Study: Invisible Labor May Be Causing Stress For Moms

BOSTON (CBS) - Many mothers do the lion's share of the work when it comes to managing the household. Now a new study from Arizona State University finds that all of that additional effort is taking a toll on American women.

It's often mom who is responsible for knowing who needs to be where and when, which kid needs a new pair of shoes, buying a new box of cereal before the old one runs out...the list goes on and on. Researchers call it "invisible labor."

And in a recent survey, researchers found that almost 9 out of 10 women felt solely responsible for organizing their schedule. Almost 8 in 10 said they were the ones familiar with their kids' teachers. And two-thirds said they were the ones attentive to their kids' emotional needs.

Women said these responsibilities often left them feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, even if their partners did help out at home. For example, a partner may help fold the laundry but mom may still feel responsible for buying the detergent and organizing the clothes.

Perhaps a little more division of invisible labor will help relieve some of that burden for moms.