If you’ve been carrying the invisible weight of family life, the planning, the remembering, the organising, the worrying, this episode will help you feel understood, validated, and far less alone.

When I asked the Motherkind community what felt hardest right now, the same theme kept coming up again and again: The mental load is relentless. And so many of us are quietly drowning under it.

So in this episode, I’ve brought together three powerful voices to help us understand what the mental load really is, why it falls so heavily on mothers, and how we can start to rebalance it.

First, Dr Samantha Hiew explains why modern mothers feel so overwhelmed — not because we’re failing, but because we’re carrying more cognitive and emotional labour than ever. She breaks down what overload does to our memory, mood and sense of self.

Next, Dr Morgan Cutlip shares the five common behaviours that quietly block partner involvement and contribute to resentment. She introduces her “within work” and “between work” framework and offers simple, compassionate steps to shift long-standing patterns.

Finally, Eve Rodsky reframes communication in a way that changes everything. She shows how we’re already communicating the load — often indirectly — and why shifting how we talk about domestic life unlocks shared responsibility. Her CPE “mustard” method explains why full ownership (not reminders) is the real game-changer.

In this episode, you’ll learn:✨ What the mental load is and why it lands so heavily on mothers

• The habits that unintentionally shut down partner involvement
• How to communicate more effectively and reduce friction
• What “full ownership” looks like and why it frees up mental space

This conversation is for every mother who’s ever wondered why she’s so tired, why she holds everything in her head, and why it feels like there’s no space left for herself.

You’re not imagining it, and you’re not failing. The load is simply too heavy to carry alone.

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing

If you liked this compilation, you can listen to the full episodes: 

⁠Is it ADHD, or is it the mental load? With Dr Samantha Hiew⁠⁠

Why you're resentful in your relationship—and how to fix it starting today, with Dr. Morgan Cutlip⁠⁠

The new game-changing solution for when you have too much to do with Eve Rodsky⁠

Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If December already feels like ‘too much’, this pep talk is your permission slip to breathe again.

This month can feel like the mental load Olympics for mothers—pressure, perfectionism, school events, work deadlines, matching pyjamas, curated magic… and somehow we’re meant to smile through it.

In the second of our December pep talks, Zoe shares five powerful steps to help you stop being so hard on yourself and bring the pressure down.

In this pep talk, Zoe covers:

• Why you’re not failing – December really is intense
• How to drop the “Good Mum Myth” and stop comparing yourself to an imaginary perfect motherThe simple mindset shift that reduces self-criticism instantly
• Why lowering the bar actually raises connection with your children
• Tiny, nervous-system resets to help you stay grounded through the chaos

This December, be softer with yourself. Let something go on purpose. Choose connection over perfection. Your children won’t remember the wrapping paper, the curated Santa visit, or whether you had it all together.

They’ll remember how it felt to be with you ♥️

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Most-Listened-To 2025 Episode - If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t think I’ve ever met a relaxed woman”, this episode will show you why and how to finally feel more at ease.

To close the year, we’re re-releasing one of our most listened-to episodes of 2025, and it’s no wonder it struck such a chord.

Speaking to many of you in our community, one theme comes up again and again: women feel permanently rushed, tense and overwhelmed. Relaxation doesn’t just feel unlikely, it feels unimaginable. And most of us have no idea how to get from “constantly on edge” to “at ease in our own bodies.”

In this grounding and beautifully honest episode, therapist and author Nicola Jane Hobbs explores what it really means to become a “relaxed woman” not as a luxury, but as a way of living that’s rooted in nervous system safety, self-permission and gentleness.

Nicola shares why relaxation feels so rare, how guilt gets woven into rest, and what begins to change when you start feeling safe in your own skin. She also opens up about her first year of motherhood, the tenderness, the disorientation, the identity shift and how it transformed everything she thought she knew about rest.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why your nervous system resists slowing down and how to help it feel safe
• How guilt became tied to rest and why guilt can be a sign you’re growing
• Tiny, realistic ways to bring rest into your day without more time or childcare
• Why can’t we become relaxed women alone, and how to build the support you need

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

If you liked this episode, listen to this next: MOMENT | Calm your nervous system in seconds with this technique

Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Christmas already feels like too much, this December pep-talk series is your support system for navigating the mental-load Olympics.

Today’s episode is your reminder that you’re allowed to do it differently. The pressure on mothers at this time of year is enormous — the mental load, the expectations, the never-ending lists — and most of it lands squarely on our shoulders. Zoe shares a simple, grounding reframe to help you take the weight off and bring the joy back.

