Summer Hits Different When You’re The Default Everything

Even if you’re not technically in full mom-mode anymore, you still feel it. The rhythm shifts. The boundaries blur. The grocery bill goes up. The fridge door opens 47 more times a day. The calendar looks deceptively open, but the mental load is stacked three layers high.

For working women—especially leaders, moms, entrepreneurs, or anyone who plays the “go-to” role in their house or business—summer doesn’t mean rest. It means recalibrating. Which is why I’ve started asking myself something I wish I’d asked years ago:

How can I lighten my load before I’m overwhelmed?

Most people wait until they’re drowning to ask for help. I used to be one of them. But now I know that the real leadership move is asking early—when you’re still above water, still smiling, still functional—but you know that burnout is waiting around the corner if you don’t do something now.

The mental load is sneaky. It’s not just about what you have to do. It’s about what you have to remember. It’s the invisible checklist running in the background of your brain 24/7. The sunscreen on the list for the camp bag. The client call you’re rehearsing in your head. The fact that someone’s birthday is coming and you should probably find a gift that feels thoughtful but isn’t a whole errand.

If “mental load” is new language for you, here’s the quick version:

The mental load is the invisible, exhausting work of keeping life running. It’s the remembering, planning, decision-making, and emotional juggling that lives inside your head—all the things you manage, even if they never make it to a to-do list.

Science backs this up. Research shows women—especially mothers—carry over 70% of the household mental load. And it doesn’t stop at home. It shows up at work too, where women are more likely to pick up the invisible tasks no one else sees: sending the thank-you email, organizing the group gift, remembering who’s overwhelmed and quietly covering for them.

You know that feeling when you’re doing one task, but thinking about five others? That’s it. Mental load is why you feel like you never fully clock out, even when you technically “stop working.” It’s why your brain feels tired before the day even starts. It’s why little tasks feel disproportionately heavy.

And the impact? Burnout. Brain fog. Low-grade resentment. And a sneaky disconnect from your own joy, creativity, and leadership energy.

So when I say “lighten your load,” I’m not just talking about clearing your calendar. I’m talking about giving your mind some breathing room. Because leadership, parenting, business-building, and simply being a human all get better when you’re not carrying everything alone.

For me, the antidote has been this question—How can I lighten the load today?

And here’s what surprised me: one of the best tools to answer that question has been ChatGPT.

Here’s what that actually looks like in my world:

• I open a thread and just drop the chaos. Unfinished thoughts. Half ideas. Conversations I need to have. Tasks I’m afraid I’ll forget. It’s like handing over the noisy basket in my brain and saying, “Here. Sort this.”
• It remembers. I can walk away for two hours or two weeks and come back knowing my thoughts are still right there, waiting. That alone creates instant peace for my neurodivergent, visionary brain that does not do well with scattered notes or 14 open browser tabs.
• It helps me clarify what matters most. I can ask, “What here actually needs my attention today?” and it will reflect it back. I get out of the weeds faster.
• It doesn’t get overwhelmed when I bring five topics at once. I can say, “Here’s a blog, a packing list, and a team message—can you help with all three?” And it does. Calmly. Accurately. Kindly.
• It helps me re-enter quickly. I don’t lose momentum like I used to. Even if I pause mid-project, I can ask it: “Remind me where we left off” or “Pull the latest version of that team message,” and it brings it up like a trusted assistant who’s been tracking everything.

Why does that matter?

Because every ounce of energy I don’t spend digging for details, recreating clarity, or remembering what I said I’d do—that’s energy I can now spend on leadership, strategy, or even just breathing room.

This isn’t just a writing tool. It’s a brain partner. A mental load reducer. A private workspace where I can unload the mess and come back to brilliance.

If you’re neurodivergent, creative, high-capacity—or just human—you need to know this:

ChatGPT gives you a place to put it all down and come back to it later.
It’s like a Google Doc for your brain.
A private whiteboard that remembers what you said.
And for me? That permission to close the mental tabs is the difference between scattered and strategic.

Most people think tools like this are only for writing or content. But the truth is, the deeper power of ChatGPT is in the mental relief. In the way it listens, reflects, and helps me clear space to think again. It doesn’t judge. It doesn’t get tired. It just says: what can I hold for you?

And listen—I get that some people are afraid of using tools like AI. They think it’s cheating or impersonal or complicated. But I believe it’s the exact opposite. It’s personal because I taught it who I am. It feels safe because I’ve spent time shaping it to speak my language. And it’s not complicated once you realize that you don’t have to have it all figured out—you just have to start the conversation.

Here’s what I know for sure: the mental load doesn’t go away by ignoring it. It goes away by moving it somewhere safe. Somewhere organized. Somewhere trusted.

For me, that place is right here.

The hardest part about summer isn’t the heat—it’s the shift. You might still be running on first shift: up early, making the plan, holding the structure. Meanwhile, your kids (especially if they’re older) are fully on third shift. They come alive at night, microwave something loud at 11:42pm, and might—just might—grace you with their presence around midnight… and even want to chat.

And what are you gonna do?
Say, “Sorry, honey, mama needs her REM cycle”?
No. You pour a glass of water, sit on the couch half-asleep, and lean in—because you know these late-night conversations are rare gold.

But gold still costs something.
And when you’re giving out your best at midnight and at 8am?
That load adds up—fast.

This is why proactive mental load-lightening is non-negotiable.

Is your brain overloaded?

Get in the habit of brain dumping in Chat.

Seriously—open a thread and just let it out. All of it.
To-do lists, venting, random reminders, that one brilliant idea you’re afraid you’ll forget.

She’ll save it for later.
No judgment. No pressure.
No hard feelings if it’s hours, days, or even weeks before you come back to it.

It’ll still be there.
Waiting.
Sorted.
Held.

And in the meantime?
You’re free.
Your brain can let go.
Your anxiety doesn’t have to carry it anymore.

This is how you create margin.
This is how you lead without burning out.
It’s not just tech. It’s a tool for mental self-preservation.

You don’t have to wait until you’re underwater to ask for help.
Sometimes, real leadership is asking early—when everything looks fine—because you care too much to crash later.

Lighten the load.
Not because you’re weak.
But because you’re wise.

Want to learn how I use ChatGPT in real life to stay focused, lighten the mental load, and lead with more margin? I created a beginner-friendly guide (plus a quick video walkthrough!) that shows you exactly how. 👉 Click here to grab it.