For many parents, getting everyone out the door each morning can feel like an achievement in itself. But one mum’s candid TikTok has sparked a conversation about just how much can happen before the workday even begins.

In the video, creator @kelhosssss asks viewers a simple question: “What are parents doing before work?”

She then shares what her own morning looked like before 8am.

According to the mum, she’d already put on a load of washing, folded two baskets of laundry, bleached the toilet and shower, stripped the beds, woken the kids, got them dressed, fed them breakfast, done their hair, cleaned the kitchen, packed lunches, showered herself and got ready for work—all before the school drop-off.

By the time she’d dropped the children off, she admitted she felt like she’d “already run two marathons” before her paid job had even started.

While the video reflects one mum’s experience, it has struck a chord with many parents because it shines a light on what’s often referred to as the mental load—the planning, organising and remembering that keeps a household running alongside the physical tasks that need to be done.

@kelhosssss 🫠😴. #mumlife #fyp #greatful #mumsoftiktok #momtok #aussiemum #parenting #workingparents ♬ original sound – Kels🌼🇦🇺

Australian research suggests the feeling is far from uncommon. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, mothers continue to carry most of the responsibility for planning and coordinating children’s activities in many households, even when both parents are employed. The research highlights that while families divide responsibilities in different ways, mothers are still more likely to shoulder much of the invisible planning that keeps family life running smoothly.

Parents say the morning “mental load” is all too familiar

The comments quickly filled with parents comparing their own morning routines, with many saying the video perfectly captured the invisible workload that happens before the workday even begins.

One commenter wrote, “Can we normalise that this is not normal behaviour for our nervous systems,” emphasising the emotional toll that can come with constantly juggling household responsibilities alongside paid work.

Others shared just how different mornings can look within their own households.

“Clean for two hours, get myself ready, wake the kids up, get them ready, do lunches, clean again, drop them to school, go to work. Hubby rolls out of bed, gets dressed and walks out the door,” one person commented.

Not everyone tackled the morning in the same way, however. One mum of four said she preferred leaving the housework until later in the day, writing: “I could never… I am a do it after work and when the kids are in bed kinda girl… I’m a mum of four so have to be on top of everything or the house is chaos.”

Others simply laughed at the question itself, with one viewer joking: “Was about to say you really want us to type a novel?”

The responses highlight that while every family divides responsibilities differently, many parents relate to the feeling of having already completed one shift before their paid workday has even begun.

Whether it’s remembering library books, packing lunches, tackling household chores or simply getting everyone out the door on time, much of this invisible work is shouldered by mums working tirelessly behind the scenes.

What does your morning look like before you’ve even started work? Do you feel like you’ve already done a day’s work before clocking on?