Ep160 - The Mental Load with Dr Leah Ruppanner

About this episode

This episode explores the concept of mental load and its implications in the workplace with Dr Leah Ruppanner.

The “mental load” is something many people carry, but actually struggle to name. It’s the invisible work of planning, organising, anticipating and worrying that sits behind everything we do, both at work and at home. And while it affects everyone, it’s not experienced equally. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Leah Ruppanner, Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, Director of the Future of Work Lab and author of her new book, "Drained". Leah’s research sits at the intersection of work design, gender equity and wellbeing - asking whether the way we work today is truly sustainable for people, families and organisations. Together, we unpack what the mental load really is, why it matters in today’s workplaces and what leaders can do to better recognise (and reduce!) the invisible demands placed on their people. In this episode, we cover: What the mental load actually is and why it’s often hard to see or measure The invisible labour behind keeping work and life running smoothly Why the mental load is unevenly distributed, particularly across gender The impact on wellbeing, energy and sustainable performance How current ways of working can amplify (or reduce)…

People in this episode

Host: Tom Bosna

Guest: Dr Leah Ruppanner

Topics covered

• mental load
• work design
• gender equity
• wellbeing
• leadership
• workplace sustainability

Keywords

• mental load
• invisible work
• gender disparity
• workplace wellbeing
• leadership support
• sustainable performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Melbourne

Books & works: Drained

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