Accra: Working women should not feel pressured to shoulder every household responsibility at the expense of their health and wellbeing, Very Rev. Dr. Phyllis Bernice Kwarteng Donkor, Minister in Charge of the Taifa Circuit of the Methodist Church Ghana, has advised. Speaking on Behind the Pulpit with MzGee, Rev. Dr. Donkor encouraged women, particularly professionals balancing careers and family life, to delegate household chores where possible instead of striving to meet unrealistic expectations of being the "perfect" wife, mother, and homemaker.
According to Ghana Web, Rev. Dr. Donkor emphasized that many working women continue to compare themselves with previous generations without considering the significant differences in work demands and lifestyles. Drawing from her own experience of balancing ministry, academia, and motherhood, she advised women to focus their time and energy on responsibilities that only they can perform, while outsourcing other domestic tasks if they have the means.
Rev. Dr. Donkor, who lectures between 800 and 1,200 students each semester while serving in pastoral ministry, underscored the importance of effective time management and delegation in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. She noted that many women suffer burnout because they feel obligated to manage demanding careers while also performing every household chore themselves.
She emphasized that delegation should not come at the expense of responsibilities that require a mother's or wife's personal presence. Rev. Dr. Donkor encouraged mothers who are financially able to spend more time with newborns instead of rushing back to work, arguing that childcare cannot be completely outsourced.
Rev. Dr. Donkor also urged husbands to view marriage as a partnership rather than a relationship in which wives are expected to serve as domestic workers. She advocated for shared responsibilities or using income to get help, which would help reduce stress, protect mental and physical health, and enable families to thrive without placing unrealistic burdens on women.