What is the Triple Shift?

The ‘Triple Shift’ refers to the cumulative load for women juggling caregiving, their relationship, and their professional working life.

The term was coined in 1995 by sociologists Duncombe & Marsden.

Today, working women in the UK still spend an average of 57 minutes more than men each day on unpaid tasks, such as housework and caregiving…

Impacts of the ‘Triple Shift’ include: 

Career Development:

less time for career-enhancing activities like networking, skills training, mentorships, sponsorships, or taking on extra projects.

Higher Levels of Stress and Burnout:

balancing three sets of responsibilities increases physical and mental exhaustion, leading to higher burnout rates among women than men.

Pay, Promotion, and Pension Gaps:

women are more likely to work part-time or in flexible roles. These often pay less and provide fewer chances for advancement. Even those who remain in full-time positions may find the triple shift can slow their advancement, contributing to pay gaps and reduced likelihood of reaching senior roles. 

The cumulative impact of slower career progression, pay gaps, and possible career breaks results in lower lifetime earnings, which then affects savings and financial security in retirement.

Many women enter their later years with smaller pensions and fewer savings, potentially leading to poverty later in life. Women live longer than me, but typically spend more of their later years in ill-health.

Perception and Gender Bias:

the juggle of balancing multiple roles may fuel perceptions that women are less committed to their careers, reinforcing biases that view men as more suitable for senior positions. 

In 2024, I wrote a LinkedIn post on the “midlife collision” which clearly struck a nerve - with over 275,000 views, thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments. In late 2025 I developed that into an article on the midlife collision for Grazia which you can read here.

There is now a coaching programme available to help you navigate your own “midlife collision.”

In coaching terms, we will work together to help you shift limiting beliefs, shift your mindset, and shift blockers to taking action - whether you identify as female or not - I work with clients of any gender, and my aim is to provide a safe space for all, including LBGTQIA clients, neurodivergent clients, and clients from the global majority.