Somewhere along the line, “busy” became the badge of honour for parents. But what if the bare minimum wasn’t failure - what if it was freedom? I’m calling it The Bare Minimum Reset.
Let’s break it down.
1. Times Have Changed
The 40-hour work week was designed nearly a century ago, back when most households had someone at home full-time. That person was doing 40 hours (or more) of unpaid labour - cooking, cleaning, raising kids, managing the home - so the other partner could focus purely on paid work.
Fast forward to today? We’re expected to fit both those jobs into the same 24 hours. Work deadlines, school pickups, meal prep, family admin… It’s no wonder one (or both) parents are running at an energy deficit every single week.
The truth is, we’re not lazy. We’re simply trying to do two full-time jobs in the time it used to take to do one.
2. We’re Armed With Knowledge (and Pressure)
Our parents in the 80s and 90s didn’t have the parenting podcasts, mental health studies, or wellness apps. They did the best they could with what they knew.
But now? We’ve got all the information at our fingertips - how to parent, how to feed, how to sleep-train, how to work more efficiently, how to avoid burnout… And while that knowledge is powerful, it’s also exhausting. Because with knowledge comes pressure. Pressure to do it all “the right way” and to hold ourselves to impossibly high standards.
3. The Impact
We’re working harder, with less time, less community, and more judgment. Even if you’re lucky enough to have friends or family nearby, chances are you’re too busy (or too tired) to just “pop in” for support.
The result? Overwhelm, isolation, and a constant soundtrack of “I should be doing more.” Sound familiar?
4. The Solution: The Bare Minimum Reset
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to do more. You probably need to do less. The bare minimum is about lowering the bar to something realistic, sustainable, and kinder to yourself.
Lunchboxes? Batch on Sunday, throw in leftovers, or let the tuckshop take over once or twice a week.
Work? Turn the notifications off. Let “urgent” mean urgent, not every single email.
Cleaning? Pick one task to focus on each week. The rest can wait.
Kids’ activities? Do they really need two sports, choir, and scouts? Let them have downtime. Studies even show that overscheduling kids creates stress. A quiet weeknight is a gift, not a failure.
And most importantly: share the load. If you’re carrying more than 50% of the family’s invisible labour, it’s time to make it visible - and pass some of it on. A family wall planner (like a command centre) makes it easy to delegate, share responsibility, and keep everyone accountable.
Because here’s the secret: when you do less, the whole family thrives more.
✨ The Bare Minimum Reset isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about setting standards that actually make sense for your life.
👉 Start your reset with a wall planner that takes the load out of your head and puts it on the wall for everyone to share. Because “doing it all” isn’t the goal - doing enough is.