"When my daughter was about a year old, she was getting ready to take her first steps. We had some friends from out of town driving through our area, and we decided to meet up at a nearby train-themed amusement park. Did we have fun? I honestly can't remember because I spent the whole time thinking about how I was going to have to stay up late (on a Saturday) to work on a grant proposal."
"This experience is incredibly common amongst the women I work with. They might be physically present playing Uno with their kids or meeting up with friends for dinner. But, mentally, they have a running ticker-tape of to-dos running through their heads: "What am I going to make for dinner?" "I need to schedule a teeth cleaning." "I have to order a birthday present for my kid's friend. "When was the last time I exercised?""
A persistent mental workload of tracking and coordinating responsibilities drains energy and diminishes capacity to enjoy present moments. Parents and caregivers often remain physically present while mentally rehearsing to-dos, causing joy to be stolen from experiences. Invisible project management frequently falls disproportionately on women, and delegating tasks still often requires retaining the mental responsibility of remembering and explaining work. When attention is pulled across many directions, positive moments and their associated emotions are reduced. Values can act as a compass to decide which mental 'tabs' to close, and mindful attention can anchor focus in the present.
Read at Psychology Today
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