The 'Invisible' Household Tasks That Moms Are Responsible For Are Burning Them Out

"Keeping a household running smoothly takes a lot of effort. There are the more obvious physical tasks like cooking meals, taking out the garbage, folding laundry and picking the kids up from school. But it also requires a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes planning, organizing, anticipating of needs, decision-making and delegating known as the mental load - an invisible kind of work."

""What went into this registration was so much invisible labor," she told HuffPost. "Keeping an eye out for when registration opened, going online to fill out all of the forms - which includes locating all sorts of paperwork and medical history- calling the registration office when a technical issue comes up on the website, booking a registration appointment to turn in the rest of the paperwork, scheduling a 'kindergart"

The mental load refers to the invisible planning, organizing, anticipating, decision-making and delegating required to keep a household functioning. These tasks include scheduling appointments, managing calendars, tracking paperwork and ensuring supplies and meals are prepared. In many heterosexual households, this invisible work typically falls to mothers, adding mental and emotional strain beyond physical chores. Men may perform more hands-on tasks than in the past, but women commonly handle the bulk of organizing and communication with schools, doctors and service providers. Invisible tasks can consume substantial time and energy, making them a significant component of unpaid domestic labor.

Read at HuffPost