In today’s episode, Avery, Lucy, and Jamie talk about Cognitive Load. Cognitive load refers to the cognitive energy associated with planning and managing tasks.  We talk about our own experiences with cognitive load and offer some validation that the cognitive load of various roles can become quite heavy and overwhelming at times. Next, we discuss how we assess for cognitive load and attempt to distribute it in an equitable way.  We end this episode with a discussion of strategies to cope with burnout and ways we can access support from others. 

Do try this at home:

• How do we think about cognitive load, recognize it, name it? It can be helpful to list the things that you are taking responsibility for and mentally managing so you can get clear on which tasks you are a “yes” for and which ones you need to pass off or get help with. 
• Turning inward and assessing your own capacity for additional cognitive tasks and communicating that to those around you can be helpful in maintaining your cognitive energy. 
•  The conversation about cognitive load is an important one to have with your partner or loved ones especially if you are feeling overwhelmed or burned out. 

Helpful articles/links:

• What Is The Mental Load? Women’s Invisible Labor
• The hidden load: How ‘thinking of everything’ holds mums back
• This Comic Perfectly Explains the Mental Load Working Mothers Bear
• Mental Load: Examples, How to Talk About It, & More
• ResilienceConnection.com