Expert Talk: Career & Parenthood - Managing the mental load

Overview

How do we juggle work life balance when “life” comes with such a huge mental load?

When the family to-do list is three times as long as the work to-do list and you feel like you are always the one that has to remember. The thinking part of having children is permanent and it’s exhausting. It’s invisible, unmeasurable and often inescapable. 

How do we thrive at work whilst navigating the worry and guilt of managing a family at home? 

How do we learn to share the planning and management of our homes and not just the delegation of a never-ending task list in our minds? It is possible.

What to expect

We will:

• Explore what mental load is and how it manifests in our daily lives.
• Learn to recognise signs of burnout and tools we can employ to avoid it.
• Learn to take meaningful breaks.
• Learn to be more effective at work so you can enjoy your time at home.
• Identify worry and self-doubt loops and how to stop them.
• Explore mindfulness and self-compassion as tools to help you be present with our kids when we are at home and present with our works when we need to be working.

The Expert



Desiree Dickerson PhD is a clinical psychologist who specialises in the mental health and well-being of researchers and the academic community.

A former researcher in the neurosciences, Desiree works globally with universities, lab groups, and academics in the pursuit of a healthier, sustainable approach to research. She is also a mum of two, in a beautifully, exhaustingly, neurospicy home; committed to sharing the mental and emotional load at home equitably.