Today we're talking about Mental Load, otherwise known as "invisible labor" and why understanding this concept is so important for those of us with ADHD.
What is mental load? It's the cognitive labor that goes into taking care of life. It’s the “worry work”; anticipating what is needed, researching options, planning, organizing, remembering, monitoring—- all of the thought work that goes into managing homes, work, family, and social lives.
If you are not in a partnership, you carry the weight of this work independently and if you have ADHD, this invisible labor can be even more challenging since in requires strong executive functioning skills.
Being in a partnership may not necessarily lighten this load for women, though. Studies suggest that women are often the default person for carrying the mental workload in families and that this can lead to overwhelm and burnout. Today we'll talk about this dynamic and ways we can protect against the negative impact of not sharing this cognitive work.
Additional Resources:
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
Today we're talking about Mental Load, otherwise known as "invisible labor" and why understanding this concept is so important for those of us with ADHD.
What is mental load? It's the cognitive labor that goes into taking care of life. It’s the “worry work”; anticipating what is needed, researching options, planning, organizing, remembering, monitoring—- all of the thought work that goes into managing homes, work, family, and social lives.
If you are not in a partnership, you carry the weight of this work independently and if you have ADHD, this invisible labor can be even more challenging since in requires strong executive functioning skills.
Being in a partnership may not necessarily lighten this load for women, though. Studies suggest that women are often the default person for carrying the mental workload in families and that this can lead to overwhelm and burnout. Today we'll talk about this dynamic and ways we can protect against the negative impact of not sharing this cognitive work.
Additional Resources:
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky