Drained : reduce your mental load to do less and be more / Leah Ruppanner, PhD.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ruppanner, Leah, 1981- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mental fatigue.

Burn out (Psychology)--Prevention.

Burn out (Psychology).

Self-realization.

Women--Psychology.

Women.

Work-life balance.

Burn out (Psychology) Prevention.

Women Psychology.

Genre:

Self-help publications.

Physical Description:

292 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Other Title:

Reduce your mental load to do less and be more

Place of Publication:

New York : Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House, [2026]

Summary:

"The term "mental load" has become more familiar in recent years, but the popular understanding of the concept often reduces it down to managing a list of household chores and logistics. Sociologist Leah Ruppanner reveals that for women, mental load actually goes much deeper: It's a complex form of emotional thinking that is invisible, boundaryless, and enduring. It's not just making sure tasks get done, it requires thinking five steps ahead, keeping relationships intact, creating experiences that keep all members of the family happy and thriving, and much more. Mental load burnout is the thing that makes women feel like they're running at top speed but barely moving forward. It's what makes even markers of success - new babies, jobs, or promotions- feel exhausting and overwhelming. And there's a double burden: Social standards set women up to be spread too thin, but most of us internalize the idea that our inability to keep up is our fault--it's all in our heads, or we need to let go of perfectionism. If only we could find more minutes in the day, or more time for self-care. In Drained, Ruppanner tackles the problem of women's mental load by asking us to see it through a fresh, paradigm-shifting lens. This book asks, what if we stop blaming ourselves and instead, make practical, impactful changes to our lives to prioritize our energy? With eye-opening, research-based insights, including the 8 most common categories of mental load that weigh women down, Drained offers a powerful toolkit to help women move toward the life they really want. The heart of the book is the Mental Load Audit, which helps readers assess where they are spending their time and attention, and shows them how to take steps to recalibrate effectively. Urgent and provocative, Drained will help women create richer, less overwhelming lives filled with more meaning and joy"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Part I. Meet the mental load

Making the invisible visible

The eight types of mental loads

The seven stages of the mental load

Silencing wasteful shoulds, musts, and what-ifs

Part II. The unload

Identify what is draining your mental load

Clarify your goals and values

Align your mental load spending

Part III. The reload

Create a mental load with purpose

Delegate some of your mental load

Money changes everything

How to talk with our spouses and get results

Conclusion: What we owe our daughters

Appendix: The mental load audit worksheets.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-281) and index.

Other Format:

Online version Ruppanner, Leah, 1981- Drained

ISBN:

9780593850909

0593850904

OCLC:

1529915094