Are You Carrying the Mental Load at Work? Try This
If the phrase “beyond my pay grade” can describe most of the tasks on your daily to-do list, then you’re probably carrying a heavy mental load at work.
And you’re far from alone in carrying this burden.
Across industries and roles, workers are struggling with a heavy mental load that is contributing to a global burnout pandemic.
With such real threats to productivity - let alone a healthy workplace environment or meaningful work - at play, understanding and managing the mental load at work is one of the most important challenges for workplaces today.
In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about the mental load at work, from examples of tasks and responsibilities that can contribute to it to practical tips for managing it effectively. So, if you're feeling weighed down by your workload and looking for ways to lighten the load and boost your productivity, read on!
What is the Mental Load At Work?
The mental load at work is like a backpack you carry on the loooong hike of your workday. Each responsibility you carry is another item in the bag, adding effort to the task of getting through the day. At some point, the load might be so heavy that you just can’t continue, resulting in burnout or stress-induced illness.
Simply put, the mental load at work is the sum of cognitive effort required to keep track of everything that you need to do in a day - within or beyond your actual job description.
While many professional roles are demanding by nature of the job description, jobs that come with a heavy mental load are demanding by nature of what’s left out of the job description. The mental load includes a long list of tasks that fall outside of a job description, but are necessary to keep a workplace running smoothly or simply fulfill social expectations in an unhealthy workplace culture.
The nature of tasks that add to the mental load at work - expected, intangible, and often unpaid - tie it closely to the concept of invisible labor: Those who carry the mental load at work are often expected to perform duties above and beyond their formal job description without pay - or often, recognition - but is still necessary to perform the job well, or expected of workers by others in the workplace.
The mental load at work can include tasks like:
Planning meetings at a time that works well for all participants
Organizing workplace events, parties, and systems
Remembering personal details about co-workers to build positive relationships
Communicating with co-workers, managers and stakeholders
Mentoring younger colleagues
Being available to help with ad-hoc and volunteer tasks
Research has shown that women take on a disproportionate share of the mental load both at home and in the workplace, which makes addressing this invisible burden one of the most important issues to securing gender equality of the 21st century.
Cognitive Load vs The Mental Load
The cognitive load and the mental load are related - but distinct - concepts that describe workplace stressors that are often used interchangeably. However, there are important differences. Understanding each concept can help you to identify the specific workplace dynamics you experience, and take the right steps to manage them.
Cognitive overload refers to the amount of mental effort or working memory resources used to process information in the brain. It's the mental effort required to perform tasks, learn new information, and solve problems. On the other hand, the mental load is a popular term used to describe the cognitive exhaustion from managing household responsibilities experienced by women and caregivers.
While cognitive overload can describe any type of exhausting mental effort, the mental load at work is specific to the cognitive effort of tracking tasks and responsibilities, often those in addition to a formal job description, in a workplace context.
While the cognitive overload is about how much mental effort it takes to handle information, the mental load is about all the stuff you're juggling in your head—like planning your day, keeping track of deadlines, and making sure everything runs smoothly.
Mental load can contribute to cognitive load, but cognitive load can also come from other sources, like learning new skills, entering a new workplace environment, or solving complex problems.
What do they have in common?
Both cognitive and mental load can lead to burnout if you ignore the warning signs.
Examples of the Mental Load at Work
When it comes to the mental load at work, there are countless examples of what can add up to an overwhelming mental burden. Here are a few common examples of situations that may put a heavy mental load on employees:
Assuming informal leadership roles within teams Âą
Tracking progress and ensuring work is completed on deadlines
Being available to others via email, chat, endless notifications and phone calls
Remembering essential details, such as names, dates, and client preferences
These tasks and extra responsibilities can quickly add up, making it difficult for employees to focus on their primary responsibilities and complete tasks efficiently. This can lead to increased stress, decreased productivity, and burnout.
Signs That You're Carrying the Mental Load At Work
Here are some signs that you're carrying the mental load at work:
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed, even when you're not working
Being the only one in your workplace who knows how to do something
Constantly reminding others about deadlines or important details
Planning and organizing non-essential tasks or holiday events, even if it's not your job
Being responsible for coordinating projects or tasks without receiving recognition or compensation
Multitasking or switching between tasks frequently to keep up with everything
Feeling like you're always "on-call" or working, even when you're not physically at work.
If you're experiencing one or more of these signs, you're likely carrying a significant portion of the mental load at work. Managing your workload and delegating tasks effectively is essential to avoid burnout.
