Mental load: When everyday life spills over into the workplace…

In the morning, before even logging in or sipping that first coffee, the day has already begun: checking appointments, planning the kids’ schedule or a dependent parent’s day, remembering the groceries, calling the building manager about the water heater, scheduling the vet, or planning when to mow the lawn.

And once you’re at work? That constant background noise doesn’t go away.It’s called mental load.

A quiet Weight… but a constant one

Mental load isn’t about visible overwork. It’s the invisible accumulation of everything that needs to be thought through, planned, and organised in one’s private life — all while managing a professional life.

It can include:

• childcare

• supporting an elderly or dependent loved one

• managing meals, housework, or appointments

• tending to the garden or home maintenance

• handling family logistics and admin

• even arranging pet care during holidays

  
  

This constant pressure has a very real impact: mental fatigue, trouble concentrating, stress, family tensions… and at work, reduced focus, lower motivation, or even burnout.

Performing well means being able to delegate

Work performance isn’t just about skills or motivation.It also depends on overall balance and mental clarity — which is hard to maintain when your personal to-do list is constantly overflowing.

Being able to delegate parts of daily life, relying on trustworthy support, and reclaiming time without guilt — this is not a luxury. It’s a tangible way to support long-term wellbeing.

A new challenge for employers

Today, wellbeing at work can’t just be about yoga sessions or flexible hours.Forward-thinking companies are now integrating support for private life into their HR strategies — because they understand that what happens at home directly affects employee engagement, health, and professional longevity.

Solutions exist — to lighten the load

Childcare, home help, garden maintenance, administrative assistance, support for elderly relatives…There are customised services available to take the pressure off. Quiet but powerful allies in the day-to-day, helping people breathe and reclaim their time.

Among these, FamilyPro supports families in French-speaking Switzerland with flexible, human-centred solutions tailored to each individual situation.

Because living well at home… means working better, too