MissPerceived The Mental Load: "Where Are We Now?" (w/ Haley Swenson)
Mar 27, 2025
Haley Swenson, a policy researcher at New America’s Better Life Lab, explores the broad concept of mental load beyond everyday chores, emphasizing its ties to politics and community well-being. She discusses how financial strain exacerbates this load and the role of structural support in achieving equality at home. Haley shares innovative experiments like laundry parties and Kitchen Buddies to ease these burdens. As AI emerges, she highlights the need for collaborative solutions to lighten the cognitive weight we all carry.
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Mental Load Is Much Larger Than Chores
- The mental load extends far beyond household to-dos and includes worries about politics, AI, and societal instability.
- Haley Swenson argues that mental load must be seen holistically to understand its health and economic impacts.
Policy Alone Won’t Fix Care Inequality
- Policy matters but is not a complete solution because even countries with strong policies still show unequal care burdens.
- Swenson urges simultaneous action across policy, employers, communities, and households.
Community Collapse Drives Mental Load
- Community breakdown and neoliberal pressures have expanded individuals' care burdens.
- Swenson links the loss of community supports to rising personal mental load and insecurity.