You Might Also Like: Are You Doing It All? Use This Mental Load Checklist to Find Out
Workplace Gender Equality & The Mental Load
The mental load at work disproportionately impacts women, who often face the additional responsibility of managing household and family responsibilities on top of their work responsibilities. This can lead to stress and burnout, which employers must address to create a more supportive and productive workplace.
While advocacy for change on a case-by-case basis is important, workplace gender equality is essentially a systemic issue that requires systemic change. Employers can start by recognizing the mental load as a valid issue and supporting employees struggling to manage it. This can include offering flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible hours, and providing childcare or eldercare support resources. Employers can also take steps to redistribute responsibilities more fairly, ensuring that no one person is carrying an undue burden.
It's not only the right thing to do; it's also the law.
Anti-discrimination laws protect employees from being burdened with additional responsibilities without appropriate compensation.
The dynamic is cyclical: the mental load is caused by gender inequality - and causes gender equality. It’s a complex feedback loop, but recognizing the extent of the issue is the first step toward advancing equality in the workplace and beyond.
Socially Prescribed Perfectionism, Volunteering & Informal Leadership
Because women face additional pressure to validate their competence in the workplace, they may take on responsibilities beyond their job description to prove themselves.
This pressure is exacerbated by societal expectations that women should be nurturing, and the combined pressures can trap women in community-service roles that conflict with ambitions for career advancement.
But did you know there’s a word for these dynamics?
A study by Dr. Maria Recalde and her colleagues at the Department of Economics, University of Melbourne, sheds light on how differences in volunteering for 'non-promotable tasks' can contribute to this inequality. ²
The study found that women were nearly 50% more likely to volunteer for tasks that don’t lead to promotions than men. This can lead to an imbalance in coordination responsibilities, contributing to the mental load that women carry at work.
This study demonstrates that some kind of intervention is needed to ensure the fair distribution of tasks is critical to promoting gender equality in the workplace. Strong leaders need to ensure that task assignments are distributed across teams fairly to prevent load falling on the shoulders of women - even those who may volunteer to take it on.
Long-Term Risks of Carrying the Mental Load at Work
While carrying a heavy mental load at work may provide some short-term benefits, such as feeling productive and accomplished, the long-term risks can be significant, particularly for women who often bear a disproportionate share of the mental load. These risks include:
Burnout: The constant stress and pressure of carrying a heavy mental load can lead to burnout for women, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that can take a long time to recover.
Decreased productivity: Over time, the extra responsibilities can become overwhelming, reducing productivity and effectiveness at work.
Poor mental health: The cognitive load can take a toll on mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Strained relationships: When one person in a relationship, whether personal or professional, carries a heavy cognitive load, it can strain the relationship and lead to resentment and conflict.
Imposter syndrome: Women who carry a heavy mental load may be more likely to experience imposter syndrome, feeling like they are not qualified or deserving of success, which can hold them back in their careers.
Career stagnation: If an employee is constantly preoccupied with the cognitive load, they may not have the bandwidth to take on formal job responsibilities, new challenges or opportunities, leading to career stagnation.
Tips for Lightening the Mental Load You Carry At Work
If you're feeling weighed down by your mental load at work, there is hope. Talk to your manager about how they can help with the issue, and try these simple strategies to lighten your load on a daily basis:
Prioritize your tasks: Focus on the most important ones and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and make it easier to stay on track.
Delegate: Look for tasks that can be delegated to others. This will free up your limited time and reduce your mental load. Make sure you delegate tasks to people capable of completing them and provide clear instructions.
Use Simplish: Simplish is a great tool with built-in planning and task-management features that you can use to reduce your mental load. Try the 7 day free trial for Simplish!
Take breaks: Sometimes, taking your foot off the gas is the best way to be productive. Taking short breaks throughout the day can help you recharge and reduce your stress levels. Use your breaks to do something that relaxes you, like going for a walk or reading a book.
Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress and improve focus. Take a few minutes daily to practice mindfulness, whether through meditation or simply taking a few deep breaths.
Learn to say no: Don't be afraid to say no to tasks or projects beyond your capacity. This will help you avoid taking on too much and reduce your mental load.
Set boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal time. This will help you avoid bringing work home and reduce your mental load outside of work hours.
Practice self-care: Take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and make time for activities you enjoy. This will help you stay energized and reduce your stress.
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"Leadership's Toll on Mental Health," Boston Globe, sponsored by Point32Health, accessed April 29, 2024, https://sponsored.bostonglobe.com/point32health/leadership-toll-mental-health/.
Linda Babcock, Maria P. Recalde, Lise Vesterlund, and Laurie Weingart, "Gender Differences in Accepting and Receiving Requests for Tasks with Low Promotability," American Economic Review (American Economic Association, 2017).