Mengenal Mental Load: Bebas Lelah Mental Ibu dalam Mengurus Rumah Tangga
Mental load adalah beban tak kasat mata berupa perencanaan, pengaturan, dan antisipasi kebutuhan rumah tangga yang umumnya ditanggung perempuan, bahkan dalam pasangan yang sudah berbagi tugas fisik. Penelitian dari University of Bath dan University of Melbourne terhadap 3.000 orangtua di AS menemukan ibu menangani 71 persen tugas rumah tangga berbasis usaha mental, beban yang berlanjut setelah kembali bekerja dan bisa memicu stres, gangguan tidur, serta keputusan perempuan mengurangi jam kerja atau berhenti berkarier. Para pakar merekomendasikan langkah praktis seperti komunikasi terbuka, penyerahan tanggung jawab penuh per kategori tugas, kalender bersama, evaluasi prioritas, dan check-in berkala untuk membagi beban mental secara lebih seimbang tanpa harus kaku 50/50.
Poin-Poin Utama
- Mental load refers to invisible cognitive labor of planning, organizing, remembering, and anticipating household needs.
- Stacie Matthias, a mother of three from Stockport, describes her mind as always full with task lists even while sleeping.
- Cognitive load in heterosexual couples is predominantly borne by women alongside physical housework.
- A study by University of Bath and University of Melbourne surveyed 3,000 US parents on household task distribution.
- The study found mothers handle 71 percent of household tasks requiring mental effort.
- Fathers more often handle episodic tasks such as vehicle servicing.
- Professor Leah Ruppaner of University of Melbourne states mental load is invisible, continuous, and boundless.
- Constant cognitive load can trigger chronic stress, sleep disturbances, irritability, and decision fatigue.
- Parenting expert Anita Cleare notes mental fatigue impacts women's professional lives.
- Many women reduce work hours or quit careers due to inability to bear the double burden.
- Gender inequality in mental load often originates during maternity leave, typically longer for mothers than paternity leave.
- This establishes mothers as the default parent early on.
- Clinical psychologist Natasha Wallace explains default-parent role often persists after returning to work.
- Some men fail to recognize mental load, perceiving tasks as minor.
- Practical steps include clear communication, full responsibility transfer, shared calendars, reducing unnecessary notifications, and routine check-ins.
Hak cipta dan publikasi utuh dimiliki oleh Media Indonesia.