As an executive, I took a 3-day PTO to be a housewife. I tackled my dusty to-do list and was more present at home.

An executive decided to take a three-day Paid Time Off (PTO) to act as a housewife, tackling unfinished household tasks and improving her presence at home. Annette Riedl, via Getty Images, documented this experience. The author found herself decluttering a closet, repairing a broken appliance, and even attending a Pilates session during day two of her PTO. Besides accomplishing overdue tasks, she noticed other advantages, such as better listening to her children and feeling more present.

The author contemplated repeating this routine at the beginning of each quarter, labeling it as "being a housewife" for three days. This approach could address the challenges faced by many millennial women and mothers in balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Some women are experimenting with balancing work and life, while others are choosing to step away entirely, as Trisha Daab did by taking a year off from her corporate leadership roles.

Daab discovered the immense exhaustion that comes with constant work during her break, which included volunteering at a food bank, tap dancing, traveling, and spending more time with her children. Eventually, she realized her priorities had shifted, prompting her to leave the corporate world. Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, who popularized the "Lean In" concept to encourage women to pursue leadership positions despite family obligations, acknowledged the reasons behind women leaning out of their careers.

Sandberg explained that these are women who feel excluded, lack equal opportunities, and face disproportionate domestic responsibilities. She hopes that enough women desire senior leadership positions for companies to create a supportive environment for them.