What advice do Mel Robbins and KC David give to those who are overwhelmed with housework? What pressures does society put on women?
In a recent episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Robbins and guest KC Davis discuss the guilt associated with incomplete housework. They also share tips for countering societal standards.
Keep reading for Mel Robbins’ house cleaning tips.
Mel Robbins on House Cleaning
Podcast host Mel Robbins, using direct inputs from listeners, kick-starts a dialogue probing the heavy emotional burden accompanying basic household chores.
Robbins and podcast guest KC Davis delve deeply into the stress and guilt associated with incomplete tasks. They discuss how undue emphasis on rudimentary tasks ramps up self-criticism, leading to overall burnout.
The emotional landscape is further embellished with Davis’s personal example of a paradigm shift in her approach to self-care. Moving from being society-driven to being personally motivated, especially after her experiences of becoming a parent.
The Emotional Stress and Self-Criticism Derived From Household Chores
Mel Robbins and KC Davis also delve into the heavy emotional burden of household chores. According to Mel Robbins, house chores cause deep-seated stress, guilt, and self-criticism that often come from unrealized tasks.
Detailing personal experiences, Robbins brings to light how minor concerns, like fear of wetting the floor due to a missing bath mat or feeding pets pre-shower, can accumulate and create unwarranted stress associated with routine tasks.
An Examination of Societal Expectations and Prejudices
The podcast critically explores societal preconceptions that attribute moral value to domestic chores.
Davis underscores a prevalent embarrassment faced by individuals unable to meet dental hygiene routines and attributes it to societal expectations tying cleanliness to self-worth.
To counter these impersonal standards, Davis suggests adopting individualized solutions such as using strawberry toothpaste for those sensitive to mint.
This finesse in conversation underscores how societal expectations, embedded with sexism, racism, and labor disregard, lay a disproportionate burden on certain groups, especially women.
The Intersect of Mental Health Disorders and Task Completion
Investigating further, Davis brings a scientific viewpoint to the fray. She traces the role of the brain’s ‘executive functions’ in managing tasks like decision-making and maintaining motivation.
When disrupted by high-stress levels or sleep deprivation, these functions become impaired. Emotional overload too can severely impact these executive functions.
Specific disorders like ADHD, PTSD, autism, OCD, depression, and anxiety are also known to disrupt these functions. As a result, individuals with these conditions often experience escalated struggles in task completion.
Context
Household chores are an integral part of daily life, but they can often carry an emotional burden that goes beyond the physical tasks themselves. In this podcast episode, the emotional impact of household chores was explored, shedding light on the stress, guilt, and self-criticism that individuals may experience when faced with incomplete tasks. These emotions are often fueled by societal expectations and prejudices related to domestic chores. The intersection of mental health disorders and task completion further complicates this issue, as conditions such as ADHD, PTSD, OCD, depression, and anxiety can significantly affect an individual’s ability to manage household responsibilities.
The emotional burden associated with incomplete tasks can lead to feelings of overwhelm and inadequacy. Societal expectations play a significant role in perpetuating these negative emotions by imposing rigid gender roles and unrealistic standards for cleanliness and organization.
The podcast episode also delved into the relationship between mental health disorders and task completion. Conditions like ADHD can make it challenging for individuals to maintain focus or stay organized while performing household chores. Similarly, those struggling with PTSD may find it difficult to engage in routine activities due to triggers or intrusive thoughts related to past traumatic experiences. OCD may manifest as obsessive thoughts about cleanliness or compulsive rituals that interfere with completing other necessary tasks.
