The Invisible Load of Motherhood—and How Yoga Helps You Carry It
The whole “pregnancy brain” thing felt kind of cute when I was expecting my son—like a free pass for forgetting why I walked into the kitchen. But as my belly grew, so did the brain fog. Hormones, zero sleep, and a calendar that wouldn’t quit left me distracted, dropping details, and convinced I’d bounce back to my hyper-organized, annoyingly optimistic self once the baby arrived.
Spoiler alert: ten years and a second kid later, keeping the fog and scatterbrain at bay is still a daily battle. Add in modern life pressures—jobs, social obligations, pets—and so many women (myself included) are carrying something much heavier: the Invisible Load of Motherhood.
For me, Yoga has been the key on managing this load with grace and a grateful heart. Because here’s the thing: yoga doesn’t just stretch your hamstrings. It can stretch your capacity, soothe your nervous system, and reconnect you to you. Let’s unpack the invisible load and explore tried and true yoga tools to help you carry it with more breath, space, and support.
What is the Invisible Load?
Rarely seen, let alone acknowledged or praised, juggling a plethora of family details requires real energy and creates real exhaustion. It’s the permission slips, the dentist appointments, the meal planning, the missing water bottle, the emotional weather of the whole house—all floating in your head before breakfast’s the invisible load of motherhood, and if it feels heavy, it’s because it is.
Who needs a snack for soccer?
Does the baby need a new car seat yet?
When did we last have a date night?
Let’s call it what it is: you’re running a household, managing emotional dynamics, and doing the equivalent of 1,000 open browser tabs in your brain—all at once.
Cognitive labor: Keeping track of everyone’s schedules, appointments, and needs.
Emotional management: Tending to your kids’ feelings (and often your partner’s) while stuffing down your own.
Task juggling: From cleaning up after dinner to remembering to RSVP to that birthday party, it’s constant. A to-do list that literally never ends.
Sound familiar? Yeah, us too.
How Yoga Makes the Invisible, Visible
Here’s where yoga steps in like the best friend who reminds you to breathe. It doesn’t take an hour, require an outfit change, or ask you to contort like a pretzel. Yoga goes beyond the poses to bring you home to your inner knowing, calm, and strength when you need it most.
Grounding practices: Even 5 minutes of standing in mountain pose, feeling your feet, and inhaling deeply can bring you out of your head and into your body.
Journaling + breathwork: Write down what’s swirling in your mind, then pair it with 2–3 minutes of slow breathing. You’ll gain clarity on what’s yours to carry—and what’s not.
Self-compassion: Yoga teaches you to notice your inner critic and soften it. You’re not “failing” because you forgot to sign up for the bake sale. You’re human.
How to Reset amidst the chaos-effective but FAST
Try this short practice right now. Seriously, right now. At a swim meet, in the parking lot of Target, locked in your bathroom while the kids build legos
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly.
Inhale for a slow count of 4. Exhale for a slow count of 6. Repeat for 10 rounds.
Whisper to yourself:
“I am allowed to set this down. I deserve space, breath, and support.”
Even this 2-minute practice can shift the way you approach your day!
Calling It What It Is = Power
Here’s the truth: acknowledging the invisible load doesn’t make you weak, it makes you powerful. Naming the weight you’re carrying allows you to get support and create space for yourself.
And when you carve out those moments to breathe and move—whether it’s a few deep, intentional breaths, a 10-minute practice, or a full, decadent hour flow on the Zentric App—you remind yourself that you matter, too.
Because the invisible load may be real, but so is your strength. And we’re here to help you feel it again! We’ve lived it and we’ve learned (through trial and error, the hard way) the most efficient and effective methods of weaving this absolutely necessary self care into a beautifully messy REAL life.
Ready for more tools like this? Explore our short yoga + meditation practices inside the Zentric App designed for busy women and moms just like you. The 3 Day Kickstart gives you a perfect taste of how sprinkling bite-sized yoga nuggets like this throughout life can shift you from surviving into thriving- completely free with zero obligation!