In the first of our December pep talks, Zoe breaks down why the festive season can feel overwhelming and how to step out of the “shoulds” that pile up as the year draws to a close. Instead of chasing perfection, she invites you to focus on the feeling you want to create — for yourself and your family — and offers a practical tool to help you get there.

In this pep talk, you’ll hear:

• The explosion of Christmas expectations (and why mums carry the load)
• How to stop doing everything and focus on how you want the season to feel
• Zoe’s simple Do / Ditch / Delegate method to cut the overwhelm fast
• Why real magic comes from presence, not perfection

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Motherhood didn’t make you lose your confidence - it buried it under the mental load.

In this powerful episode, I’m sharing the five exact steps I used to rebuild my confidence from the ground up after becoming a mum. These are simple, practical tools you can use even if you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and only have seven minutes a day to yourself.

Because here’s the truth no one tells us: becoming a mother lowers your confidence and self-belief for up to three years. And yet… we’re never prepared for it. We’re never told why it happens. We’re certainly never shown how to rebuild ourselves from the inside out.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• The surprising reason confidence drops in motherhood
• How to quiet your inner critic
• The truth about self-worth
• How to stop comparison spirals
• Why celebrating tiny wins matters more than big achievements
• Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

You can listen to the Dr Nicole Le Pera episode that Zoe references here: How to heal yourself with Dr Nicole Le Pera

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning too many plates, constantly catching up, and running on empty, this Moment is for you.

In this short clip, Rachael Twumasi-Corson, entrepreneur, writer, and mum of four, shares two brilliant tools that helped her move from burnout to balance. She talks about doing an honest self-audit, what’s really taking up your time and energy and her simple 5-4-3-2-1 method that brings calm and focus back into busy days.

We chose this moment because it’s such a powerful reminder that harmony isn’t about doing it all, it’s about doing what truly matters. Rachael’s approach is so compassionate and practical, and I think it’s going to give you a real sense of relief and possibility.

In this Moment, you’ll learn:

• A five-minute daily ritual to help you feel calmer and more in control
• How to reset your priorities with honesty and kindness
• Why scheduling joy and rest is as important as work
• The mindset shift that helps you become the conductor of your own life

This Moment is a gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and remind yourself: you don’t need to juggle everything perfectly, you just need to lead your life with intention.

If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: The Lie of Work-Life Balance (And What Actually Works) with Rachael Twumasi-Corson

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MOTHERKIND at https://www.oneskin.co/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you miss the lighter, sillier version of yourself you used to be, this episode will help you find her again — even in the chaos of family life.

Across thousands of conversations in the Motherkind community, one theme comes up again and again: fun quietly disappears for so many of us. Playfulness slips away. And most mothers aren’t even sure how to begin getting it back.

In this uplifting and deeply reassuring episode, I sit down with play researcher and writer Emma Worrollo to explore why fun matters far more than we realise, not as something extra on the to-do list, but as a powerful support for resilience, regulation and connection.

Emma explains how we slowly train playfulness out of ourselves as adults, why that leaves us feeling flat or overwhelmed, and what happens when we start to bring back even the tiniest moments of joy. Her “1% rule” is one of my favourite tools, a gentle, doable way to shift your mood without needing more time, childcare or energy.

This conversation is your reminder that joy isn’t frivolous. It’s essential. And you absolutely deserve moments of lightness, even in the seasons that feel heavy.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why fun disappears in motherhood — and how to bring it back
• The simple shift from play to playfulness that changes everything
• How playfulness strengthens resilience, regulation and connection
• Small 1% tweaks that make everyday life feel lighter

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

If you liked this episode, listen to a 2021 episode with Emma Worrollo next: The Power of Play

Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There was a time when I thought slowing down meant falling behind.

In this short clip, I share one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about ambition, motherhood and burnout. After years of building Motherkind, growing my family and saying yes to everything, I realised that success means nothing if it costs your wellbeing.

I chose this Moment because it’s one so many of us will recognise, that quiet fear that if we pause, everything we’ve worked for might disappear. But I’ve learned that rest doesn’t erase progress. You don’t lose momentum by slowing down; you find yourself again.

This reflection is raw and real, about miscarriage, early motherhood, burnout, and how I kept going when I probably should have stopped. My hope is that it helps you feel seen, and maybe even reminds you to give yourself a little more grace in your own busy season.

