Easing the mental load of running a home

It is not a job anyone applies for, but for many Singaporeans, keeping their households running can feel like a second shift that begins after the workday ends.

Beyond cooking and cleaning lies another layer of responsibility – remembering, anticipating and constantly thinking ahead. Did I leave the lights on? How do I fit the chores around school pick-up? Is Mum okay at home?

These are not chores. They are thoughts – hundreds of tiny reminders and worries that occupy headspace throughout the day. Individually they seem insignificant. Together they become the invisible mental load of running a home.

A recent survey of 506 current and prospective homeowners, commissioned by Samsung Electronics Singapore and SPH Media, found that six in 10 homeowners are primarily responsible for managing their households, meaning that the bulk of the mental load falls on that person. The results also showed women are significantly more likely than men to shoulder that responsibility.

The work that never really ends

For many homeowners, that mental checklist follows them everywhere.

A work meeting is interrupted by the thought of whether the washing machine was started. A traffic jam becomes an opportunity to wonder whether the air-con was left running.

For some, it is worrying about rising utility bills without knowing which appliance is causing the spike. Then there are those in multi-generational homes, who leave for work each morning, anxious about their aged parents or young children with little supervision at home.

The survey paints a picture of homeowners whose responsibilities extend far beyond the visible chores.

Half say household chores regularly eat into their personal time, while 47 per cent worry about rising electricity or water bills. Another 43 per cent say household responsibilities disrupt their daily routines, and nearly three in 10 admit to worrying whether they have left appliances switched on before leaving home.

The mental load becomes even more pronounced in larger households. Among those living in multi-generational homes, one in three worry about elderly parents or children while they are away.

For Cindy Ching, 55, keeping a household running means constantly thinking several steps ahead. Alongside her full-time job, she helps manage an 11-member multi-generational household, where co-ordinating the needs of three generations is part of everyday life.

In contrast, Clare Lee, 34, faces a different set of challenges. As the mother of a three-year-old, much of her mental load comes from balancing childcare, household chores and everyday routines.

While their circumstances may differ, the invisible checklist of remembering, planning and worrying is one that many homeowners quietly carry every day.

Lighter mental load

So when the survey asked what homeowners actually want from technology, the answers were not about features. They were about relief.

Rather than chasing the latest gadgets, respondents consistently prioritise practical outcomes that make everyday life easier.

Saving on utility bills (46 per cent) ranked highest, followed by saving time (33 per cent), while many also valued greater peace of mind (29 per cent), protecting their homes (27 per cent) and caring for loved ones (19 per cent).

The findings suggest that homeowners are not looking for more technology to manage. They are looking for fewer interruptions, fewer worries and fewer things to remember.

For Clare, small conveniences help remove multiple everyday worries. She checks remotely if the air-con was accidentally left on, giving her peace of mind as utility bills rise, and she switches on the water heater before she and the family reach home, so no one has to wait to shower after a long day.

“When you have very little time to deal with chores and everything, little things like these are very useful,” says Clare.

For Cindy, even small conveniences matter in a household of 11. Voice commands to control the lights, fans, set alarms and play music simplify everyday routines, removing one more task from an already busy day.

“It’s so convenient that we don’t even have to look for the remote control,” says Cindy. The next upgrade on her wish list? A connected air-con system. “It would be great to have the air-con on before you reach home,” she adds.

It is clear that the features homeowners are reaching for are not necessarily the most advanced – they are the ones that make life a little easier.

“Having these devices gives me less to worry about and lets me focus on the more important things in life,” says Clare.

When homes start working harder

One of the survey’s clearest findings is the difference between connected and disconnected homes.

A connected home or “smart home suite” refers to a complete, integrated system where multiple major appliances and devices communicate with each other and are managed through a single central app or hub.

Homeowners who do not have a connected ecosystem tend to worry more about rising utility bills compared with those who have a smart home. Likewise, concern about leaving appliances on is higher for those in a disconnected home.

The findings suggest that connected living is not simply about automation. It is about reducing the small decisions and uncertainties that contribute to the invisible mental load.

This is where platforms such as SmartThings come in. Rather than asking homeowners to manage more technology, they are designed to tackle some of the very pain points highlighted in the survey.

Rising utility bills

One of homeowners’ biggest concerns is understanding and managing household energy consumption. SmartThings addresses this through features such as AI Energy Mode and Energy Management, which provide a clearer picture of how connected appliances are using electricity and identify opportunities to reduce consumption. Through Samsung’s range of Bespoke AI home appliances, homeowners can reduce energy usage by up to 70 per cent for washing machines and up to 28 per cent for air conditioners.

A constant need to remember

The survey found that many homeowners worry about whether appliances have been left switched on or find themselves repeatedly carrying out the same tasks each day. SmartThings allows compatible devices to work together through automated routines, so recurring actions – such as switching appliances off when leaving home or preparing the home before residents return – happen automatically.

Looking after loved ones

For homeowners in multi-generational households, peace of mind extends beyond the home itself. Features such as Family Care provide reassurance by using everyday household activity to indicate that loved ones are up and about, without relying on intrusive monitoring. It uses data from connected devices and daily routines to provide reassurance and alert caregivers if something appears out of the ordinary.

Taking care of the invisible work

Rather than adding another layer of technology to manage, SmartThings is designed to reduce the small decisions, repeated checks and everyday interruptions that make up the invisible mental load of running a home.

The survey points to a subtle shift in what homeowners expect from technology. It’s no longer simply about making homes smarter or adding more connected devices. It’s about creating homes that support the people living in them.

Running a home will probably never stop requiring effort. But if technology can quietly take care of the invisible work such as remembering, checking and co-ordinating, the reward is not just convenience. It is having more time, attention and headspace for the people and moments that matter most.

Discover how SmartThings powers AI living to manage your home seamlessly.