What does the picture of working women in Çorum reveal? We explore the double shift between job and home, the weight of caregiving and the risk of burnout.
At 5 pm the shuttle buses leave the organised industrial zone and spread out to different neighbourhoods across the city. For most of the women stepping off them, the working day is not over; only the location has changed. Dinner, the children's homework, an elderly mother-in-law's medication, getting ready for the next day... In sociology this is called the "double shift" or the "second shift". The profile of working women in Çorum offers an important example for understanding this concept. In the TR83 region, which includes Çorum, the female employment rate stands at 33.8 per cent according to TÜİK's (the Turkish Statistical Institute's) Women in Statistics 2022 data, the third highest of Turkey's 26 regions. At the same time, an older person who may need care lives in one in three households in the province. In this article we look at the daily load behind these figures and how it affects mental health.
Working Women in Çorum: What Do the Numbers Say?
First, a caveat: TÜİK publishes labour data by sex at regional rather than provincial level. Some of the figures below therefore relate to the TR83 region, which covers Samsun, Tokat, Çorum and Amasya.
Employment and participation:
- According to TÜİK's Women in Statistics 2022 data, the female employment rate in TR83 was 33.8 per cent in 2021. In the same year, women's labour force participation in Turkey was 32.8 per cent, compared with 70.3 per cent for men.
- According to TÜİK's Women in Statistics 2024 bulletin, the female employment rate in Turkey in 2023 was 31.3 per cent, compared with 65.7 per cent for men.
- According to provincial TÜİK data reported in the news, Çorum's overall labour force participation rate in 2023 was 48.13 per cent, against a Turkish average of 53.3 per cent.
Education and work:
- According to Mek's (2023) study based on TÜİK data, 11 per cent of employed women in TR83 cannot read or write and 54 per cent have less than a high school education. The equivalent figures for Turkey are 5 per cent and 45 per cent.
- According to the same study, in 2021 female unemployment in TR83 was 9.4 per cent and male unemployment 7.0 per cent.
The caregiving load:
- According to the regional plan of the Central Black Sea Development Agency (OKA), based on TÜİK data, in 2022 at least one older person lived in 34.2 per cent of households in Çorum. In Turkey the figure is 24.1 per cent.
- According to the same source, 35.3 per cent of households in Çorum include at least one child, compared with 44.3 per cent in Turkey.
- Across Turkey, only 27.1 per cent of women aged 25–49 with a child under three are in employment. Among men in the same situation the figure is 90.1 per cent.
The Limits of the Data
A significant part of the region's relatively high female employment comes from unpaid family work in agriculture. In other words, this rate does not directly show the number of women working in factories or offices. There is also no Çorum-specific data on how housework is shared between women and men. The Turkish Family Structure Survey 2021 shows that women do most of the housework, but this is a national finding. Although there are academic studies examining the problems of women working in manufacturing in Çorum (for example Karalı, 2016, Hitit University), there is no regular monitoring data at provincial level.
Where Does the Double Shift Come From? A Sociological Reading
Several possible structural factors feed the double shift of women in Çorum.
The shift patterns of an industrial city. Çorum is known for its organised industrial zones and its machinery and food-processing industries. Factory jobs usually involve fixed, long hours, shuttle-bus journeys and sometimes shift work. This pattern squeezes the time available outside work.
Ageing households. Çorum is one of the oldest provinces in Turkey. The presence of an older person in one in three households suggests that the direction of care is shifting from children towards elderly parents. For a working woman, this can mean taking on childcare and elder care at the same time. This situation is known as the "sandwich generation".
Traditional role expectations. Even when women working outside the home is socially accepted, running the household, hosting guests, cooking and caring are still seen as the woman's responsibility in many families. The expectation of "you can work, but don't let the house slip" leads women to do two full-time jobs at once.
Limited representation in business and decision-making. According to a master's thesis at Hitit University (Özdilli, 2024), in 2022 women made up about 12 per cent of partners and about 15 per cent of authorised officers in the records of the Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This suggests that women in the business world are mostly employees and are less present in positions that offer decision-making power and flexibility.
New doors opening. The picture is not made up of difficulties alone. In 2025, through a partnership between OKA and the Çorum Organised Industrial Zone, women were trained in welding. According to news reports, 9 women started working in industry after the training. Although such examples are small in scale, they show that women are beginning to enter fields traditionally regarded as "men's work". However, starting a new job does not mean the load at home becomes lighter. In the experience of working women in Çorum, change in working life and the division of labour at home do not always move at the same pace.
These factors are not definitive causes. Taken together, however, they help explain why a working woman's daily life is split into two separate shifts.
The Psychology of the Double Shift: The Experience of Working Women in Çorum
The double shift is not just physical tiredness. Over time it becomes an emotional, mental and relational burden.
The Invisible Mental Load
Housework also has a "thinking" side: remembering what has run out in the fridge, keeping track of the child's parents' evening, arranging the father-in-law's doctor's appointment. This planning and monitoring work is often invisible, but it constantly occupies the mind. Even at work, part of a woman's mind is at home. This can lead to distraction, forgetfulness and a feeling of never being able to rest.
Guilt
Imagine a woman who drops her three-year-old off at her mother's in the morning and goes to her shift. At work she thinks about her child; at home she thinks about her work. She feels she is not "good enough" anywhere. This feeling, common among working mothers, is fed by cultural beliefs such as "a good mother is by her child's side at all times". For this aspect of the topic, you may also want to read our article on working mother guilt.
