The modern mental load – all of the things we have to do piled up on top of each other packed inside of our brains. From the responsibilities of owning your own home to keeping up with the kids’ homework, your mind can quickly become a place of chaos. The clutter inside of your mind is often matched by the clutter in your home, as you find yourself wondering how you’ll ever possibly find a minute for yourself. 

With so much going on, your mind feels like it never has time to rest. Even after the kids go to bed and you’re technically done with work, your job running a household never ends.  You may have dishes to do or emails to catch up on – there are all sorts of things that can keep your mind up at night.

Eventually, too much mental load can leave your mental health suffering.  It’s important that you do something quick before you burn out. Take a look at some of the best tips for reducing your mental load and taking control of your peace of mind.

Learn to delegate

With so much remembering, planning, and executing going on throughout the day,  it’s only a matter of time until our minds start to crack. Rather than trying to take it all on yourself, learn to delegate to your partner.  

This can be a little tricky for perfectionists who like to do things themselves. Yet, delegating to someone else is an essential part of getting the job done without going nuts. Even if delegating the job to someone else means lowering your expectations a little, at least you’ll have less on your plate!

Talk to friends

Far too many stressed-out adults fail to communicate what’s going on. Rather than letting it all bottle up, talk to someone about how you’re feeling. This could be either a friend, a family member, or your partner.

Ideally, you should communicate regularly rather than letting it all bottle up then explode out of you like a volcano. You have to practise letting it out, and the more that you do it, the better you’ll get at it.

Write it down

When things feel unmanageable, it helps to write it all down. Lists help your mind compartmentalize and simplify everything going on around you.  When you transfer a cluttered set of thoughts into a neatly organized list on paper, it’s transformative. It’s also the epitome of satisfaction to check each task off as you go. 

Plan ahead

Often, one of the biggest stresses around family life is dinner time. If you have younger children, it can be especially frustrating trying to prepare a meal with crying kids. 

Think ahead and plan when you can. Meal planning alone will take a large portion of the mental load off of your hands.

Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.