As soon as Friday rolls around, one conversation is sure to pop up in every office and that’s the weekend talk. Because now, it’s two days of no work, no targets, and no meetings. Especially for men, it’s all about making weekend plans to recharge. This is true for those lucky enough to have both Saturday and Sunday off. But what about women? Particularly those who only get Sunday off. For them, the excitement isn’t as obvious. Their minds are already set on all the things they need to get done. And just like that, Sunday arrives.
It’s Sunday morning. The sun filters through the curtains, but not for HER, she’s already awake. Her body feels tired after a long week, but the list of things to do does not allow her mind to sleep bass 5 minute aur. The one day she has to herself, and yet it’s filled with a never ending to do list. The ticking of the clock starts to feel just as frustrating as the scramble to log in at the office. She has to prepare for the week ahead. The groceries, cleaning, laundry, and of course, the meals. But where’s the time to breathe?
In India, many working women face this dilemma. Sunday is the only day off, yet it often doesn’t feel like a break at all. Instead of resting, it’s another day of work. After COVID, ‘work from home’ has stopped but ‘work for home’ never seems to stop. From sunrise to sunset, it’s about managing the house, the children, and the endless chores. This isn’t just occasional, it’s the routine. She runs faster than the clock. And when that’s the reality, Sundays can feel more like a curse than a blessing.
Sunday Becomes a Day of Household Work, Not Rest
For so many women, Sunday is no different from any other day of the week. The moment she opens her eyes, she’s already thinking about the list of things to do. “Ye karna hai, wo karna hai. Sab kuch baaki hai” she tells herself, knowing she’ll spend the day juggling tasks.
Women, especially in Indian households, are often expected to play the role of caretaker. To put it simply, it’s like when you visit someone’s house as a guest, and if the house is messy, the immediate thought that comes to mind is that the woman of the house isn’t paying much attention to it. Unknowingly, the blame for the mess often falls on her. Despite working full-time jobs, they are also responsible for keeping the home in order. Sunday isn’t a time to relax, it’s the only chance to finish everything that was left undone during the week. Whether it’s cleaning the house, organising the kids’ school things, washing clothes, or cooking meals, it feels like a constant race against time.
At times, it feels like her day off isn’t hers at all. It belongs to everyone else in the house. And despite doing so much, she still feels like she hasn’t done enough. The guilt creeps in. Guilt of not being able to completely enjoy her Sunday. Guilt of not being able to step back and take a break. Guilt of seeing others relax while she continues working.
How can we forget the pressure to be “Perfect Bahu?”. Society often expects women to manage both work and the household flawlessly. “Woh ghar kaise sambhalte hai?” People ask in admiration when they see a woman handling both work and home equally well. But the truth is, no one asks how she feels inside. No one sees the emotional and physical toll it takes.
The Mental and Physical Stress
Emotionally, the toll can be immense. The pressure of keeping the house in order, ensuring everything runs smoothly, and preparing for the coming week adds up. Many women start feeling overwhelmed. There’s a constant worrying thought: What if I don’t finish this today? There’s the anxiety of starting the new week with unfinished tasks hanging over her head.
The emotional exhaustion is far deeper than just the chores. It’s about the mental load that constantly weighs on her. She doesn’t just do the work; she thinks about it even when she’s not doing it. She worries about the things that need attention, even while trying to relax. The emotional load is not visible, but it’s real.
Emotionally, all of this is definitely stressful, but physically, it’s just as draining. After a busy workweek, her body craves for rest. But on Sundays, there’s no room for that. She bends over piles of laundry, spends hours in the kitchen, and is on her feet taking care of duties. Her back aches from cleaning, her hands are sore from washing dishes, and her legs hurt from standing too long. She feels tired, exhausted, but there’s no time to rest. She keeps going, one task after another.
And then there’s the added pressure of being ‘on call’, always available for the family’s needs. The moment she sits down to take a break, someone asks for something. “Mumma, ye chahiye,” or “Bahu, yeh kahan rakha hai” The interruption never seems to end. When can she just sit still and relax?
The Hidden Impact: How Sunday Stress Affects Health
The mental and physical stress of Sunday is not just about feeling tired, it starts affecting her health. Over time, the anxiety, exhaustion, and emotional strain build up, leaving her feeling burnt out. The constant pressure to be perfect at work and at home takes a toll on her self-esteem. She might start feeling inadequate or like she’s failing, even though she’s doing so much.
The lack of rest can lead to chronic stress. This stress can manifest physically through headaches, insomnia, or digestive issues. Back pain, shoulder aches, and neck stiffness are common complaints. And yet, despite feeling this way, there’s rarely any time to slow down and heal.
Women generally require more sleep than men because of hormonal differences, particularly those tied to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and postpartum stages. These hormonal fluctuations can disrupt sleep patterns, increasing the need for rest. Furthermore, women often experience poorer sleep quality and bear heavier mental and emotional burdens, making additional sleep crucial for their recovery and well-being.
The truth is that constant overwork and stress can lead to severe long-term health problems, anxiety, and depression. But as long as the pressure to ‘keep everything in order’ exists, women continue to put others first, sacrificing their health.
Sharing the Load
The solution is simple, sharing the load. Family members need to step up and help, and it’s not about asking too much, it’s about recognising the balance. When one person is carrying all the weight, it’s bound to break. But when everyone shares the load, the burden becomes lighter.
Sharing responsibilities doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It could start with the simple task of asking, ‘What can I do to help?’ and watching how even small steps make a big difference in creating a peaceful, shared Sunday.
It doesn’t take much to make a difference. The husband can take over the cooking for the day or manage the grocery shopping. The children, depending on their age, can do their part, fold their clothes, clean up their rooms, or even help with meal prep. Small gestures like these can make a world of difference. It’s not about perfection; it’s about support.
Ariel, the detergent brand, launched a campaign called #ShareTheLoad. Through this campaign, the brand showcased ads highlighting that household chores are not solely a woman’s responsibility and that sharing this load is a duty of everyone in the family. At first, it seemed like a simple initiative, but the goal of this campaign to bring about social change was incredibly important.
The more the load is shared, the more space there is for rest. A woman can feel the relief of knowing that she doesn’t have to take on everything herself. A Sunday where everyone contributes means she can finally take a step back, breathe, and actually enjoy her day off.
But changes are happening, and the struggles of working women are no longer something only she understands. Her partner has also come to grasp this struggle. We can say it is a generational change. These days, men stand in the kitchen with their wives, cooking together. They help season their shared life, making it flavorful. When she washes the clothes, he hangs them to dry. If she’s preparing breakfast for the kids, he helps serve it. And after all the work is done for the day, he remembers to massage her tired feet.
In the midst of all these heavy responsibilities, it’s these small moments that give her the strength to rise again on Monday and take on the grind.”
Sundays don’t have to be stressful. Women deserve a break. They juggle so much every day at work, home, and family. Their only day of rest should be just that time to recharge.
If family members share the load, Sundays can truly become a day of rest. A woman should be able to relax, enjoy time for herself, and not worry about the endless list of chores. The emotional and physical toll of being the primary caretaker is real, and it’s time that we, as a society, recognise this and make changes.
Sundays can be about something more than just chores. When everyone contributes, it lightens the load, reduces stress, and builds a stronger family dynamic. After all, “sharing is caring”. A woman doesn’t need to do it all alone. Together, the family can ensure that Sundays are not just another day of work but a day of connection, rest, and rejuvenation.
It should be the sound of laughter, of rest, and of shared moments. When the load is shared, everyone benefits, and the essence of Sunday, a day to rest and rejuvenate can finally be realised.