Never Having Time for Yourself
One of the things women working a double shift say most often is "I don't have five minutes to myself". Time for exercise, meeting friends, a hobby or simply sitting quietly disappears. In the long run this can turn into a sense of losing one's identity: the woman exists only as a mother, wife, daughter-in-law and employee, not as "herself".
The Tiredness the Body Carries
Hours on her feet in the factory, repetitive movements and then cleaning and cooking at home also wear out the body. Back pain, headaches, difficulty falling asleep or frequent waking at night can be physical reflections of this load. When the body is tired, regulating emotions also becomes harder. Crying or getting angry over small things may show not that the person has become "grumpy" but that her resources are depleted. A doctor's assessment is important for physical symptoms, but the link between these symptoms and stress should not be overlooked.
Tension in Relationships
When the load is shared unequally, resentment builds up. This resentment is often not voiced directly; it comes out as reproach, sulking or sudden outbursts. Small arguments with a spouse, mother-in-law or children are in fact signals of a load that is not being shared.
A woman saying "I'm tired" is not a weakness but a healthy warning that she is aware of her limits.
What Are the Signs of Burnout?
When the double shift goes on for a long time, burnout syndrome can develop. The following signs may offer clues:
- Never waking up rested in the morning, constant fatigue
- No longer enjoying things that used to bring pleasure
- Impatience and frequent anger towards the children or a spouse
- Physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension and stomach complaints
- Making more mistakes at work, difficulty concentrating
- Thoughts of helplessness such as "nothing is ever going to change"
Some of these signs can appear in anyone from time to time. If they last for weeks and noticeably affect daily life, however, they deserve attention. Burnout can sometimes look similar to depression. An assessment by a mental health professional helps distinguish between the two and plan the right support. Noticing it early can shorten the recovery process.
Practical Suggestions for Working Women in Çorum
Even if you cannot change structural conditions on your own, it is possible to make some adjustments in your own life:
- Make invisible work visible. List all the tasks done at home, including the mental tracking work. This list makes the conversation about sharing within the family more concrete.
- Negotiate the sharing. Talk openly with your spouse and school-age children about dividing tasks. Use the language of "taking responsibility" rather than "helping": washing up is not "helping me", it is the job of everyone in the household.
- Let go of perfectionism. Review standards such as a hot meal every evening or a deep clean every weekend. Doing some tasks more simply is better than burning out.
- Look into care support. For elder care, consider what social service centres can offer; for childcare, consider what other family members can contribute. It is not sustainable for a single person to carry the whole load.
- Set aside small but regular time for yourself. A half-hour walk twice a week, tea with a friend or a short reading break. Small but regular breaks are more protective than big but rare holidays.
- Try saying no. You do not have to say yes to every visit, every request and every extra task. Setting kind but clear boundaries is a skill that can be learned.
- Connect with women in similar situations. Talking to colleagues who carry the same load reminds you that you are not alone and lets you share practical solutions.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
If one or more of the following applies to you, you might consider talking to a mental health professional:
- Tiredness and lack of motivation have lasted for weeks and do not ease with rest
- You often cry or feel helpless or worthless
- There are marked changes in your sleep and appetite
- Tension in the family keeps turning into arguments
- Going to work or coming home makes you anxious or panicky
- You have thoughts that life is meaningless or thoughts of harming yourself
If there are thoughts of self-harm or any immediate risk, call 112 (emergency services) without delay. These signs do not in themselves amount to a diagnosis, but they are a reminder that this is not a load you have to carry alone.
How Are the Double Shift and Burnout Addressed in Therapy?
In individual therapy, the weight of the double shift can be approached from several angles:
Noticing thought patterns. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on noticing thoughts such as "I have to keep up with everything" or "if I ask for help I'll be seen as a failure" and replacing them with more flexible ones.
Understanding schemas. From a schema therapy perspective, early patterns such as "self-sacrifice" or "unrelenting standards" can be explored. Many women have learned since childhood to put other people's needs before their own.
Boundary-setting and communication skills. Difficult conversations with a spouse, a mother-in-law or a manager at work can be rehearsed in therapy. This makes it easier to speak calmly and clearly in real life.
Stress management. Techniques such as breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and behavioural planning can help reduce everyday stress levels.
In Çorum, alongside face-to-face sessions, online sessions can be a practical option for women whose time is squeezed between work and home. For those caring for both children and elderly parents, our article on the sandwich generation may also be helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the double shift?
The double shift is a concept describing how someone who works full time in a paid job starts a second "shift" of housework and caregiving when they get home. Research shows that this load is mostly carried by women.
My husband doesn't want to help with housework. What can I do?
It helps to open the conversation with concrete needs rather than blame. You could suggest drawing up a list of household tasks together and sharing out responsibilities. If conversations keep ending in conflict, couples therapy can help you find common ground.
Will I feel better if I quit my job?
This decision varies from person to person. Leaving a job may reduce some burdens, but it can bring other losses in terms of financial independence, social circle and identity. It is healthier to make the decision not at the peak of burnout but after carefully weighing up the options.
Is taking time for myself selfish?
No. Meeting your own needs is a precondition for being able to care for others over the long term. A woman who rests and values herself can build healthier relationships both at work and in her family.
Bu yazı genel bilgilendirme amaçlıdır; tanı veya tedavi yerine geçmez. Yaşadığınız güçlükler için bir ruh sağlığı uzmanına başvurmanız önerilir. Acil bir durumda lütfen 112'yi arayın.
Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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