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?”

That constant hum of “shoulds” steals joy. Even in the moments to be present for the most, our minds are busy rehearsing the future or rehashing the past.

Invisible, ongoing project management often falls disproportionately to women. Importantly, it’s not the tasks themselves that distract us and drain our energy. It’s mentally........

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