Best Laid Plans Mental Load Expert Allison Daminger Answers Your Burning Questions About Planning and Household Management EP 260
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Jul 21, 2025 
Allison Daminger, a sociology professor and author on mental load, discusses the intricacies of household management and planning. She tackles listener questions about partners with different planning styles, including those with ADHD and unpredictable jobs. The conversation emphasizes the importance of effective communication and adaptability in sharing responsibilities. Allison also highlights strategies to navigate varying approaches to task division, making everyday routines more manageable while reducing stress in family dynamics.
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Allison's Planning Method
- Allison Daminger uses a weekly 30-minute brain dump session to plan tasks and prioritize by day.
- She uses a cute Moglia paper planner and supplements daily sketching on post-it notes for flexibility.
Reframe Long-Range Planning
- Rename 'long-range planning' as 'dreaming' or 'imagining' to reduce anxiety about rigidity.
- Separate dreaming from actual detailed planning to ease partnership tensions on future goals.
Strategic Task Assignment
- Assign home tasks that fit the partner's unpredictable schedule and energy.
- Avoid timing-sensitive tasks at first; pick flexible ones to build trust and success.