In this Moment, you’ll hear:

• Why I kept working through one of the hardest seasons of my life
• The truth about “having it all” and what I wish I’d done differently
• How fear and scarcity can disguise themselves as drive
• The mindset shift that finally helped me rest without guilt

This Moment is a gentle reminder that your worth isn’t measured by how much you can carry, it’s in how deeply you care and how kindly you treat yourself along the way.

If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: The Work Series: My Biggest Mistakes And Regrets - Zoe’s Story

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MOTHERKIND at https://www.oneskin.co/motherkind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve been spinning in survival mode, holding it all together while slowly running on empty, this episode will help you find your way back to yourself.

When I called over 100 Motherkind listeners recently, burnout came up again and again. It’s become such a common part of motherhood, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

So in this episode, I’ve brought together three incredible voices to help us understand burnout, spot the signs early, and start to heal from it.

First, Dr Claire Ashley, known as The Burnout Doctor, shares her own story of burnout, the signs she missed, the science behind what’s really happening in our bodies, and the steps she took to recover.

Then, Rhiannon Lambert, one of the UK’s leading nutritionists, opens up about her own experience and what true nourishment looks like when you’re completely depleted.

And finally, I share the tool that changed everything for me, how to complete the stress cycle, so your body and mind can finally rest, reset, and recover.

This conversation is for every mother who’s ever felt like she’s running on empty. Burnout isn’t who you are; it’s a sign that something needs to shift. And you deserve to feel better.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The early signs of burnout and how to catch them before you crash
• What’s really going on in your body when you’re burned out
• How food, rest and self-compassion support recovery
• The simple tool to complete the stress cycle
• How to take small, doable steps towards balance again

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro - Why Burnout Matters

(00:05:01) Expert 1 - Dr Claire Ashley

(00:06:17) The Six Triggers of Burnout

(00:08:46) Expert 2 - Rhiannon Lambert

(00:10:44) Listening to Your Body

(00:12:28) Rebuilding Your Energy

(00:15:38) Expert 3 - Zoe Blaskey

(00:16:10) Complete the stress cycle

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

If you liked this compilation, you can listen to the full episodes: 

1. The Burnout Doctor: It takes 1-3 years to recover from burnout - here's how to avoid it
2. Recovering from burnout, prioritising yourself and managing the motherhood juggle - how nutrition can help you with Rhiannon Lambert
3. Five vital warning signs that you are heading to end-of-year burnout - and what you can do about it

Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt like pressing pause on your career made you less ambitious, this Motherkind Moment will help you see it differently.

In this short but powerful clip, author and founder of Mother Untitled, Neha Ruch, explains why stepping back from paid work doesn’t mean stepping away from growth. She reframes motherhood as a “power pause”, a chapter that can expand your sense of self, deepen your values, and open new possibilities, rather than close them.

I chose this moment because it captures one of the most freeing ideas from our full conversation: that ambition doesn’t disappear in motherhood, it just evolves. Neha reminds us that caring for others is still work, that our worth isn’t tied to a job title, and that pressing pause can be an act of power, not loss.

If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: Work Series: The Truth About Stepping Back from your career — And Coming Back even Stronger, with Neha Ruch

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt torn between ambition and exhaustion, or wondered what success really looks like in this season of motherhood, this episode will help you redefine it on your own terms.

After interviewing hundreds of extraordinary women, from billion-pound founders and campaigners to working mums balancing family life, Zoe noticed a pattern. The women who thrive, no matter their path, share a handful of powerful habits that anyone can learn.

In this solo episode, Zoe brings together wisdom from years of conversations, her own research, and lived experience to reveal the 5 habits of highly successful mothers, not “success” as the world defines it, but success on your terms.

Zoe also shares practical micro-habits, from two-minute rules to time-blocking and burnout prevention, that help you feel calmer, more in control, and proud of the woman you’re becoming.

This episode is an empowering reminder that success isn’t luck, it’s built, moment by moment, through small daily choices that align with what matters most.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• The one question to ask yourself before defining success
• Simple time-management shifts that free up mental load
• Why hyper-organisation creates more space for joy and creativity
• How to grow confidence by acting before you feel ready
• The truth about energy management and burnout prevention

The episodes Zoe recommends listening to: 

Work Series: If you're feeling low in confidence, listen to this - with Lauren Currie

The Burnout Doctor: It takes 1-3 years to recover from burnout - here's how to avoid it

Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.

Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet

Connect with Zoe:

• Follow Zoe on Instagram 
• Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.
• For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind
• Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices