Why more women carry the 'mental load' - and how couples can share it

The "mental load" — remembering, planning and anticipating everyday tasks like school trips, WhatsApp messages and appointments — still falls mostly on mothers and spikes around back-to-school time.
That invisible, constant cognitive work causes stress, poor sleep and decision fatigue, and can affect careers because women often become the "default parent" after maternity leave.
Practical fixes people find helpful: partners fully own categories of tasks, use shared calendars/regular check‑ins, and explicitly label the invisible work so it gets shared.