Unmasking Wonder Woman: Exploring the Mental Load of Working Single Mothers in Metro Manila’s BPO Sector

Abstract

This study examined the mental load experienced by working single mothers (WSMs) in the Philippine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, with particular attention to how they navigate the intersecting demands of their paid (employee) and unpaid (kinkeeper) roles. Guided by Dean et al.’s (2021) conceptualization of mental load—which frames it as a multidimensional burden encompassing practical, cognitive, and emotional labor—this research explored how these dimensions shape the everyday experiences of WSMs. Employing a qualitative research design, the study conducted in-depth interviews with eight WSMs to explore their lived experiences across these three dimensions of labor. Findings revealed that mental load is not merely a cognitive construct but a boundaryless, invisible, and gendered burden that manifests through the simultaneous and overlapping demands of work and caregiving. Four key themes emerged from the analysis: the multifaceted labor of WSMs as kinkeepers; the extension of this labor into their roles as employees; the compounding challenges of balancing these dual responsibilities; and the coping strategies and support systems they depend on. This study extends existing conceptualizations of mental load by highlighting the centrality of emotional and physical labor and the inseparability of paid and unpaid work in the lives of single mothers. It calls for structural reforms in both corporate and public policy to alleviate the invisible yet persistent burdens borne by WSMs in the Philippine BPO sector.