<description>&lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="169"&gt;Many moms already wake up feeling tired, and it's not because they're doing too much, but because they're carrying too much. In this episode of &lt;em data-renderer-mark="true"&gt;Electric Ideas&lt;/em&gt;, Whitney sits down with Leah Ruppanner, professor of sociology, to talk about the mental load of motherhood and why it's so often invisible, brushed off, or just accepted as "part of being a mom."&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="169"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="526"&gt;They talk about the constant background thinking moms do all day long, including keeping track of schedules, anticipating needs, managing emotions, making decisions, and holding everything together in ways no one really sees. Leah breaks down the 8 categories of mental load, helping put language to the many different ways this shows up in daily life. From emotional labor to future planning and decision fatigue, this conversation helps explain why so many moms feel overwhelmed even when they can't point to one specific thing.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="526"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1058"&gt;Whitney and Leah also dig into why the mental load builds quietly over time, why it's so hard to hand off to someone else, and how cultural expectations keep moms taking on more than their fair share, often without realizing it. Leah shares her mental load assessment, a simple but eye-opening tool that helps moms see where their energy is actually going and which areas are asking for more support.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1058"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1460"&gt;If you've ever felt exhausted, resentful, or on edge and wondering why everything feels so hard, this episode will help you make sense of it and give you a place to start naming what you're really carrying.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1668"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1670"&gt;Here's what you can look forward to in this episode:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul class="ak-ul" data-indent-level="1"&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1726"&gt;The many mental loads moms take on and how deep the mental load actually goes&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1807"&gt;The 8 different mental load types moms experience&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1860"&gt;Where to start when we want to be aware of our mental load capacity&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="1931"&gt;&lt;em data-renderer-mark= "true"&gt;Reflection question to ponder:  Am I spending my mental load aligned with my purpose?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2018"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2020"&gt;Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Whitney - &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title= "https://calendly.com/electricideas/discovery-call-for-lightning-bolt-sessions?month=2025-10" href= "https://calendly.com/electricideas/discovery-call-for-lightning-bolt-sessions?month=2025-10" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;book a 15-minute Spark Session&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2097"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2099"&gt;&lt;strong data-renderer-mark= "true"&gt;Connect with Whitney&lt;/strong&gt;: &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/whitneywoman/" href= "https://www.instagram.com/whitneywoman/" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; l &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://myelectricideas.com/" href= "https://myelectricideas.com/" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Website&lt;/a&gt; l &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://myelectricideas.com/meditation-guide/" href= "https://myelectricideas.com/meditation-guide/" data-renderer-mark= "true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety"&gt;5 Days to Less Stress, More Satisfaction&lt;/a&gt; l &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://icy-queen-56311.myflodesk.com/tendtoyoursoul" href= "https://icy-queen-56311.myflodesk.com/tendtoyoursoul" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Tend to Your Soul Toolkit&lt;/a&gt; l &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title= "https://icy-queen-56311.myflodesk.com/connecttoyourfutureself" href= "https://icy-queen-56311.myflodesk.com/connecttoyourfutureself" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;10 Soulful Journaling Prompts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://pod.link/1607326590/" href= "https://pod.link/1607326590/" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety"&gt;Electric Ideas Podcast&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2099"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p data-renderer-start-pos="2270"&gt;&lt;strong data-renderer-mark= "true"&gt;Connect with Leah:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.instagram.com/prof.leahruppanner" href= "https://www.instagram.com/prof.leahruppanner" data-renderer-mark= "true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.leahruppanner.com/" href= "https://www.leahruppanner.com/" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Website&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a class= "_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title= "https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/762972/drained-by-leah-ruppanner-phd/" href= "https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/762972/drained-by-leah-ruppanner-phd/" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid= "link-with-safety"&gt;Book: Drained&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href= "https://www.lightenlab.com"&gt;Free Mental Load Assessment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Electric Ideas with Whitney Baker: Motherhood, Self-Connection, Joyful Living & Self-Care

Whitney Baker

175. The Mental Load in Motherhood: Why It Feels So Overwhelming with Leah Ruppanner

JAN 29, 202641 MIN
Electric Ideas with Whitney Baker: Motherhood, Self-Connection, Joyful Living & Self-Care

175. The Mental Load in Motherhood: Why It Feels So Overwhelming with Leah Ruppanner

JAN 29, 202641 MIN

Description

Many moms already wake up feeling tired, and it's not because they're doing too much, but because they're carrying too much. In this episode of Electric Ideas, Whitney sits down with Leah Ruppanner, professor of sociology, to talk about the mental load of motherhood and why it's so often invisible, brushed off, or just accepted as "part of being a mom." They talk about the constant background thinking moms do all day long, including keeping track of schedules, anticipating needs, managing emotions, making decisions, and holding everything together in ways no one really sees. Leah breaks down the 8 categories of mental load, helping put language to the many different ways this shows up in daily life. From emotional labor to future planning and decision fatigue, this conversation helps explain why so many moms feel overwhelmed even when they can't point to one specific thing. Whitney and Leah also dig into why the mental load builds quietly over time, why it's so hard to hand off to someone else, and how cultural expectations keep moms taking on more than their fair share, often without realizing it. Leah shares her mental load assessment, a simple but eye-opening tool that helps moms see where their energy is actually going and which areas are asking for more support. If you've ever felt exhausted, resentful, or on edge and wondering why everything feels so hard, this episode will help you make sense of it and give you a place to start naming what you're really carrying. Here's what you can look forward to in this episode: The many mental loads moms take on and how deep the mental load actually goes The 8 different mental load types moms experience Where to start when we want to be aware of our mental load capacity Reflection question to ponder: Am I spending my mental load aligned with my purpose? Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Whitney - book a 15-minute Spark Session Connect with Whitney: Instagram l Website l 5 Days to Less Stress, More Satisfaction l Tend to Your Soul Toolkit l 10 Soulful Journaling Prompts | Electric Ideas Podcast Connect with Leah: Instagram | Website | Book: Drained | Free Mental Load Assessment