8 Ways to Reduce the Mental Load as a Busy Working Mum
We talk a lot about productivity at work - systems, tools, processes. But when it comes to home life, especially for busy working Mums like you, it’s often left to chance.
And the result?
A relentless mental load that no one else sees but you carry, rent free, in your head every single day.
It makes you snappy with your kids (cue more guilt) and grouchy with your husband (who’s ‘just tell me what to do’ response when you say you’re so busy just angers you even more).
The truth is: it’s not about “doing it all.”
Instead, I’d encourage you to building small systems that take the thinking off your plate.
Reducing the constant stream of decisions about everyday tasks frees up headspace for the big stuff. The client presentation your boss is counting on, or the conversation with your child that you want to have without distraction.
Here are 8 simple ways to lighten the load - nothing groundbreaking, just simple ways to reduce the overwhelm and manage the juggle of balancing work, home and family life.
🥪 Prep lunches the night before
You probably get fed at work, but if your children and / or partner need to take a pack up then this is a no-brainer.
Mornings are likely already chaotic, so making packed lunches the night before removes one decision and one stressor when you’re trying to get everyone out the door.
It’s an added expense, but if you have duplicates of everyone's lunchboxes you get the extra bonus of being able to pack lunch before the washing up is done or the dishwasher finishes. It’s a tiny thing but a game changer in our house!
👗 Pick clothes before bedtime
With any luck your kids wear a school uniform, but if they don’t then having them choose what they wear the night before is another way of avoiding a morning meltdown.
My children are young and picking their clothes is now a part of their night time routine. Even if yours wear a uniform making them find a clean uniform including underwear and socks / tights means there’s no running around or frantically searching the laundry pile at 6.53am.
Same goes for you - at the end of work each day have a quick look at your diary for the following day so you can pick out an appropriate outfit whatever’s on your agenda. Hang it on your wardrobe door before you go to bed each night and make the morning a little less stressful.
⏰ Set clear morning boundaries
If you have teenagers I can’t imagine them waking you up at 5am is an issue (you might even need the opposite of this!) but if your kids are little then a clear get-up boundary gives you some space to start your day without an immediate demand.
We have Lumie wake up lights in our kids bedrooms and they know they aren’t allowed out of bed or out their room til their light comes on.
My youngest is a sleeper so it’s never an issue for her, my eldest is a morning person like me so she listens to her Yoto in bed before it’s time to wake up. That space in the morning just for you is gold.
🏋️ Move your body first thing
Whatever it is, the gym, yoga, a walk - it doesn’t matter. Building in movement early in the day means it actually happens.
For me that means getting up an hour earlier than my children and doing something just for myself, plus taking a shower in peace and enjoying a hot cup of tea.
Even if you don’t like exercising first thing, just 10 minutes in bed to read a book or scribble down some thoughts is never wasted - time spent caring on yourself multiplies.
🗓️ Time-block your week
This is a big one - do yourself a favour and never, ever set yourself up to fail.
By this I mean once a week (I like Friday afternoons, some people make this a Sunday task or first thing Monday morning) go through your diary or calendar for the week ahead and map out exactly what you’re doing each day.
Be realistic - if the drive from school drop off to the client site you’re visiting takes 45 minutes, don’t expect you can do it in 30.
Schedule in travel time, time to eat, time to relax if you can or time you want to focus solely on your children or your family. Sure, it’s easy to underestimate how long things really take but it goes a long way to avoid over-committing.
🍝 Plan your meals
I don’t necessarily mean breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks each day (though if that works for you, great!) but for most households, at least planning dinners on a weekly or even monthly dinner can go a long way.
Factor in who is in or out on any given night of the week and work out who will cook on each day. A 10 minute weekly task that means you won’t hit 4pm each day wondering what on earth to make for dinner as your children whine incessantly that they are hungry!
📋 Keep a rolling shopping list
This is something my Mum has always done and I genuinely don’t know how people cope with writing a shopping list on a blank sheet 10 minutes before they set out for Tescos!
Instead, keep a notepad (and a pen!) somewhere handy in the kitchen and split a sheet into various sections (we use fruit & veg, fridge & freezer, ambien & non food) so you can write down anything that is running low or gets used up as you go.
No more wondering if you need ketchup or getting caught without a bin bag because you forgot to buy them.
This should also save you money as it reduces the need to ‘pop to the shop’ to get essentials - where they always cost double the price.
🧺 Sort laundry as you go
Another one that’s been an absolute game changer in our house - it used to drive me made each evening upending the laundry basket and sorting it in to piles so I could see if we had enough for a load.
Instead, buy 4 cheap baskets - one each for lights, darks, whites, towels&bedding. Have everyone in the family sort as they go and that way you can easily tell at a glance if a wash needs doing.
Bonus - it teaches kids early on that washing needs sorting!
None of these are groundbreaking.
They’re small, boring-but-brilliant tweaks that make daily life less overwhelming.
Because when you reduce the mental load at home, you free up more energy to show up at work and with your family - without burning out.
💌 If you enjoyed this, you’ll love The Load, Lightened - my weekly Friday newsletter. It’s packed with real talk, practical fixes, and quick wins to help you juggle work, family, and everything in between.