Mothers Shoulder More Cognitive Load in Housework

San Francisco: Housework often brings to mind physical activities like scrubbing dishes, running errands, and preparing meals. However, an unseen dimension of household labor exists: the cognitive effort required to anticipate needs, plan, organize, and delegate tasks. This "mental load" is disproportionately carried by mothers, impacting their mental health significantly.

Recent research, published in the Archives of Women's Mental Health, surveyed 322 mothers of young children. The study found that mothers are responsible for 73% of cognitive household labor and 64% of physical household tasks. This mental burden includes remembering to replace dish soap and deciding which vegetables to chop, tasks that often go unnoticed.

The study highlighted a striking gender disparity, with mothers performing more cognitive and physical tasks compared to their partners. While fathers participated more in physical tasks like taking out the garbage and home maintenance, mothers handled the planning and organizing aspects.

The unequal division of cognitive labor had a profound impact on women's psychological well-being. Mothers reported experiencing higher levels of depression, stress, relationship dissatisfaction, and burnout. This cognitive load suppresses women's full participation in the paid workforce and significantly affects their health.

The study calls for more attention to cognitive labor in household tasks. The mental energy expended on these tasks often goes unacknowledged, pulling women away from other priorities and contributing to higher depression rates.

Future research should include data from both partners and explore different relationship configurations. Understanding the long-term effects of cognitive labor on women's mental health is crucial. The cognitive load is often a significant source of stress in relationships and is frequently cited as a reason for divorce. It warrants more attention from mental health professionals and relationship counselors to ensure a balanced and healthy division of household labor.