Why does the mental load feel invisible, until it’s overwhelming?

In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce is joined by Stacey van den Aardweg to unpack the unseen weight carried across work, home, and everything in between.

Stacey shares her perspective on how the mental load shows up day-to-day — from managing households and careers to the constant background processing that never really switches off. The conversation explores why this load is so often misunderstood, how it impacts relationships, and what needs to change to create a more balanced way of living.

This is an honest, practical conversation about awareness, ownership, and the systems we need to rethink.

What we cover:

• What the “mental load” actually is — and why it’s often invisible
• How the load builds across work, home, and relationships
• Why it’s not just about tasks — but responsibility and anticipation
• The emotional impact of carrying the load long-term
• How relationships are affected by imbalance
• Why awareness is the first step to change
• Practical ways to better distribute responsibility
• The role of communication, expectation setting, and ownership
• Why modern life amplifies the pressure

Chapters:

00:00 – Introducing the mental load

01:18 – What people get wrong about it

03:05 – Tasks vs responsibility

05:12 – The invisible work behind the scenes

07:40 – How the load builds over time

09:15 – Emotional impact and burnout

11:02 – Relationships and imbalance

13:24 – Why it often goes unnoticed

15:08 – Awareness as the first step

17:20 – Communication and expectation setting

19:45 – Redistributing responsibility

22:10 – Practical ways to reduce the load

24:30 – The role of modern life and pressure

27:05 – Rethinking how we approach work and home

29:40 – Final reflections and advice

📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io

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What if the key to navigating work, parenting, and pressure… was thinking more like a poker player?

In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce is joined by Jo Living — entrepreneur, former investment banker, and founder of Aces High — to explore how risk, decision-making, and confidence show up in both business and family life.

From growing up in a high-achieving household to building and exiting a startup, Jo shares how her relationship with money, ambition, and independence has evolved — and how poker strategy became an unexpected lens for navigating high-stakes moments at work and at home.

This is a conversation about ownership, negotiation, and why trying to “do it all” might be the wrong game to play.

What we cover:

• Why the “modern load” is a systemic problem — not a personal failure
• How childhood shapes ambition, money mindset, and independence
• The reality of high-performance careers alongside parenting
• Why resentment builds in relationships — and how to fix it
• “Divide and conquer” vs trying to do everything together
• What poker teaches us about risk, confidence, and decision-making
• Why women hesitate to “play the hand” they’ve been dealt
• The pressure of being a high-achieving parent (and letting go of perfection)
• How to practically split the mental load in a relationship
• The role of tech, distraction, and always-on expectations

Chapters:

00:00 – Poker, parenting, and the modern load

01:01 – Meet Jo Living: entrepreneur, poker strategist, founder

02:30 – Growing up in a high-achieving family

04:00 – Financial shifts and early independence

05:03 – Investment banking and chasing money

05:42 – Walking away and becoming an entrepreneur

08:28 – Building and exiting a startup

09:40 – Cards, strategy, and discovering poker

12:12 – Winning her first poker tournament

13:26 – From poker table to business strategy

14:44 – Parenting, flexibility, and “divide & conquer”

16:09 – Burnout, self-care, and resetting under pressure

17:01 – Resentment and the imbalance of the load

18:21 – Careers, trade-offs, and real-world constraints

20:01 – The “perfect storm” of modern life

21:30 – Why couples misjudge the load (130% problem)

22:20 – Systemic failure vs individual blame

23:15 – Practical ways to split responsibilities

25:05 – Letting go of perfection in parenting

26:22 – Communication, negotiation, and partnership

28:14 – The myth of the “super mum”

30:24 – Parenting differences and decision-making

31:04 – Screen time, tech, and modern challenges

33:04 – Always-on culture and mental load

35:36 – Advice to younger self: know your value

36:49 – First job, money, and early lessons

📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to carry the modern load?

In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce sits down with Antonia Redgrove to unpack the reality of balancing career, parenting, and everything in between.

Antonia shares her journey growing up in a family of nine, how that shaped her drive for independence, and what happens when ambition meets the realities of modern parenthood. From navigating childcare, career progression, and societal expectations — to the mental load that never switches off — this is an honest, grounded conversation about how people are actually making it work today.

If you’re building a career, raising a family, or simply trying to stay on top of it all… this one will hit.

What we cover:

• The reality of the “modern load” and why it feels so overwhelming
• How childhood shapes ambition, work ethic, and financial independence
• The transition into parenthood — and the loss (and return) of independence
• The mental load of managing work, home, and everything in between
• Why modern parenting feels harder than ever
• The impact of tech, expectations, and always-on culture
• Practical ways couples divide responsibilities (and where it breaks down)
• Rethinking ambition after becoming a parent

Chapters:

00:00 – Parenthood and the shock to independence

01:32 – Growing up in a family of nine

03:14 – Financial shifts and changing family dynamics

05:12 – Early independence and work ethic

07:25 – Freedom, money, and autonomy

09:23 – Transition into parenthood

11:40 – Navigating work, childcare, and logistics

14:02 – The reality of the modern load

15:09 – Covid, careers, and parenting under pressure

18:14 – Default parenting and mental load

20:30 – Ambition vs parenting expectations

23:14 – Why modern life feels harder than ever

24:48 – The pressure we put on ourselves as parents

28:14 – Tech, distraction, and always-on culture

30:32 – Setting boundaries with technology

32:57 – First job, money, and lessons on work

📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io

X - https://x.com/TheModernLoad_

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themoloapp

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheModernLoad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.