Drained

The popular understanding of the 'mental load' 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 labour that requires thinking five steps ahead, keeping relationships intact, creating experiences that keep all members of the family happy and thriving, and more. In Drained, Ruppanner outlines the 8 distinct types of mental load performed across 7 unique stages, highlighting what makes the mental load so uniquely heavy for women.





But 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, Drained offers a powerful toolkit to help women create richer, less overwhelming lives filled with more meaning and joy.



Leah Ruppanner is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne, one of the founding directors of The Future of Work Lab and the host of the Miss Perceived podcast. She has a PhD in Sociology from UC Irvine and has spent the past decade researching gender, work and family. Ruppanner's goal is to use her research to help women gain control over their time and to spend it how they wish.



A research-backed, powerful guide to managing the complex emotional burden of mental load, with practical advice that is both urgent and transformative. It is a must-read for all women to help them reset how they spend their energy, and lead more balanced, fulfilling, joyful lives



This book is a revelation. Women often talk about our "mental load," but we don't really understand what it is, which means we don't know what to do about it. Drained meticulously and rigorously shows us all the different parts of that load, why we are expected to carry more of it and how to decide what parts are actually worth carrying. Buy it, read it and recommend it!



Leah Ruppanner shines a bright spotlight on one of the most invisible and consequential experiences that can drive division and tax bandwidth to the breaking point: the mental load borne primarily by women that keeps family life running. Drained offers an essential blueprint for happier, healthier relationships and lives



If we want to tackle the care gap and the pay gap, burnout, parents' mental health and women's leadership, we need to understand the mental load, and we need to tackle it. And our first step is to read Drained