02/06/2026
(Part 2) Let’s do some unlearning.
If you’re juggling school drop-offs, meetings, deadlines, and a never-ending to-do list, here are three things that quietly make it harder — not easier.
One: telling yourself,
“Other parents handle this, so I should too.”
Comparison doesn’t create capacity. It adds pressure to days that are already full.
Two: waiting to rest until everything is done.
For working parents, “done” rarely arrives. Treating rest like a reward keeps your nervous system stuck in survival mode.
Three: calling it a personal failure instead of naming the mental load.
Planning, remembering, coordinating, anticipating, and emotionally holding everyone else’s needs is real work — even when it never shows up on your calendar.
You’re not behind.
You’re carrying more than most people can see.
And you’re not doing it wrong.
If this resonated, consider SHARING it with another working parent who might need a reminder that they’re not alone.
(working parents stress, mental load, mum burnout, work life balance, caregiver exhaustion, workplace mental health)