The Mental Load of Motherhood: Why Aussie Mums Are Exhausted and How to Cope

Being a mum of two boys is like being in the olympic championships for crocodile wrestling - Send Help!

Let’s be honest: the mental load of motherhood is real.

I’m talking about the constant mental juggling of groceries, meal planning, snacks (so👏🏼 many👏🏼 snacks👏🏼), keeping the house clean-ish, the never-ending laundry mountain, clothing size rotations, toy rotations, spring cleaning all the unnecessary stuff we've accumulated, donations, home maintenance, future renovations, travel plans—you name it.

It’s never-ending, and it’s exhausting.

And that’s just the house stuff! There’s also managing the emotional rollercoaster that comes with raising little humans. Big feelings everywhere—from me, from the kids, from the whole family. Emotional immaturity is in full force, and as much as I want everything to be neat, tidy, and under control, I’m starting to realise that mess is sometimes good. Good for them. Good for their souls. And if I’m being honest, good for my mental space too.

On top of this, we’ve got the never-ending list of extracurriculars: swimming classes, soccer games, training sessions, playdates, and don’t even get me started on screen time! There are always a million things I should be doing, a mountain of tasks that can feel like they’ll never get finished. And let’s face it, that feeling of always being “on” can leave us mentally and physically drained.

I know I’m not the only one feeling this way.

There’s a deep sense of overwhelm that comes with motherhood, and the more I talk to other mums, the more I realise we all carry the same weight. But here’s the thing: we don’t have to carry it alone. I’ve learned to cope by carving out small moments of peace—just tiny pockets of time that allow me to breathe and reset.

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