Work-Life Balance and Mental Health: A Sociological Study of Dual-Income Households

Abstract

This study looks at the complex link between work-life balance and mental health in metropolitan Indian households with multiple incomes. As both couples pursue professional professions, juggling professional expectations and domestic responsibilities has become increasingly difficult. The research takes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from structured surveys of 300 dual-income homes with qualitative insights from 25 in-depth interviews. The findings show that work-life imbalance relates to psychological discomfort, which manifests as worry, sleep difficulties, and emotional weariness. Notably, working women report greater levels of stress, which is ascribed to an uneven distribution of home and caregiving tasks.