Rethinking Leadership: The Challenge of Mental Load

A Rethinking Impulse by Klaus-Dieter Thill

What It’s About

The burdens described by the concept of “Mental Load” are increasingly permeating the daily lives of leaders. While the term was originally often used in the context of family and household duties, it has long since made its way into the professional world and leadership management. The growing complexity of work environments and the ever-increasing demands on the mental processing of information and tasks shape daily thought and action. From the perspective of the necessity of rethinking, it is crucial for leaders to not only deal with the management of Mental Load but also to delve into its deep psychological, philosophical, and strategic dimensions.

Mental Load: The Philosophical Perspective

Philosophically, the concept of Mental Load reflects the existentialist fundamental question of responsibility and task management. In Sartre’s work “Being and Nothingness,” humans are condemned to freedom – a freedom that comes with the burden of decision-making. Similarly, Mental Load not only describes the tasks a leader must manage but also the awareness that every task, every thought, lies within the individual’s responsibility.

This responsibility can become an overwhelming burden in modern leadership. A team leader constantly faced with a multitude of mental tasks and challenges confronts a philosophical parallel, one found in Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus. The modern-day Sisyphus is the leader who must continually make decisions, solve problems, and set priorities, with no end to this process in sight. However, from the Rethinking perspective, where reflection and reevaluation of mental patterns play a central role, there is an opportunity: the acceptance of the process and the understanding that it is not about shedding the burden but about actively shaping one’s own mental space.

Psychological and Deep Psychological Dimensions of Mental Load

From a psychological standpoint, Mental Load is about the cognitive burden that arises from the constant engagement with various tasks. In his work “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” Daniel Kahneman describes how our brain alternates between fast, intuitive decisions and slow, analytical processes. For a leader who must make a multitude of decisions daily, this creates a dilemma: fast thinking may be efficient, but constant reliance on these cognitive resources leads to overload and exhaustion. Thus, Mental Load is not only a question of task variety but also of how the brain processes decisions.

The deep psychological view of Mental Load sees the burden as an expression of unconscious fears and compulsions. In psychoanalysis, Freud’s concept of the superego is often associated with constant pressure on the individual to meet demands and expectations. For leaders, this pressure manifests as a continuous expectation to have control over all aspects of the work environment. The fear of making mistakes or failing to meet expectations intensifies the mental burden.

This raises the question: where does this inner compulsion to keep everything in view come from? Deep psychologically, it can be argued that the need for control often stems from early experiences of insecurity. Leaders who learn to recognize and question these fears can begin to free themselves from the constant drive for perfection. This reflection, supported by the principle of Rethinking, opens new ways to manage Mental Load.

Mental Load in Self-Management and Leadership Management

For leaders, Mental Load is not only a matter of individual performance but is closely linked to the ability to manage oneself effectively. In self-management, this means consciously using one’s resources and not getting lost in the numerous tasks and demands that bombard the individual daily. Those who control Mental Load manage to prioritise tasks, set boundaries, and protect their own mental space.

But dealing with Mental Load doesn’t end with self-management. Leaders must also be aware of the mental burden on their employees. In a world increasingly shaped by digitisation and information overload, not only leaders but also their teams are under immense pressure. A team leader who promotes the mental health of their employees strengthens not only their well-being but also their performance.

In leadership management, dealing with Mental Load means creating a culture of mindfulness, where breaks, reflection, and the questioning of priorities have a firm place. Here, the Rethinking principle becomes particularly relevant: it requires the leader to constantly question and adjust existing work structures and thought patterns. This can affect everything from how meetings are structured to the distribution of responsibilities and the balance between work and rest.

Digitisation and Mental Load

Digitisation has fundamentally changed the world of work—and with it the way Mental Load is experienced. While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and automation may reduce task loads at first glance, they simultaneously lead to a new kind of mental overload. Today’s leaders face the challenge of processing a flood of information, responding quickly to new technological developments, and at the same time leading their teams through these transformational processes.

In the digital future, Mental Load will not disappear but continue to transform. The ability to cope with information overload will become a key skill. Leaders must learn to view technologies not only as tools but also as potential stressors that must be managed and integrated. The central question in the context of digitisation is: how can leaders control Mental Load in a world where information constantly flows towards them?

One aspect gaining importance is so-called digital mindfulness – the conscious decision to use technologies selectively and strategically to reduce Mental Load rather than amplify it. Those who deliberately decide which information is important and which is not can better manage their mental capacity and thus cope with Mental Load more effectively in a digital environment.

Five Practical Tips for Immediate Relief from Mental Load

To actively manage Mental Load in daily work, leaders should follow five key approaches:

First, the conscious use of “deep work” phases: in these phases, the leader eliminates all distractions and focuses only on a central task. This focused work reduces the constant fragmentation of attention and helps to minimise Mental Load.
Second, the regular introduction of “mental breaks”: these short pauses allow the team leader to consciously step back from daily business and regenerate their mental space. The regularity of these breaks is crucial for the long-term management of mental burdens.
Third, the practice of prioritisation: a leader should identify only three to five key tasks each day that will have the greatest impact on the overall result. Everything else is consciously delegated or postponed. This radical prioritisation can avoid mental overload.
Fourth, the use of tools to reduce information overload: digital tools can help manage Mental Load by filtering and prioritising information. A conscious approach to these tools is crucial to avoid falling into the trap of having technology exacerbate Mental Load.
Finally, the introduction of reflection times: leaders should regularly take time to reflect on and question their mental patterns. These reflection times are not breaks in the traditional sense but moments of targeted Rethinking, in which existing habits and priorities are examined for their significance.

Conclusion: Mental Load as a Leadership Challenge of the Future

Dealing with Mental Load is a central challenge for leaders that goes far beyond the mere organisation of tasks. It requires deep reflection on one’s own way of working, the collaboration with the team, and the integration of technologies into daily work. Through the principle of Rethinking, leaders can learn not only to manage mental burdens but to actively shape them.

In an increasingly digital world, where information and tasks are coming at us faster and faster, the ability to control Mental Load will become a key competency for the future. Those who learn to consciously manage mental resources, set priorities, and regularly incorporate reflection times will not only lead themselves but also their teams successfully through the challenges of the modern working world. Mental Load is not an insurmountable hurdle but an opportunity to rethink one’s leadership strategy and actively shape it.