What is invisible labor?
In my work as a women’s health psychiatrist, I’ve often met women who complain of a continued daily feeling of being overwhelmed or overstressed despite receiving formal mental health attention.
Often when we drill deeper into the origins of this distress it becomes apparent that they are struggling with societal expectations that women have responsibility for work that is not valued. For instance, the work associated with being the primary caretaker and homemaker even if they are equally employed outside of the home. While the amount of work and effort that is required or expected of any one individual varies, with their particular life circumstances, there is a common factor that contributes to the associated level of psychological distress I have witnessed in my patients: This work is often invisible.
Invisible labor is work that is unseen, unvalued, or undervalued, and often discounted as not important, despite its essential role in supporting the functioning of workplaces, families, and entire communities and organizations. It was first described by the sociologist Arlene Kaplan Daniels in the 1980s and typically refers to unpaid tasks done within households or work settings such as planning, organizing, cleaning, and caregiving. This burden of invisible labor is stressful, overwhelming, and a daily issue. Sometimes, the women I meet have internalized the expectation for them to bear the invisible labor burden, for so long, that they didn’t even realize the toll this burden was taking on their mental well-being.
Dealing with invisible labor is particularly stressful because it is rooted in injustice as it reflects a gender imbalance between those whose work counts and those whose work remains unseen. Studies suggest that women and other disadvantaged groups do more invisible work, at work, than men and more advantaged groups do. This makes the stress related to invisible labor particularly potent as it represents the harmful remnants of traumatic social constructs such as misogyny and racism.
3 mental health consequences of invisible labor
The way I see it, when talk therapies and psychotropic medication designed to reduce anxiety, stress, depression, and insomnia are delivered in ways that fail to explicitly call out the mental health consequences of invisible labor this is a glaring omission. The consequences of such an oversight limit the effectiveness of such interventions.
Research suggests three mental health consequences of invisible labor:
1) Loneliness: a lack of acknowledgment for work that takes up hours every day creates a sense of isolation and invisibility which can lead to loneliness, resentment, and a deterioration of relationships.
2) Burnout: Constantly juggling multiple responsibilities can lead to burnout and feelings of exhaustion and hopelessness.
3) Neglect of self-care—basic things like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a nutritious diet—is often the price paid for being too busy with invisible labor.
And no, technology has not reduced invisible labor, despite expectations or promises that it would. The pressures on women to meet societal expectations, especially in this age of social media where people are constantly exposed to the perfect versions of other people’s lives, can contribute to more anxiety and stress.
How to reduce the stress caused by invisible labor
The “name it to tame it” approach can be helpful in such situations. Simply, naming the invisible labor for what it is, making it visible, and acknowledging this work that takes up hours of every day can, in itself, be validating.
Challenge unjust gender roles and advocate for a collective effort to redistribute responsibilities more equally.
Prioritize the maintenance of dependable and encouraging connections with others who are supportive.