“Step back a bit.”

This is my second day of " stay-at-home PTO ". This kind of vacation is not for traveling or relaxing, but rather — as I said in the group chat — to be a housewife.

In these three days, my efficiency was very high: I organized a wardrobe, replaced a broken appliance, and even attended a Pilates class at 11 a.m. Not only did I accomplish those goals that had been on my to-do list for a long time, but I also noticed some other positive changes. I listened more attentively to what the children were saying and felt more engaged as well.

As a senior executive, I immediately thought about doing it again: taking 3 days off at the beginning of each quarter to simply be a housewife.

This is just one of the issues that many millennial women and mothers are trying to overcome as they climb the corporate ladder. Like me, some are trying to find a balance; while others simply choose to “take a step back.”

Julia Pugachevsky interviewed some women in the American business world. Instead of continuing to pursue the highest positions within their organizations, they began to doubt whether they truly had the flexibility needed to accomplish all of that. As a result, they chose " lean out ".

This is exactly what Trisha Daab did. She worked in a corporate leadership position for 20 years, and then took a one-year break. She said, "Before I stopped working, I had no idea how tired I really was."

During that time, Daab volunteered at a food bank, danced tap dance, traveled, and also spent more time with her children. In the end, she decided that she could not return to her previous state. At 47 years old, she said, "Stepping back made me realize that my priorities had changed."

Cheryl Sandberg, former CEO of Meta and the person who coined the term “Lean In” to encourage women to pursue leadership roles in business, even though family responsibilities seem like another obstacle, told Business Insider that she understands why women might “lean out”.

"This is not about those women who say 'I don't want to do it,'" said Sandberg, 57. "It's about those women who say 'I don't want to do it because I'm not needed, I haven't been given the same opportunities and the same support, and I also bear an unfair burden at home.'"

Sandberg said that this is a pity, because female leaders tend to promote policies that are beneficial to women, such as egg freezing, breastfeeding rooms, and competitive parental leave programs.

"I only hope that there are enough women who want those senior leadership positions," she added, "so that we can secure for women the environment they deserve."