Ever feel like you’ve been running all day but have nothing to show for it? You’re not imagining things. The invisible labour parents carry—the unpaid, behind-the-scenes tasks that keep a household running—adds up fast. And when you see the numbers, it’s mind-blowing.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
If you’ve ever wondered where your time actually goes, here’s the reality check:
⏳ Housework: Mums with kids under five spend an average of 23 hours per week on housework, while those with kids aged 5-14 clock in at 20 hours weekly. (Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies)
🍼 Childcare: Mums spend about 3 hours and 34 minutes daily on childcare, while dads contribute around 2 hours and 19 minutes each day. (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
💰 Total Unpaid Labour: The time spent keeping Australian households running is 40% greater than the time worked in the formal economy. (Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies)
That’s on top of paid work, school runs, and everything else life throws at you.
Breaking Down the Invisible Load
Let’s get specific. Here’s where those hours really disappear:
🥪 Meal Prep & Lunchbox Duty
Dinner: Between planning, cooking, serving, and convincing small humans to eat, dinner alone takes up a solid chunk of time. Our estimate? At least 25 hours per month!
School Lunches: Packing a daily lunch adds up to almost two whole days per year - and that’s before factoring in the snack negotiations!.
Shopping: Add in meal planning, grocery shopping, and making sure someone didn’t eat all the bread overnight, and you’ve got a full-time gig.
📚 Homework & School Life
Homework Assistance: If you’ve ever tried to explain long division to a reluctant 8-year-old, you know this isn’t a quick task.
School Communications: Reading emails, checking apps, signing permission slips, and remembering “gold coin donation” days = a job in itself.
Extracurricular Activities: Driving kids to sport, dance, music lessons—hello, unpaid Uber driver life.
🧺 Laundry & Housework
Laundry: Washing, drying, folding, and putting away clothes adds up. If you’re doing a load a day (like many parents), that’s 365 loads a year!
Cleaning: Tidying up, vacuuming, scrubbing mystery substances off walls—it never ends.
So, What’s the Solution?
Step one: Acknowledge it. The invisible load is real, and knowing where your time goes is the first step to reclaiming it.
Step two: Share the load!
Delegate age-appropriate tasks to kids (yes, they can put their shoes away).
Use a Command Centre to assign chores, meal plans, and schedules.
Set up systems—think meal prep Sundays, laundry schedules, and automated reminders.
Step three: Give yourself credit! Keeping a family running is no small task. Whether you’re working, parenting, or doing a mix of both, know that what you do matters.
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