, but it can also intensify emotional stress and potential burnout if not managed properly.
- Experts suggest questioning the motivation behind this trend and recognizing the silent pressure on women to be everything to everyone, as it can negatively impact self-worth in the long term.
- To maintain a healthy balance, psychotherapists recommend practicing saying 'no', conducting an energy audit, separating hobbies, giving oneself permission to be bored, and using simple sleep aids.
- The concept of the 'feminine urge to do everything' has roots in the cultural celebration of women who can 'do it all', and is further fueled by social media trends that equate constant activity with fulfillment.
- Social media, with its glorification of limitless passions and numerous hobbies or roles, may unwittingly encourage women to overcommit themselves, escalating pressure and stress.
- The phrase 'the feminine urge to do everything' has sparked debate among women, leaving some questioning their ability to juggle multiple demands and emotional expectations.
- Education-and-self-development resources emphasize the importance of recognizing and mitigating these pressures to support women's well-being, encouraging prioritization of self-care and a sustainable approach to pursuing multiple passions.
