Episode 35: The Mental Load of Motherhood: Why You're Exhausted Before You've Done Anything

<p>Have you ever been technically doing nothing, sitting on the couch, at dinner with friends, lying in bed, while your brain runs through everything you can&#39;t forget? That&#39;s the mental load, and today&#39;s episode is all about it.</p><p>The mental load of motherhood isn&#39;t the physical work of cooking, cleaning, and driving. It&#39;s the invisible layer underneath: the remembering, the anticipating, the planning, the checking, the worrying. I share the research showing this isn&#39;t just a feeling and talk about why invisible work is so exhausting, and the association researchers have found between an unequal mental load and higher stress, burnout, and lower wellbeing, while being honest that this research is observational.</p><p>Then we get practical, because awareness isn&#39;t enough. I share the strategies I&#39;m testing in my own life: getting it out of your head, transferring ownership rather than just delegating tasks, letting go of the badge of honor around asking for help, real stress regulation (not another bubble bath), reducing daily decisions, and talking to yourself with more compassion.</p><p>And one important note I don&#39;t want lost: not every symptom is &quot;just the mental load.&quot; Persistent exhaustion, anxiety, hopelessness, and changes in sleep deserve real evaluation, because depression and anxiety are common and treatable.</p><p>If you&#39;ve felt this weight but never had a name for it, this one&#39;s for you. Share it with someone who needs it.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Follow us</strong></p><p>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mimi_aprn/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mimi_aprn">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ReverWellness">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercedes-mimi-deal-a38116347/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reverwellness.com/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reverwellness.com/the-rever-rundown-podcast">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See full show notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p>Become a Patient: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://polite-acorn-76939.myflodesk.com/oofx031mqk">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</p><p>Medical Provi