Many households face an imbalance in domestic duties, with women frequently struggling under the weight of the organisational aspects of home and family life. Mental load experts suggest this can lead to feelings of being trapped, suffocation, lack of sleep, and even depression.
Kate Mangino, author of Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home, categorises household labour into physical, cognitive, and emotional work. She states that the mental load encompasses carrying all these elements simultaneously, which can become overwhelming. Leah Ruppanner, a professor of sociology at the University of Melbourne, adds that mental load burnout can precede physical burnout.
Ana Catalano Weeks, a political scientist at the University of Bath, highlights that UK statutory paternity leave for fathers is two weeks of low-paid leave. She suggests this policy contributes to the assumption that mothers are primarily responsible for children, making it harder for men to notice household needs.
Eve Rodsky, founder of the Fair Play Policy Institute, advocates for understanding that women's time is often viewed as infinite, while men's time is seen as protected. She states that her system aims to correct this imbalance, leading to a partnership rather than a 'helper' dynamic.