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396. The Mental Load: Why Helping Doesn’t Help episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 31, 2026 · 46 MIN

396. The Mental Load: Why Helping Doesn’t Help

from Relationships Made Easy · host Dr. Abby Medcalf

You’re supposed to be sleeping, but what you’re doing is lying there in the dark thinking about all the things. Why did I say that stupid thing in the meeting today? Is that chicken still good or does it have to get cooked tomorrow? Did the permission slip get signed for the field trip? And crap, I forgot to call mom back! That’s the mental load, and it’s why you’re so tired. This isn’t about better sleep or having more downtime. It’s about the things you don’t realize you’re carrying. Today you’re going to learn what mental load really is, why it doesn’t get one bit lighter when somebody offers to help, and five things you can do about it. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/what-is-the-mental-load Free Download: Get the Mental Load Inventory: https://abbymedcalf.com/mental-load-inventory Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________ Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week! https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/ 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/resources Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Our Sponsors: * Check out Cure Hydration and use my code RME for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com * Check out Quince and use my code RME for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 31, 2026

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396. The Mental Load: Why Helping Doesn’t Help

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