Mental Load is Real: How to Manage Mental Load When You Work From Home
- Mel Archer
- Jun 2
- 4 min read
For many women, working from home might give us the flexibility to physically juggle all of the things we have on our plates, but mentally, we still find ourselves as part of the same circus - especially if we’re juggling a business or remote role (or both). Working from home can blur the previously invisible, but physical, line between work and life to the point where both feel overwhelming.
Add to that the (often unseen) mental load - that invisible, exhausting to-do list running on loop in your head - and it’s no wonder so many of us feel like we’re constantly one email away from burnout.
So how do you protect your mental wellbeing, stay productive, and still be present for the rest of your life when your desk is only a few metres from your laundry basket?
Why Does Mental Load Hit Women So Hard?
The mental load is the constant, behind-the-scenes thinking and planning that keeps everything ticking over. It’s remembering the school excursion form, working out what’s for dinner (ugh), remembering all those looming work deadlines, and that miscellaneous thing you were supposed to follow up on - but haven’t yet because you’ve been too busy holding everything else together.
For many women working from home, the mental load intensifies. You’re physically at home, so it’s easy (and sometimes expected) that you’ll also run the household, field deliveries, let the dog out, and stack the dishwasher between Zoom calls. Why? Because, well… you’re there. Suddenly, you’re both working and managing a household full-time - with no clear boundary between roles.
Signs Mental Load Might Be Burning You Out
Not sure if it’s just a busy season or if you’re shouldering too much? Here are a few signs your mental load may be creeping into burnout territory:
· You’re constantly tired, even after a full night’s sleep
· You find it hard to focus, even on simple tasks
· You’re snapping at your partner/kids/the printer (guilty)
· You feel guilty when you’re working and when you’re not
· Your to-do list grows faster than you can tick anything off
If you’re nodding along (or nodding off) - you’re not failing. You’re just overloaded.
Simple Ways to Reduce Mental Load When You Work From Home
You can’t always drop all the responsibilities - but you can reduce the impact. Here are a few strategies to help lighten your mental load and reclaim some headspace.
Stop Trying to Multitask Everything
It might feel productive to juggle emails, laundry, and kids’ lunches all at once - but it’s a recipe for exhaustion. Block out time for deep work and home tasks, and give each your full attention - in its own window.
Set Actual Work Hours (And Stick to Them)
Just because your work is right there doesn’t mean it has to be 24/7. Set start and finish times for your workday. Bonus points if you can physically shut the door or close your laptop at the end of the day.
Outsource Where You Can
You don’t have to do it all yourself. Can the groceries be delivered? Can a cleaner come once a fortnight? Can you use tools that automate parts of your business? Delegating, even just one or two things where you can, frees up so much mental space.
Get It Out of Your Head
Use a digital planner, a simple notebook, or even a voice note to brain-dump the swirl of thoughts. Seeing your tasks written down gives them a home other than your brain and helps reduce the stress of trying to remember everything.
Create Physical Separation Between Work and Life
When your home is also your office, boundaries can become practically invisible. Women who work from home notice that even just one or two days each week working somewhere outside the house, like a coworking space, can make a massive difference to their focus, energy, and mental clarity.
At The Foundry Cowork, we hear this all the time:
“I didn’t realise how much I needed a separate space until I tried it.”
Whether you’re running your own business or working remotely for someone else, a coworking space can offer:
· A clear start and finish to your day
· A distraction-free environment (no laundry in sight!)
· Connection and community with like-minded professionals
· A sense of routine and momentum that’s hard to replicate at home
· And honestly? Sometimes just working from a space where someone else made the coffee and cleaned the kitchen is enough to feel 10x more in control of your life.
Ready to Reclaim Some Headspace? Try Coworking - On Us
If you're feeling the weight of the mental load and working from home just isn’t working anymore, come and trial The Foundry - for free. Use code FDFREE when you book your first casual desk day at either our Erina or Gosford spaces.
Comments